According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, sleep deficiency is a common problem in the United States. One survey revealed 1 in 5 adults in the United States reported not getting enough rest or sleep.

I’m one of those who wake up in the middle of the night. Ask my kids. I could discern the sound of the pantry door or the backdoor. I distinguished cars by squeaky brakes or corroded mufflers. I picked out voices of their friends wandering our house.

When the nest turned empty, the problem didn’t go away. Tired of staring at the clock or ceiling fan, I’d mindlessly watch television. My Kindle provided some relief until I read the light negatively affects sleep. I’ve counted backwards from 100—my version of counting sheep. I’ve fought with God, begging Him to grant me rest. These helps worked some of the time. All this wakefulness took place while my husband slept blissfully beside me.

A Google search offered ideas to help me fall back to sleep. The obvious ones included:

• Put the cell phone away.
• Keep the room as dark, cool, and quiet as possible.
• Relax your body.
• Practice meditation.
• Don’t look at the clock. Do NOT look at the clock! Do not look at the CLOCK!

The not so obvious helps included:

• Perform acupressure.
• Do a headstand.
• Submerge your face under cold water for 30 seconds

I have tried the obvious helps, but the not so obvious ones—I can’t imagine my mind or body functioning clearly to accomplish them at 3 a.m.!

One particular night, I bypassed the usual sleep aids and skimmed my Bible for relief. I came across this verse in Psalms 63:

When I think of You as I lie on my bed, I meditate on You during the night watches because You are my helper; I will rejoice in the shadow of Your wings (v. 6).

Thinking of God in bed had to be better than watching reruns of M*A*S*H, playing spider solitaire, or counting backwards. I committed to reciting the names or attributes of God using the alphabet. My mental list looked like this:

Almighty
Bountiful
Comforter
Deliverer
Everlasting
Faithful
Good
Helper
Immutable
Just
King of kings
Life, Love, and Light
Merciful
Name above all names
Omnipotent
Peace
Quiet, still voice
Rock
Shepherd
Trustworthy
Understanding
Victorious
Worthy
eXcellent
Yahweh
Zealous

Many a night I never make it through the list. Some nights I’ll sit on a name or attribute and let it sink it. Other nights God brings to mind another name or attribute of Him. But I discovered meditating on Him allows my to stay in bed and sleep.

What do you do to fall back asleep?