Why some of us just can’t sleep — and what it has to do with faith

Why some of us just can’t sleep — and what it has to do with faith

This column explores faith, creativity, conscience and humor in a thought-provoking reflection on rest, guilt, inspiration and peace of mind when it comes to sleeping at night.

By Julie A. Ferraro | FāVS News Columnist

The views expressed in this opinion column are those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the views of FāVS News. 

“How can you sleep nights?” This question is usually posed to those whose conscience — or lack of one — allows them to treat other human beings and/or our world, in general, with gross disrespect.

The idea is that such behavior will deny the culprit from being able to close an eye, to get any meaningful rest.

Being someone who thinks a bit “sideways” however, I have a different take on this question.

It starts with Jesus and his Apostles and runs almost through the 17th or 18th centuries.

During the time — and before — Jesus lived, the idea of building a house as we know it today was just a dream for the vast majority of people. Windows were uncovered holes in what might be mud walls. There might be a door, or just a piece of cloth hanging over a larger opening in the front wall.

Jesus and the Twelve traveled on foot, and, while people might have been very hospitable, finding room for 13 men to sleep would have been problematic at best. So, most often, they would have slept “rough” or outdoors. 

Nights in the Middle East can get very cold, while the days are very hot. Add to this snakes, scorpions and other creepy-crawlies, and it would take a lot for someone like me to even lie on the ground.

There’s something to be said for the kind of faith necessary to trust that sleeping in the open won’t result in death. Nightly prayers seeking the protection of angels and God in such conditions were not merely a habit, but held real meaning.

Sleepless nights aren’t just ancient history

Even today, in places — our own country included! (think of the Navajo Nation or other reservations of Indigenous peoples) — where extreme poverty means concrete foundations for houses aren’t the standard, danger from uninvited nocturnal visitors remains a constant, and those prayers continue to bring comfort to sleeping adults and children.

In the case of individuals blessed by creativity on whatever level — painting, sculpture, writing and so forth — sleeping nights can be a challenge when an inspiration gnaws at the mind. In one of the later episodes of the series “Murder, She Wrote,” for instance, a young computer programmer mentions to the exceptional actress Angela Lansbury’s character J.B. Fletcher that he finally won’t have to wake up worrying at two in the morning after a tricky murder is solved. She responds that such is a problem for writers in the middle of a novel.

I can relate, for sure. For me, being wakeful in the wee hours is a given. Character descriptions, dialogue and plot twists (or ideas for an article) run through my brain like an express train. Even when I’m not actively in the middle of a manuscript, weird and vivid dreams jolt me awake, and I often don’t want to go back to sleep. Imagine walking barefoot on a grassy slope covered with tie-dyed earthworms — just a taste of the bizarre images.

When the question turns into a guilt trip

Besides these “natural” reasons for healthy sleep being a challenge, there remains that question, occasionally misused by some religious or other authorities who wish to inflict a sense of guilt on others. Some of these folk simply have no tolerance, no sense of humor.

Comedians who venture into “uncharted territory,” poking fun at what certain members of society may hold “sacred” — and, sometimes, even religion — have been on the receiving end of this question, protesters waving signs outside venues where they are performing. 

Back in the 1970s, when Billy Connolly — who has admitted he thinks “sideways” — described how the Last Supper actually took place in a Glasgow pub over a meal of Chinese take-away, the uproar from certain sectors garnered a lot of media publicity. Most of the audience took it in the spirit it was intended, though: A chance for humans to laugh at our own quirks and better relate to the story in the context of local culture. 

May we all sleep well tonight!

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