St. John Chrysostom wrote that when we find ourselves unable to sleep at night, this is a sign from God that something is wrong and we should use our wakefulness as a "period for reflection." He wrote: "So when you cannot sleep, allow the thoughts that lie deepest in your heart to rise up to the surface. Often these thoughts are a reproach, telling you of a sin you have committed or an act of charity you failed to perform."
I had a friend who always attested that her best ideas came to her in the shower. I don't doubt that; my best ideas come to me when I wake up in the middle of the night. It makes sense, actually, because being awake in the middle of the night is kind of like being suspended in time, like being awake somewhere in the Twilight Zone. During sleep, our brains have been getting rid of all the nasty toxic waste from the day before, so we are relatively less foggy, but we are not rushing out of bed to get to work or school; there are no immediate distractions. I really do believe God uses this time to direct our thoughts towards matters of the spiritual life.
So the next time you wake up in the middle of the night, don't fret over trying to get back to sleep. (Here's my chance to incorporate some sleep hygiene techniques I had to squeeze into my brain for Step 1). If you don't fall asleep within 15-30 minutes, go to another room and read, have a light snack, do some quiet activity. And wonder if there is a perhaps a reason God woke you in the middle of the night. Maybe you didn't give Him any time during your busy day and He wants to nudge you awake (literally and figuratively), and tell you something that might be kind of important.
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