© Glow Images. Model used for illustrative purposes.
Oh, to curl up and sleep like a baby with not a care in the world! Do you remember what that was like? You didn’t have to yearn for a restful night. You’d simply snuggle down, get comfortable, and fall off to sleep. It was so, so easy. Well apparently for some people, it’s not that simple anymore.
According to research by the Bayer company for its new drug Prosomnia, “92% of Australians admit to having a bad night’s sleep at least one to two nights a week, and in some cases nearly every night. The survey of over 1,000 Australians also reveals 40% of Australians are getting by on 6 hours of sleep or less a night, with lunchtime power naps (26%) and stimulants such as coffee and energy drinks (57%) being the most popular ways to stave off tiredness during the day.”
There’s lots of reasons why you don’t get to sleep when you want to. It could be the wrong mattress, saggy pillows, age, stress, too much caffeine, or being out of your normal routine. The list goes on and on. There’s even a greater number of suggestions on the Web for how to get a good night’s sleep – including taking medication.
Yet there may be another method for getting that anticipated good night’s rest that is drug-free. More and more, people are recognizing the relationship between mind and body. Most of us would agree that there’s more to life than what we can hear, see, and feel. Some people even believe that there’s a deeper, spiritual aspect which has a beneficial influence on thought and well-being. Taking our mental state into account can have a positive effect on our nightly experience.
At one time in my life, I desperately wanted a contented night’s rest. I blamed my bed. It was not delivering the comfort I desired. But three new mattresses and umpteen pillows later, I still wasn’t sleeping well. I didn’t want to take drugs, so I considered the connection between my thought and my disturbed night-time experience. I found I’d been climbing into bed feeling stressed, overworked and unable to settle my thoughts down.
I turned to spiritual thinking for help. As a life-long reader of the Scriptures and someone who has felt the healing benefits of prayer, I thought of a comforting divine Presence gently, tenderly, enveloping me – like a soft blanket. I gave thanks, that during the day this divine Presence had shielded me from trouble and guided me through my tasks. Each night, I reasoned, I could also feel satisfied and expect to rest peacefully.
Thinking this way, changed my experience. I stopped obsessing over getting sleep. I gave my mental consent to having a comfortable, calm, contented rest, and to waking up full of energy. It worked! To this day, I still have mattress number three. If I’m troubled, I think spiritually. This gets me back on track. I’m able to settle down peacefully once more.
So if you have a busy schedule, you don’t have to be stressed out and sleepless. You too can discover the connection between spiritual thinking and a healthy night’s rest. Here are some suggestions.
1. Before bed, slow down. Prepare thought for a good night’s sleep. Take time-out to pray, meditate.
2. Think of at least four good things that happened during the day and give thanks for them.
3. Don’t worry about tomorrow. You haven’t got there yet! Stay in the ‘now’. There’s a divine Presence comforting and caring for you. Contented rest is within your mental grasp right now.