I had a great sleep last night! I haven’t slept that well in a really long time and now I’m awake, refreshed, happy, and ready to work.

I’m actually amazed at how good I feel. I didn’t realize how much not sleeping well had been affecting me until I finally got a really good night’s rest. It makes me wonder how many other things I’ve overlooked?

The first thing that popped into my head was Shakespeare’s Macbeth.

I know – weird.

But there is a critical scene in the play where the main character realizes that his actions will come back to haunt him and he becomes afraid. Macbeth, in a moment of clarity, can see that he has murdered the rest he desperately needs for his mind and soul when he murdered his king. The moment is as compelling as if you were watching someone with a vial of some miracle cure in their hands the moment they dropped it, saw it shatter on the floor, and then turned in grief and horror to explain to you the irreplaceable value of what was just lost.

When things were tough, Mom would usher me off to bed by saying that a good night’s rest would do me well since “sleep…knits up the raveled sleave of care.”

She was right – sleep is a wonderful curative. Throughout the bible, the same sentiment is expressed.

“…Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes in the morning.” Psalm 30: 5

3He will not allow your foot to slip;
         He who keeps you will not slumber.4Behold, He who keeps Israel
         Will neither slumber nor sleep. Psalm 121: 3-4

Psalm 23, Psalm 91, Matthew 11:28-30 all touch on sleep in various ways.

Sleep is a blessing.

So why do we feel like getting the rest we need is somehow bad? As if getting the sleep our bodies need makes us slackers somehow? Why do we lose sleep unnecessarily? Why do we not take advantage of what getting a good night’s sleep will do for our ability to function?

So… take that nap, tuck in early, get the rest you need. You’ll be glad you did.

~ Sweet Dreams ~