I haven’t covered every aspect of a typical day, but we have talked about everything from morning routines to how we should prioritize our schedules, approach our work, and think about entertainment, reading, and music. Today, I want to address something we do every single day yet rarely stop to consider—sleep.
Unfortunately, we often think of sleep as a necessary evil. We know we must do it, but we don’t really want to. We squeeze it in between work, entertainment, and our endless to-do lists. Some even wear their lack of sleep as a badge of honor, boasting about how little rest they get. It can feel like a waste of time, which is why people say, “I’ll sleep when I’m dead.”
But no matter how much we try to resist it, our bodies demand sleep. Without it, we break down—mentally, physically, emotionally, and even spiritually. Sleep deprivation affects everything. It weakens our decision-making, wrecks our immune systems, and can even be fatal. I recently read that heart attacks spike twenty-four percent the day after we switch to Daylight Savings Time. Maybe we should write our congressman about that.
But sleep is more than a biological necessity. It has profound theological implications. When we go to bed at night, whether we realize it or not, we are making a statement about our relationship with God, our Creator and Sustainer. We are saying, “Lord, I am not in control. I am not invincible. I am not all-powerful. But I trust you to keep the world turning without me. I trust you to sustain me through the night. I can rest because I know you will keep working.”
Of course, God designed us to sleep, and unsurprisingly, it comes with countless practical benefits. It influences every aspect of our daily lives.
So, today, I want to answer three questions. First, why do we sleep? Second, how does sleep affect us—our health, our thinking, and our spiritual lives? And third, how do we apply biblical wisdom to our sleep?
The First Mention of Sleep in Scripture
Let’s begin at the beginning—with the creation story in Genesis. The first mention of sleep in the Bible appears in Genesis 2:21. I’ll start reading from verse 18.
The LORD God also said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make for him a suitable helper.”
And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and He brought them to the man to see what he would name each one. And whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all the livestock, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam no suitable helper was found.
So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep, and while he slept, He took one of the man’s ribs and closed up the area with flesh. And from the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man, He made a woman and brought her to him. (Ge 2:18-22)
God created the first man along with all the animals. Then he brought the animals before Adam, as if to say, “Look, Adam, none of these are your equal. You don’t yet have a suitable companion.” Only after making this clear did the Lord put Adam into a deep sleep. While Adam slept, God took one of his ribs and used it to create the first woman—his wife.
The first thing to notice here is that all of this takes place before sin enters the world. It happens before the fall, which tells us that sleep is not a consequence of sin. Of course, like everything else, sin has affected sleep. We grow tired more quickly, struggle to fall asleep, or wake up restless. But sleep itself existed before sin, so we should dismiss any idea that sleep is a punishment. Here it is, woven into God’s perfect and sinless creation.
The second thing to notice is what Adam is doing—or rather, what he is not doing. He is not pacing through the garden, thinking, What am I going to do? I need a wife. He is not lying awake in the grass, anxiously devising a plan for the next day. He is not doing anything at all. He is asleep.
God, on the other hand, is working. He is solving the problem entirely on his own. We might argue that Adam was involved since God used his rib to create Eve, but Adam himself is entirely passive. While he sleeps, God is at work.
Trusting God Through Work and Rest
This points to an important theme throughout Scripture. Yes, we are called to work, and not just to work, but to work diligently. However, we are not the ultimate builders of our lives. God is.
Listen to what Solomon writes in Psalm 127:
Unless the LORD builds the house,
its builders labor in vain;
unless the LORD protects the city,
its watchmen stand guard in vain.
In vain you rise early
and stay up late,
toiling for bread to eat—
for He gives sleep to His beloved. (Ps 127:1-2)
Yes, the builders should build, and the watchmen should stand guard. Ultimately, though, it is God who builds the house and protects the city. If we believe we must stay up later, wake up earlier, and sacrifice sleep just to accomplish everything that needs to be done, we have missed something essential. That mindset is not just unhealthy; it is biblically and theologically inaccurate. Anxiously toiling to the point of neglecting sleep ignores the precious reality that God is in control of our lives and every outcome.
Not only that, but it disregards the fact that God designed us to need sleep and offers it as a gift. Solomon writes, “He gives sleep to His beloved” (Ps 127:2). In other words, he grants rest to those he loves. Sleep is not a punishment. It is a blessing.
Looking back at the creation account, we see that God himself models this for us. He builds rest into the created order by working six days and resting on the seventh. Genesis 2 says:
Thus, the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. And by the seventh day, God had finished the work He had been doing; so on that day, He rested from all His work.
Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because on that day He rested from all the work of creation that He had accomplished. (Ge 2:1-3)
God himself demonstrates the goodness of rest. That means rest and sleep are not acts of laziness. They are not a waste of time. They are good gifts from God. And for finite human beings, they are absolutely necessary.
Sleep as an Act of Trust in God
But again, sleep is more than a physical or biological necessity. It represents something profound about our relationship with God.
Listen to David’s words in Psalm 3:
O LORD, how my foes have increased!
How many rise up against me!
Many say of me,
“God will not deliver him.”
But You, O LORD, are a shield around me,
my glory, and the One who lifts my head.
To the LORD I cry aloud,
and He answers me from His holy mountain.
I lie down and sleep;
I wake again, for the LORD sustains me.
I will not fear the myriads
set against me on every side.
Arise, O LORD!
Save me, O my God!
Strike all my enemies on the jaw;
break the teeth of the wicked.
Salvation belongs to the LORD;
may Your blessing be on Your people. (Ps 3:1-8)
Notice the reference to sleep in verse 5, but consider the larger context. David is on the run. His enemies are hunting him down to kill him. If anyone ever had a reason to stay awake all night, it was David. Even if he was not up worrying or watching for an ambush, he might have stayed awake to strategize. What should I do next? Clearly, this psalm reveals a heavy burden on his mind.
And yet, he is not overwhelmed with fear. He is not pacing the floor, unable to rest. Why? “You, O LORD, are a shield around me” (Ps 3:3). Because of that, he can say, “I lie down and sleep; I wake again, for the LORD sustains me” (Ps 3:5).
He expresses the same confidence in Psalm 4:8: “I will lie down and sleep in peace, for You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.”
Every time we close our eyes and drift off to sleep, we are making a subtle yet powerful acknowledgment—we are not in control. David says, “You alone, O LORD” (Ps 4:8). Staying awake all night in anxiety or fear will never solve our problems. But we do not have to stay awake. We do not have to have everything figured out. As Psalm 121 reminds us:
[God] will not allow your foot to slip;
your Protector will not slumber.
Behold, the Protector of Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep. (Ps 121:3-4)
We do not have to be active 24/7. We do not have to be vigilant 24/7. We do not have to micromanage every detail of our lives because our Protector neither slumbers nor sleeps. Did Adam have to stay awake in the garden, anxiously trying to figure out his companionship problem? No, he slept while God worked for his good.
Charles Spurgeon once said, “God gave us night to shut down our earthly business and rest. He draws the curtain, puts out the candle, and bids us rest in His care.”
Do you see how sleep is really an act of humility? It expresses our dependence on a sovereign God. When we sleep, we surrender control to the One who never sleeps and never grows weary. It is an act of trust in his faithful care.
Avoiding the Extreme of Overwork and Laziness
Now, of course, we need to approach this with biblical balance. We cannot simply say, “Sleep is good,” and leave it at that because Scripture warns us about the extremes we might take.
On one hand, we might fall into the trap of anxious overwork, neglecting sleep to control every outcome. On the other hand, we might drift into laziness, indulging in sleep to the point of neglecting our responsibilities. Both extremes are unwise, and the Bible speaks to each of them.
Overwork
I already read from Psalm 127, but let me read verse 2 again:
In vain you rise early and stay up late,
toiling for bread to eat—
for He gives sleep to His beloved. (Ps 127:2)
Solomon is not condemning hard work. He is warning against work that is driven by anxiety and self-reliance. Rising early, staying up late, and constantly working without sufficient rest reveal a heart that is not fully trusting in God’s provision. We need sleep, and God wants us to sleep. As Solomon says, “He gives sleep to His beloved” (Ps 127:2). This verse expresses a concern that we might neglect rest—not necessarily because of external demands, but because we refuse to surrender control and trust God to sustain us.
Consider the Sabbath principle throughout Scripture. It is woven into the fabric of creation and explicitly commanded in the Ten Commandments. Exodus 20:8-10 says:
Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God, on which you must not do any work— neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant or livestock, nor the foreigner within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth and the sea and all that is in them, but on the seventh day He rested. Therefore, the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy. (Ex 20:8-11)
Now, the Sabbath day is a subject for another time, but why did God build a day of rest into creation? Why did he model it for us? Why does he command us to set aside a day when we cease from work? Is it because he does not want us to work at all? Obviously not. He designated six days for labor. Is it because he wants us to be lazy? No.
God built rest into creation because, first, we need it. Second, he wants us to trust him. He wants us to rely on him rather than our own endless striving. This principle is perhaps seen most clearly when God provided manna for Israel in the wilderness. Each day, he gave them exactly enough for that day—except before the Sabbath. On that day, they were allowed to gather enough for two days. In other words, God’s provision took rest into account. He wanted them to rest, and as they obeyed, he proved that he would continue to provide. They did not have to be anxious or self-reliant.
The same is true for us. No matter how much we toil, endless striving without rest will get us nowhere. True rest comes from trusting in the God who provides.
Laziness
The other extreme is laziness. Proverbs 6:9-11 warns against this:
How long will you lie there, O slacker?
When will you get up from your sleep?
A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest,
and poverty will come upon you like a robber,
and need like a bandit. (Pr 6:9-11)
Proverbs is not condemning sleep itself. The issue is excessive sleep or, more precisely, a love of sleep that leads to neglecting responsibilities. The problem arises when we choose laziness over diligence. Ironically, this can sometimes be a temptation when we trust in God’s providence. We might think, God will take care of me, so I don’t have to do anything.
But as Wayne Grudem rightly says in Systematic Theology, “Simply to say that we are trusting in God instead of acting responsibly is sheer laziness and is a distortion of the doctrine of providence.”
Once again, Psalm 127 reminds us that while we should not be anxiously overworking, we are still called to labor. The builder still builds, and the watchman still stands guard, even though it is ultimately the Lord who produces the results.
As with so many aspects of life, balance is key. We must consider the whole counsel of God and avoid both extremes. From the beginning, God established a rhythm of both work and rest. We work, and we sleep. We labor, and we trust. A healthy balance of both is essential for a faithful and fruitful life.
Jesus’s Example of Rest and Trust
As disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, it is only natural that we look to him as our example. So, let’s consider what Jesus himself teaches us about sleep. You can probably guess where I’m going. If you want to follow along, turn to Mark 4. This account is also found in Matthew 8 and Luke 8.
Beginning in verse 35, Mark writes:
When that evening came, He said to His disciples, “Let us cross to the other side.” After they had dismissed the crowd, they took Jesus with them since He was already in the boat. And there were other boats with Him.
Soon, a violent windstorm came up, and the waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was being swamped. But Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on the cushion. So they woke Him and said, “Teacher, don’t You care that we are perishing?”
Then Jesus got up and rebuked the wind and the sea. “Silence!” He commanded. “Be still!” And the wind died down, and it was perfectly calm.
“Why are you so afraid?” He asked. “Do you still have no faith?”
Overwhelmed with fear, they asked one another, “Who is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?” (Mk 4:35-41)
This is an incredible moment for several reasons. The first is simply that Jesus fell asleep. That should not surprise us, but after reading about his extraordinary miracles, we can sometimes forget about his full humanity. Yet he was truly human, and after a long day of preaching and ministry, he was physically exhausted. He was not pretending to sleep to make a point. He was genuinely tired. John 4 gives us another glimpse of this reality: “Jesus, weary from His journey, sat down by the well” (Jn 4:6). He experienced exhaustion just as we do.
But more importantly, Jesus did not resist sleep. In his divinity, he knew the storm was coming. He knew his disciples would panic. He also knew he would need to be the one to calm the storm. And yet, he lay down in the stern of the boat and went to sleep.
What does this teach us?
First, Jesus understood that everything has its time and place. He did not need to stay awake, anxiously anticipating the storm. He would deal with it when the time came. The same is true for us. There is a time for work, and there is a time for rest. We do not have to sacrifice sleep for the sake of tasks that can wait.
Second, Jesus could sleep because he trusted in God the Father. This is the primary lesson he teaches his disciples in this moment. “Why are you so afraid?” he asks. “Do you still have no faith?” (Mk 4:40). Anxiety robs us of rest, but we do not have to stay awake in fear or wear ourselves down with worry. We can rest because we know that God is in control.
Third, Jesus shows us by example that sleep is both good and necessary. If the Son of God, in his perfect wisdom and strength, did not neglect sleep, then neither should we. That truth alone should be enough for us.
Embracing Sleep as a Reflection of Renewal and Resurrection
I’ll admit that I have always struggled to go to bed at a decent time. Research suggests that people have internal clocks that vary from person to person, so maybe some of it is just how I’m wired. But as I’ve reflected on this and examined myself, I have to confess that part of it is my mindset.
I have things I want to get done each day. There’s a project to finish, a book to read, a Sunday school lesson to prepare. The things I stay up for are usually good, but they are not reasons to sacrifice sleep. Without consciously realizing it, I often approach sleep with a sense of finality. Once I go to bed, that’s it. I can’t accomplish anything else. The day is over.
But that is a short-sighted way of thinking. Let me explain what I mean.
Consider how the Bible describes death. Death has a far greater sense of finality than sleep. And yet, what language does Scripture often use to describe it?
In the Old Testament, when a king died, the text often says he “rested [or slept] with his fathers” (1Ki 2:10). In the New Testament, Paul uses similar language when he writes, “Brothers, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep” (1Th 4:13). But he makes it clear that he is not talking about literal sleep—he is talking about death.
Why do biblical authors describe death as though it were merely sleep? Let’s keep reading in 1 Thessalonians 4:
Brothers, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who are without hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, we also believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him.
By the word of the Lord, we declare to you that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will be the first to rise. After that, we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord. (1Th 4:13-17)
Do you see? There is a resurrection coming. Death feels permanent. In this life, nothing seems more final than death. And yet, it is not final. We have the hope of resurrection, which is why Paul speaks of death as if it is nothing more than falling asleep. His message is clear: “Do not worry. Those who have died in Christ will wake up.”
With that in mind, how foolish is it to cling to the end of the day, refusing to sleep because it feels so final? I need a little more time. I need to get this thing done. I can almost hear Paul responding, “What are you talking about? Tomorrow is a new day. And, by the way, it’s coming whether you like it or not, so you may as well be rested and refreshed when it does.”
Lamentations 3 reminds us: “[God’s] mercies never fail. They are new every morning” (La 3:22-23).
Even death is not final for the believer. Sleep is certainly not final. Just as resurrection follows death, a new morning with new mercies follows sleep.
Sleep as a Reflection of Our Eternal Hope
It may also be helpful to consider a principle taught in the book of Hebrews. In Hebrews 4, the author expounds upon Psalm 95, showing that God’s people have been given a promise of rest. He explains that we can already enter into this rest in part, though the fullness of it is yet to come.
In verse 9, he writes, “There remains, then, a Sabbath rest for the people of God” (Heb 4:9). Then, in verse 11, he exhorts us, “Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following the same pattern of disobedience” (Heb 4:11).
Notice how the author of Hebrews presents rest not just as a good thing but as the ultimate thing. This is what the Christian strives for. This is what the Christian hopes for. Even now, we rest in Christ, and we look forward to the day when we will rest in him forever. When that day comes, all of our sorrows, burdens, griefs, and troubles—everything that causes us to groan in this fallen world—will be gone. They will be removed forever. And how does the author of Hebrews illustrate this future reality? He calls it rest.
Heaven is likened to rest. That is a far cry from how we often think about rest, particularly sleep. We tell ourselves, Who has time for sleep? There are more important things to do. But while I am not suggesting that sleep is the same as heaven (though sometimes…), the author of Hebrews sees enough similarities to describe heaven as a place of perfect rest.
What are those similarities?
First, as I have said, sleep is an act of humility and faith. When we sleep, we relinquish control, trusting that God will sustain us through the night. In the same way, it is our trust in the Lord that leads us into eternal rest.
Second, God has designed sleep to bring restoration and renewal to our bodies. What is heaven but our final and ultimate restoration?
Third, both sleep and heaven mark a transition from labor to peace. When we climb into bed at night, we leave behind the work of the day and enter into rest. Likewise, when we enter paradise with Christ, every earthly toil and struggle comes to an end. We enter into eternal rest and peace.
Finally, both sleep and heaven reflect the Sabbath principle woven throughout Scripture. As I have mentioned, rest was built into creation. God himself modeled a rhythm of work followed by rest. And as Hebrews shows us, heaven is the ultimate fulfillment of the Sabbath—a place of perfect, unending rest in the presence of God.
So in a very real way, a good night’s sleep reflects something of the gospel. It reminds us that we are not in control, that we depend on God for our restoration, and that one day, we will enter into his perfect rest forever.
The Science of Sleep
Beyond what the Bible says about sleep, I have also looked into the science of sleep, and I want to share some of what I found. I doubt any of this will come as a surprise.
First, when we sleep, our bodies are doing much more than just lying still. Sleep triggers a powerful repair process. Cells and tissues regenerate. Hormones that regulate hunger, stress, and metabolism are balanced. The immune system is strengthened to help fight off illness.
I mentioned earlier that heart attacks spike after we lose an hour of sleep in the spring due to daylight savings time. Interestingly, the reverse happens in the fall when we gain an hour—heart attacks drop by twenty-one percent. That is how powerful sleep is. Just one hour can have a measurable impact on health.
Good sleep also lowers stress hormones and regulates blood pressure, which is why those who consistently get seven to nine hours of sleep per night have a significantly lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
So, if you have ever felt guilty about prioritizing sleep, don’t. This is God’s design for restoring our bodies and keeping us healthy. Prioritizing sleep is not laziness—it is a matter of stewarding our bodies well.
Sleep also plays a critical role in our thinking and memory. Without proper sleep, our brains do not function as they should.
One fascinating process that happens during sleep is memory consolidation. While we sleep, our brains are sorting through everything we have learned that day, organizing and storing that information for later use. If we do not get enough sleep, it is like forgetting to hit the save button after writing a document on a computer. The information is lost. The brain never has the chance to process it fully.
This is why staying up all night to study is counterproductive. A well-rested brain absorbs and processes information much better than an exhausted one.
Sleep deprivation also slows reaction time and impairs judgment. Studies show that after being awake for twenty hours straight, a person’s mental impairment is comparable to being legally drunk.
In the long term, chronic sleep deprivation has been linked to severe cognitive decline and dementia. The brain has a built-in process of flushing out toxins during sleep, including those associated with Alzheimer’s disease. When we do not get enough sleep, those toxins accumulate, increasing the risk of memory loss over time. If you want to keep your mind sharp, you need consistent, quality sleep.
Another critical function of sleep is its effect on emotional regulation. A lack of sleep alters how our brains process emotions. When we are sleep deprived, the part of the brain responsible for emotional responses—the amygdala—goes into overdrive. This makes us more reactive, more anxious, and more prone to negative thinking. Minor frustrations feel overwhelming. Controlling our emotions becomes more difficult.
Even worse, this creates a vicious cycle. Sleep deprivation contributes to anxiety, and anxiety makes it harder to sleep. The two feed into each other, creating a downward spiral that can feel impossible to escape.
At some point, we have to break the cycle. How? In the case of anxiety, Philippians 4 gives us the answer:
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Php 4:6-7)
Let go of the burdens. In humility and trust, lay them at the Lord’s feet. Climb into bed and rest, knowing that God is in control.
Psalm 139:14 reminds us, “I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous are Your works, and I know this very well.”
God knew what he was doing when he designed our bodies. He knew what he was doing when he created sleep. And he knows what he is doing when he commands us to rest.
Practical Steps for Honoring God Through Rest
Let me wrap this up with a few practical suggestions.
First, keep a regular sleep schedule. God created our bodies with circadian rhythms that function best with consistency, just as he designed the days and nights to follow a set pattern. Prioritize consistency in your sleep habits.
Second, establish a bedtime routine. Limit screen time at least an hour before bed. Read the Bible or something calming. Spend time in prayer, casting your anxieties on the Lord. Dim the lights. Make your bedroom a place dedicated to rest—free from distractions and stress. In other words, prepare yourself for sleep.
Third, adjust your daytime habits to support good sleep. Rearrange your schedule, if necessary, to ensure you get enough rest. Exercise regularly. Avoid caffeine if it interferes with your sleep. The key is to elevate sleep as a priority rather than treating it as an afterthought.
Finally, have faith in God. When the disciples woke Jesus in a panic, what did he say? “Do you still have no faith?” (Mk 4:40). I can almost imagine him saying, If you truly trusted, perhaps you would have been asleep like me.
Trust that God is in control. Trust that his mercies are new every morning. Trust his design for our bodies. Trust him when he says, “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Mt 11:28).
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