How Your Faith and a Nighttime Routine Can Help You Fall Asleep Quickly 

by Michelle Turner

You're tired. You're worn out. All you want to do is put on comfy pajamas and head to bed.

That time has finally come! 

Only when you lay down, as tired as you are, your mind keeps racing, and you can't make yourself fall asleep quickly.

If this sounds familiar, keep reading for tips and techniques to help you find rest. 

Can your Faith in God Help you to Fall Asleep Quicker?

True rest comes from God. He invites us to find peace in Him and His ways.

Matthew 11:28-29

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 

Feeling tired and worn out is not only a product of all the things that we do in our day, but sometimes you can be so busy that you don't have time to process all the stress you are carrying. Consequently, when you want to fall asleep fast, you can't because your mind is racing; it's wanting you to process all the things. 

Sound familiar? 

Take heart. There is good news, Jesus is there, at the ready, to take up your burdens, so you don't have to. 

How to Find Peace and Rest in Jesus

When you trust Jesus, you find a peace that isn't anything like the peace you find in this world.

John 14:27 (NIV)

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not be afraid.

The depth of peace that comes from Jesus is born out of your friendship with Him. You build a true and lasting friendship with Jesus when you share your struggles and joys with Him.

A friendship with Jesus builds stronger as the months and years go by. 

You can learn about who Jesus is by reading Scripture. And the more you learn about Jesus, the easier it becomes to trust Him with your fears and worry. That's when you'll start to find rest from your concern. Not because things are suddenly better but because you trust that Jesus is walking beside you, guiding you along the way.

You can find more ways to build a friendship with Jesus here.

How Starting a Nighttime Routine Can Help you Fall Asleep Quickly

PIN IT FOR LATER

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Routines aren’t just for babies. They work for adults, too!

Nighttime routines help your mind pick up on the fact that it’s time to prepare your body for sleep. It’s a way to let your mind know it’s okay to let go of your stress as you prepare for sleep.

Tips for Mapping out your Nighttime Routine

When coming up with your nighttime routine, make sure that it doesn't take too long because it's the busy times in your life that you need this routine the most. If it takes you too long to do, you are less likely to keep up with it. Keep it simple, short, and filled with things that bring you comfort.

Practical Ideas for your Nighttime Routine-So you Can Fall Asleep Quickly

  • Start by putting on a comfy pair of pajamas. After a long day, I enjoy nothing more than feeling cozy in a pair of super-soft pj's. Comfy pajamas are tactile and work to trigger your memory with your sense of touch.
  • Another sense that helps you remember is your sense of smell. A great way to incorporate that sense into your nighttime routine is to do it with scented lotion. A couple of suggested scents to use for trying to get to sleep quicker are:
    • Lavender-Scented Lotions or Room Spray
    • Ocean Scented Lotion or Room Spray
    • Coconut Lotion or Room Spray

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  • Have a warm decaffeinated drink. I enjoy ending my day with a hot cup of tea. The warmth of the tea leaves me feeling cozy from the inside out.
    • You could try warm milk, warm chicken broth, or perhaps a decaf coffee if you don't like tea.
  • Start associating reading with your nighttime routine.
    • Scripture is the perfect thing to read before bed. It puts your mind at ease and gives you a sense of comfort and peace—some different ways to read Scripture as part of your bedtime routine.
      • Read the Bible or a Bible Study Book
      • Read a Devotional Book
      • Read a Christian Book on a Topic you Love
        • There are lots of books to choose from. I currently am enjoying a book called Faithful by a group of writers and songwriters. The book has short stories written by different writers, and they pair a Scripture reading with how the Bible passage has influenced their life. Each writer's "chapter" is only a few pages long. I love that I can read one or two before bed.
  • Say a prayer thanking God for your day and asking for His help to quiet your thoughts and drift off to sleep.

What to Do When you Still Can’t Quickly Fall Asleep

There may come a stressful time in your life that even your nighttime routine isn't helping you fall asleep fast enough. When that happens, try the following exercise.

  • Pick a Scripture passage you like.
  • Chose a sentence or a word that you love about that Scripture.
  • Close your eyes and meditate on those verses.
    • Repeat the verse or a word over and over again.
    • Picture Jesus saying those words to you.

Hopefully, this helps you calm the thoughts in your mind.

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Invitation to be a Doer of the Word-Try the Following Activity

James 1:22, NIV: "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says." 

  • Take 10 minutes and write out all the words that come to mind when you hear the word rest.
  • Next, go through that list and see if any of those words you associate with rest could be something you could incorporate into a nighttime routine.
    • Make it something quick and simple to do.
  • Map out what a good nighttime routine is for you. 
    • Keep your nighttime routine to 10 minutes or less.
    • Make it something that you really look forward to doing.
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JOURNAL PROMPTS, PAIRED WITH SCRIPTURE ON REST

This week’s Scripture comes from:

Matthew 11:28-29

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 

  • Journal about a challenge you are currently facing and how that leaves you feeling.
  • Do you trust the Lord with all that you do? Journal about why you think that is.
  • Journal about how you can find rest and comfort in Him this week. 
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