Sleep is a vital aspect of our health and wellbeing. Without quality sleep our nervous system breaks down and we become less productive. When sleep is interrupted, spasmodic, or denied for any reason our happiness and sense of wellbeing are affected. Sleep is one thing on our schedule of life that is required. We cannot fudge on this time of nocturnal rest and be a wholesome, healthy person. It is a violation of our created purpose to minimize the opportunity for peaceful, restful and consistent sleep. People who ignore or mistreat this special time are usually tense, anxious and hard to live with.
Sleep specialists give us many suggestions for the improvement of our sleep. One of the things they explore is the effect of what we are doing, reading or watching on television before going to bed. Sometimes a highly emotional movie, disturbing ten o'clock news or a family argument can play havoc with our sleep. These experts seem to be suggesting that we have something more emotionally and spiritually comforting on our minds as we lay ourselves down to sleep.
Here, then, is the purpose of this little book entitled "NOW I READ ME DOWN TO SLEEP." It is designed to meet our need for spiritual thoughts and create a wholesome mood for sleep.
Hopefully as one reads one of these devotionals prior to bedtime it will add to the quality of his or her sleep.
As children we said our bedtime prayers to create a mood for peaceful sleep. As adults we need a similar quieting of our minds to face the challenges that often hinder the quality of our sleep as well as the productivity of our lives. If the last thing on our minds at bedtime is a thought from these pages we may find rest for our weary souls. If such should happen then the goal of this book will have been fulfilled.
As the psalmist wrote so eloquently in Psalms 4:8 "In peace I will both lie down and sleep, for thou alone, O Lord, dost make me to dwell in safety."
