Gordon, head of the department, began droning on in his usual fashion. Meg squirmed in her chair trying to stay alert. Why can’t he just get to the point so we can get back to work? she wondered. Why does he spend an hour and a half talking when anyone else could say the same thing in ten minutes?

The next thing she knew, she had nodded off, and Gordon was staring at her intently. The room was unsettlingly still until he leaned toward her and demanded, “Am I boring you, Ms. Johnson?” Startled and embarrassed, Meg snapped to attention.

Later she scheduled an appointment with her doctor. Although he said everything seemed to be fine physically, he recommended seeing a counselor to help her deal with the stress so she could experience better sleep. Meg found a good Christian counselor through her church, who has been working with Meg on letting go of things over which she has no control and trying to work on things she can change. Now when Meg lies down at night, she pictures putting all her worries into God’s capable hands, and she finds herself sleeping much more peacefully.

If you are having difficulty falling asleep or if you experience excessive daytime sleepiness, you may want to consult your doctor. If the matter is stress related, counseling may be helpful. Quality of sleep enables us to give our best to God and others.