6 Reasons You Need to Take a Nap

“Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is take a nap.”

This tiny morsel of truth might be one of the most profound things my mom has taught me. She gave this advice when I was a type A teenager trying to juggle sports, friendships, GPA goals, and PMS. She repeated it when I had four preschoolers at home, and still reminds me now when I’m running teenagers to games and practices. It’s timeless advice that applies to all of us in every season. It’s been recurring advice from her to me, not because we are a lazy, underachieving family, but because it pushes us to put first things first. A strategically placed nap is like having a turbo button to push on the things that matter most. Maybe you need a nap today. It could be the most spiritual thing you do–here’s why.

• Naps keep my mouth shut! When I’m wrung out, my mouth and eyebrows tend to say things I’m not proud of. But when I’m asleep, the only sarcasm or yelling coming from my mouth is in dreamworld, where an apology isn’t required. A nap has the power to keep my mouth shut. A closed mouth is an accomplishment when stress is a factor and an almost monumental feat when high emotion and/or exhaustion are added to the mix. I don’t say things I regret to people I love when I’m sleeping. That is a spiritual thing.
• Naps reset my rosy outlook. The ugly hormones of stress and PMS have an insidious way of making even normally satisfying things suddenly look ugly. Tired emotions lie! Sleep rubs a balm on ragged edges and heals them. When I wake, I’m much more able to see and feel the truth.
• Naps energize me! This seems obvious, but when I’m only accomplishing things through gritted teeth, I often forget how slowly I work this way. This is when I need a mom/friend/husband/note taped to my computer screen to remind me that a rested brain is an efficient brain.
• Naps refill the well. When I spend two hours in the car delivering kids to practices and events, I want them to see smiling eyes in the rearview mirror. If I let my well go dry, I offer them a cup of muddy sludge instead of bright, clean water. It always shows in my face. Being able to serve out of love and joy requires a high level of self care. When a nap affects my ability to serve up a smile with my sacrifice, it becomes a spiritual endeavor.
• Naps force me to be, not just do. If I can’t bring myself to give my exhausted body and brain a break, then I have bigger problems than weariness. God didn’t ask me to hand in a checked off to-do list each day; he asked me to be someone each day. I am called to be a daughter, sister, mother, and friend. My goal is to do things because of who I am, not the other way around. Taking a nap brings things back into focus and helps me live my priorities.
• Naps remind me I’m not God. This may sound silly–until you force yourself to take a nap in the middle of a project that is monumentally important to you. A nap isn’t just about regaining enough energy to get the job done; it’s about remembering who is really doing the job. Whether it’s speaking inspiring words in front of hundreds of people, digging a well for a village in Africa, or washing the dishes in my own sink, the work being done is God’s work, for his purposes, with his power. A nap reminds me it isn’t about me, it’s about him. His plans will not be thwarted by the fact that I’m human. Isn’t that a relief?

God is not disappointed in you when you stop performing. He doesn’t shake his head and look at his watch while your head is on your pillow. Instead he is probably singing over you (Zeph. 3:17) because he grants sleep to those he loves (Ps. 127:2.)

Is a nap part of God’s plan for you today? He will meet your needs and use you in his grand plan. Your decision to lay down and close your eyes might be the most spiritual thing you do. Don’t miss the opportunity!

Lori Florida’s life is all about her people. She’s convinced that being Mrs. to one and Mommy to eight will be her most significant way to serve Jesus. She wants to use her life to cheer on and coach the women coming behind her. Lori blogs at loriflorida.com.