Sleeping on Sleep

how the science of sleep helps us worship

By: Anabel Witzke

This article is part of the Claritas fall 2024 issue, Margins. Read the full print release here.

Have you ever read the verse that tells us His mercies are new every evening? No? That’s because it doesn’t exist. Instead, God reminds us of His morning renewal after each night’s rest. [1] Sleep is often relegated to a biological function or an afterthought. Deeper engagement with both its physiological necessity and theological importance reveals sleep as an intentional, divine gift that embodies God’s provision, mercy, and design. 

The scientific particulars of sleep can enhance our lived understanding of how God works in sleep and speaks to us through Scripture. Sleep plays a critical biological role in memory consolidation and emotional regulation. Sleep allows emotional experiences to be balanced and anxiety to be ameliorated. As one scientific study puts it, sleep creates “a balanced neural facilitation of the informational core of emotional experiences (the memory) while … ameliorating the … arousing charge originally acquired at the time of learning (the emotion), in effect, negating a long-term state of anxiety.” [2] This scientific observation explains how we can experience the divine renewal that Lamentations 3:22-23 speaks of: “His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning.” It is through the physiological process of sleep that we can feel this spiritual reality, displaying a union of biological restoration with divine grace. Sleep allows us to experience the truth of God’s renewal tangibly.

Sleep, however, is far more than a biological need: It is a deliberate and recurring opportunity extended by God for growth and intimacy with Him. In Scripture, sleep is properly viewed not as an indulgence but as a sacred period of trust and surrender. God has given us a positive vision of sleep, framing it as an act of faith—a relinquishing of control that reflects His sovereignty and care. As Psalm 4:8 states, “In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.”

Yet moderation is key, as excessive sleep is linked to laziness and disordered behavior, as the book of Proverbs affirms by admonishing, “How long will you lie there, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep?” [3] Like any gift from God, sleep can be misused, and when we do so, we stray from the divine design for rest. Sleep, in its proper context, is a personal and theological invitation—an opportunity to rest in God’s presence, as we allow Him to work within us and physically restore us, free from our conscious efforts or resistance.

However, our college campus seems to suffer from a scarcity of sleep. Despite its divine and biological importance, there is a clear dissonance between our understanding of sleep as a gift and our cultural tendencies to devalue it in favor of productivity. The psalmist cautions against this mindset: “It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.” [4] On college campuses, sleep deprivation is a common lament, and students often doze off in places where rest is unwelcome. This neglect is not merely a physical health issue—it is a spiritual one. To dismiss sleep is to reject God’s provision and refuse to accept His assured presence in our lives. Our societal disregard for sleep is symptomatic of a broader disconnect from God’s order.

Rather than viewing sleep as a pause in productivity, we should recognize it as the Bible does: a profound act of worship and surrender. When we sleep, God continues to work, inviting us into a humble acknowledgment of His sovereignty. While we need sleep, God does not. This uniquely mortal need highlights our incompleteness without God’s provision. Psalm 121:3-4 reminds us, “He who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.” Our biological need for sleep, regulated involuntarily, is a reminder that God’s gifts do not depend on our efforts, as worship is not about earning or maintaining God’s gifts but offering glory and praise for what He has freely bestowed. Reframing sleep in this light shifts it from being a mere interruption of productivity to a participation in God’s ongoing redemptive work. Scientific writers even acknowledge the wisdom in this, noting, “Ultimately, the timeless wisdom of our parents may never have been more relevant—that is, when troubled, ‘get a good night’s sleep, and you’ll feel better in the morning.’” [5]

By reconciling the scientific understanding of sleep with its biblical significance, we can cultivate a more profound reverence for this sacred rhythm of rest. Christians ought to reconsider their approach to sleep, adopting a practice that honors God’s intent for rest and renewal. As we prepare to rest each night, we can offer prayers of thanksgiving for the restoration that sleep provides, and prayers of openness, inviting God to work in us through this sacred gift. Perhaps a fitting conclusion comes from the Compline prayer in the tradition of the Daily Office: “Guide us waking, O Lord, and guard us sleeping; that awake we may watch with Christ, and asleep we may rest in peace.” [6] This prayer bridges our waking and sleeping states, reminding us that God’s fellowship with us is unbroken, and through both sleeping and waking, we are invited to experience His presence and provision.

Sources

[1] Lamentations 3:22-23 (ESV).

[2] Walker and van Der Helm, “Overnight Therapy?,” (2009), 741.

[3] Proverbs 6:9

[4] Psalms 127:2

[4] Walker and van Der Helm, “Overnight Therapy?,” 744.

[5] The Book of Common Prayer (ACNA, 2019), 64.