Words of Wisdom: REST

This summer, I have experienced a "rest revelation" that has really changed my daily life! For quite a few weeks now, I have actually been going to sleep at a reasonable hour, sleeping soundly, and waking up feeling rested!

Here's the sitch...
*I linked to Urban Dictionary in case you're old like me and don't always understand cool kids' slang words.

For... um... basically all my life... I have generally hated going to bed. I could be drifting off on the couch and Blake would ask if I was ready to go to bed and I would emphatically say "NO!". As one of my friends calls it, I have the FOMO - Fear Of Missing Out! Even though I'm exhausted, I hate going to bed!!!

Secondly, I don't always sleep soundly. Insomnia runs in my family and - lucky me - I have it sometimes! I can go weeks without getting a good night's rest. I will often wake up in the middle of the night and be unable to return to sleep for 1, 2, or 3 hours. It can be very frustrating to go through that night after night.

I desperately wanted and needed to get some good sleep.

Then Blake and I bought some new bedding on sale at Wayfair. We have been without "official" bedding for quite a while now as our original (and expensive) comforter basically fell apart after being washed a few times. So when we got the new bedding, I, of course, had to make the bed look pretty! Brought out the pretty pillows, started making the bed in the mornings... you know, all the stuff you see on TV but never actually do in real life!

Then we started getting in bed around 8:30/9pm. Instead of reading or watching a show in the living room (where I would ultimately pass out on the couch and sleep from about 9-11:30pm), we started crawling in bed at the same time to read or watch a little TV before going to sleep.

Then I stopped fighting sleep. Instead of trying to keep my eyes peeled open as long as possible, I started turning over and "officially" going to sleep.

And THEN we bought new pillows! Beautiful, glorious, more-money-than-I've-ever-spent-on-a-pillow new pillows!!! (**Please note: We got ours for more than 50% off!**)

Then - and this is a little TMI - I stopped drinking. ;) Liquids. I mean... I stopped drinking liquids after about 7pm. I have a little bit of a beverage problem - I love drinks. And apparently as I am getting older, my bladder is getting smaller. Waking up multiple times a night because I drank 4800 ounces of water is no bueno.

Add all those things together and you get a really, really, really good night's rest!!!

It's not the fanciest or frilliest or the most colorful (I have a thing for cream...), but this has been my absolute favorite place to be the past several weeks!

I know it sounds absolutely ridiculous, but all of this has really helped me come to terms with needing sleep. I actually enjoy going to bed now and wake up feeling more refreshed than I've felt in a long time! I have actually slept through the night quite a few times over the past several weeks, which rarely ever happens for me. And since I am sleeping better, I am kicking my caffeine habit which will also make me an overall happier, healthier human being!

As I have started to feel better, Matthew 11:28-30 has been repeating in my mind.

⁸ Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Yes, I know, the Bible wasn't talking about mattresses or pillows or ambient noise or any of that. But, still, the verses to me are appropriate. I have cried out to God so many times in the middle of the night because I couldn't sleep and just wanted to rest. I would feel frustrated in the mornings about not feeling rested. It was an ongoing cycle that was just. UGH. Annoying. But lately I feel like he has been giving me the tools I need to be able to sleep better and more soundly and for that, I'm super grateful.