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BEDTIME PRAYER: THE CURE FOR INSOMNIA
By George Lujack

Insomnia is a common sleep disorder that can make it hard to fall asleep, hard to stay asleep, or cause you to wake up too early and not be able to get back to sleep. You may still feel tired when you wake up. Insomnia can sap not only your energy level and mood, but also your health, work performance, and quality of life.[i]

A good night’s sleep is essential for the mental and physical well-being of a person. Very often the cares, stresses, and worries of life are carried by us into bed as we attempt to fall asleep and they wind up keeping us awake.

MATTHEW 6:25-34 (TLV):
 “So I say to you, do not worry about your life—what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing?Look at the birds of the air. They do not sow or reap or gather into barns; yet your Father in heaven feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They neither toil nor spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. Now if in this way God clothes the grass—which is here today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow—will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ For the pagans eagerly pursue all these things; yet your Father in heaven knows that you need all these. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
*See also: Luke 12:22-31.

THE POWER OF BEDTIME PRAYER

Anxiety, cares, stress, and worries can lead to sleeplessness and insomnia. Not worrying about the concerns of life, even though we are commanded by Yeshua (Jesus) to do so, is often easier said than done. There is more that we can do than attempt to will ourselves to not worry about life in order to get a good night of sound sleep. We can pray.

MATTHEW 11:28 (NKJV):
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

Can it really be so simple that people who suffer from sleepless nights due to insomnia can come to Yeshua (Jesus) in bedtime prayer and He will give us rest in sleep? Yes!

Bedtime prayer changes a person’s body chemistry dramatically enough to induce restful sleep. When a person goes into silent (non-verbal) bedtime meditative prayer, the neuromuscular system begins to relax to the point of drowsiness. After drowsiness comes sleep.

MATTHEW 6:7 (NKJV):
“And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.”

Normally, repetitive prayers are to be avoided. When a person repetitively prays in order to get to sleep, he or she is not praying in such a manner solely in order for God to hear the prayers. A person praying to get to sleep prays repetitively for the purpose of putting him or herself into a tranquil state in order to induce sleep. Bedtime prayers are prayers of adoration, praise, love, and worship to God, who cares for us even in our sleep.

PSALM 46:10 (NKJV):
Be still and know that I am God.

In order to sleep, we must be still, physically and mentally. The best way to induce sleep through prayer is to make your place of rest a calm, peaceful environment. Then place yourself in the most comfortable sleep position and pray bedtime sleep prayers repetitively until you fall asleep. If you wake up during the night, repeat the procedure until you fall back asleep.

There are numerous bedtime sleep prayers for insomnia that a believer can choose from. The following two bedtime meditative prayers are designed to help a person fall asleep…

WHO CLOSES MY EYES…: A BLESSING AT BEDTIME
Praised are you, Adonai, our God, Ruler of the universe, who closes my eyes in sleep, my eyelids in slumber.
May it be your will, Adonai, My God and the God of my ancestors, to lie me down in peace and then to raise me up in peace.

NOW I LAY ME DOWN TO SLEEP [EDITED]
Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep sleep.
Angels watch me through the night, and wake me with the morning light.

When a believer invokes the power of prayer over sleeplessness and insomnia, he or she releases the power of Almighty  Elohim (God), who promises to provide us with good, restful sleep.

PSALM 127:2 (NKJV):
For so He gives His beloved sleep.

PROVERBS 3:24 (NKJV):
When you lie down, you will not be afraid; Yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet.

ECCLESIASTES 5:12 (NKJV):
The sleep of a laboring man is sweet.

PHILIPPIANS 4:13 (TLV/NKJV):
I can do all things through Messiah (Christ) who strengthens me.

Believers should consider discarding all sleep medications, some of which may be harmful to a person’s short-term and/or long-term health, and instead come to Yeshua (Jesus) for rest in sleep. 

MATTHEW 11;28 (NKJV) [WITH INTERPRETATION]:
“Come to Me [IN BEDTIME PRAYER], all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest [IN SLEEP].”

 

[i] Mayo Clinic, “Insomnia, Symptoms & Causes,” © 1998-2023,

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/insomnia/symptoms-causes/syc-20355167