The Selfishness of Sleep Deprivation

Fact: The average College student needs 8 hours or more of sleep every night.

Fact: The average College student gets 6 hours or less of sleep every night. 

I am currently living on a College campus, which is why this message is geared towards College students (although it applies to everyone). I know that this is an uncomfortable topic. It is uncomfortable because it challenges a norm that is accepted and practically expected of us. 

When I was in high-school and lived at home, I had a loving mother who told me when it was time to go to bed. Then, I moved to college and there was no one to tell me when to go to bed. So much freedom! So many opportunities to stay up until 2 a.m. talking with my friends! So much time to procrastinate because there was no set bed time! Soon, though, I felt the consequences of my self-imposed sleep deprivation: sickness, emotional instability, laziness, increased temptation to sin, no motivation to do homework, and the list goes on. 

Now, I know what you're thinking: "I'm sacrificing my time for others. God will strengthen me!", "I have too much to do!", "My school is more important than sleep.", "Sleep is for the weak.", etc. 

What if I told you that your body requires at least 8 hours a night of sleep in order to function well? What if I told you that you're making this whole college life harder than it should be? 

What if I told you the sleep deprivation is selfish? 

Because it is.

God made you a human; with human characteristics, human desires, and human limitations. One of those limitations is the need for sleep. When we sleep, our body is repairing itself. It is replenishing cells, distributing nourishment, and sorting out information. This is undeniable fact. 

When we refuse to accept that we require sleep in order to function well, we are saying that we know best. We are putting our wants (talking with friends, T.V., activities, work, etc.) above the limitation that God has placed on us. 

It is not only selfish because it denies God the authority of setting limitations, though. It is also selfish because it takes glory away from God. Ephesians 3:17-19 says, 

"...so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith - that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." 

Paul prays for the Church to have four things (in bold): strength, comprehension, knowledge, and fullness of God. 

But, he prays for them to first have strength. 

That's because if you don't have strength, you physically can't comprehend or know the love of God. If you don't have strength, you can't do your best in your studies. If you don't have strength, you can't love others well. If you don't have strength, you can't be an effective witness (or an effective anything, at that). 

The Bible says to do everything that we do for the glory of God...but how can we do that if we can't even stay awake in class? Yes, God gives strength, but He's made you with limitations; one of them being the need for sleep. And no, you're not the exception to that need. 

"It is in vain that you rise up early, 

and go late to rest, 

eating the bread of anxious toil; 

for he gives to his beloved sleep."

(Psalm 127:2)

I challenge you to look at how much sleep you're getting. I challenge you to say "no" to some commitments and activities this week, not because they're bad, but because you can't do everything. I challenge you to not be afraid to tell your friends that you are going to stay in and get a good night's rest.

Can you imagine what would happen if we didn't self-impose sleep deprivation?

Maybe, just maybe...we would better be able to comprehend and know and learn about the perfect love of our God.