ZZZZ's...and Routines - Kristin Sterk

Sleep.

Isn’t that just a peaceful word when you hear it? I know too many Americans today do not get enough of it. I remember being in high school and college and hearing people talk about how tired they are. Well, I suppose I still hear people say that today. You can be tired just from a busy day or you can be tired from lack of sleep. I was always one who made sure I got enough sleep. I don’t think I ever pulled a full-out all-nighter in college b/c I knew I would need some sleep. I came close to it, but I felt sleep would be more healthy for me than studying those last 5 questions.

This week in the Bible study we were challenged to set up an evening and morning routine, so that our sleep hours may be maximized. The point was made that since God created us, HE knows how much sleep we need – well duh, Kristin! I guess I never really thought of it that way! I often think selfishly, trying to figure out how much sleep I need – I never thought of asking the Lord.

The Proverbs 31 woman worked hard – read that chapter again and you will probably just get winded just reading it. But for her to do what she did, I guarantee you it took some good sleep too. So what does it take to get a good nights sleep? Here is what they suggested – modify your eating habits – don’t drink tons and tons of caffeine (yes, that would include coffee), and minimize your sugar intake. Create a good sleeping environment – ex. don’t watch tv in bed. Alongside that, establish a nightly routine. When your mind is running wild, while you are trying to go to sleep, either pray about it or write it down. I’ve heard a lot people say that there mind just goes crazy when they are trying to sleep. I am thankful I rarely have that issue (I’m a “fall asleep in 5 minutes” person). I find though, that the times I do have a harder time, is because I am stressing or worrying about something – trying to make the situation work in my head. Really Kristin? What good does that do? That is when I need to just give it ALL up to God. If throughout the day I am not constantly giving my cares and concerns to God, then you can sure bet it’ll be harder to fall asleep at night. It’s not rocket science here!

AND…

Now that you have had that good night’s sleep…

What do mornings look like for you?
Suggestion they had – pray for God to be your alarm clock. God knows when we sleep too much and when we don’t take care of our bodies and sleep too little. I know sometimes I “sleep in” til after 8 and I think wow, that felt good. But really did I need that much sleep? I know, you’re probably thinking, Come ON Kristin, does that really matter? Well, I think it can – much of life is about moderation. I have been trying to get up at 7 every morning (bedtime is 11 or a little after) and I have found that that is plenty of sleep for me – it’s still roughly 8 hours (ask my mom and she’ll tell you I was always a sleeper – which for all we know, could’ve been a sign of my heart problem, but God just did not open our eyes to it – by His design). Somedays I will get up earlier b/c I L-O-V-E early morning runs, but I know too, I need about 7-8 hours of sleep.

So when that alarm goes off – what is your FIRST thought? “Oh stink, is that really the alarm?” Or is it YES! Another day? I think the way we start our day the second our alarm goes off, can set the tone for the day. There are many scripture verses that talk about the mornings – how beautiful they are – do we see that they are always beautiful? Do we rejoice in them? Rejoice in a new day to serve the Lord? I’ve been trying to get into the mindset of “if God wakes me up today, He must still want me here.” I know that seems a little odd, but it’s true – our lives are in His hands and everyday we live, is another day to be a witness for Him.

So be conscientious. Think about the little details in life – like sleep. What if you slept a hour longer – how much more productive would you be in a day? You may be thinking “I don’t have TIME to sleep another hour.” Well, maybe you need to restructure your evening. What if you got up a little earlier? How much more productive would you be in that sense?

Trust me, all these questions I have posed are questions I am still working through myself! This morning was an earlier morning than normal and I know I have to keep working on the “rejoice that it’s another day” mentality because otherwise I will let my tiredness overtake. As for the sleeping patterns – trust me, I am still working on this. I am not speaking like I have it altogether – what I am saying is let’s DO THIS TOGETHER. I am a constant work-in-progress and this is NO different my friends! Just because I may get 7-8 hours of sleep doesn’t mean I don’t ever get tired. I do! I have just really been trying to make the most of everything I do, like being selective (previous post) and making the most of EVERY minute.

How can you make the most out of your day? What little changes can you make? Before you get overwhelmed, try asking God first – He may have a few answers for you.