Nighttime can be challenging for many different reasons. Sadness, loneliness, and anxiety creep in much more readily as we get ready to settle in for the night, so it’s no surprise we also rely more heavily on our vices or numbing techniques as a result. I believe the key to establishing better bedtime routines is finding ways to involve God in those couple of hours leading up to bedtime. Here are a few ways.

By day, the Lord commands his steadfast love, and at night, his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life.

1. Connect with God Before Bed

In the Psalms, King David repeatedly reveals what I believe is the number one key to obtaining a good mindset at bedtime: closeness with God. In Psalms 4:8, he says, “I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety,” and in Psalms 42:8, he says, “By day the Lord commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me.” The theme here seems to be connection.

When we find ways to meditate more on God’s goodness, faithfulness, and protection during the nighttime hours, as David did, I’m sure we’d all have more peace at night. The theme of nighttime and darkness is often brought up throughout the Psalms because I believe God knows exactly how triggering bedtime can be when we’re feeling restless or anxious.

Some ways to involve God in our nighttime routines besides reading the Bible are to light a candle while listening to a long worship set, watching a sermon on YouTube, or listening to a favorite podcast. Try a few different practices, intermixing some other head-clearing, healthy activities like enjoying a bubble bath to worship music, going on a walk, or listening to a spiritual meditation app like Halo or Thrive Biblical meditation while enjoying a cup of lavender tea.