Not sleeping to pray

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DeusVivit

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hey yall
lately ive been thinking a lot about how sleeping seems like a waste of time to me. my day is so crammed with homework, work, and playing with my puppy (its like taking care of a toddler), I dont have enough time to spend with God, and I want to spend more than 15 minutes with Him.
So I’ve been doing my research on saints who got little to no sleep, like saint Catherine of Siena, and it got me thinkin, would God help me stay awake to praise Him at night? I would really love to spend those hours celebrating his greatness by praying, or reading Scripture, or reading books related to Him.
I feel really inspired to do this, but im not sure.
Thoughts?
 
I’m only going to offer a bit of health advice…if you are still in your teens you NEED sleep. You have not finished growing and developing yet. To stay up fifteen minutes longer is fine but your studies and emotional health would suffer if you start becoming sleep deprived. Be careful!
 
Look up sleep deprivation studies. You can make yourself temporarily psychotic.

That is not conducive to heartfelt prayer.

The Lord slept. No better example.
 
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DeusVivit said:
hey yall
lately ive been thinking a lot about how sleeping seems like a waste of time to me. my day is so crammed with homework, work, and playing with my puppy (its like taking care of a toddler), I dont have enough time to spend with God, and I want to spend more than 15 minutes with Him.
So I’ve been doing my research on saints who got little to no sleep, like saint Catherine of Siena, and it got me thinkin, would God help me stay awake to praise Him at night? I would really love to spend those hours celebrating his greatness by praying, or reading Scripture, or reading books related to Him.
I feel really inspired to do this, but im not sure.
Thoughts?
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Yeah. Bad idea.

Not even St. Benedict asked for this in his Rule. Yes he called for the monks to rise early for the Night Office, but in the same Rule, he also ordered them to go to bed early so that they can get sufficient hours of sleep.

You do not glorify God by destroying his gift to you of your body.

Get your sleep like all of us do.
 
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I’m trying to make my sleep a form of prayer, since that’s all I seem to do anymore. It always begins as prayer, but them something happens…

In that respect, it is the only thing I possess which qualifies me to hang out with the twelve.
 
You can pray while you walk your puppy!! Pray while you cook supper, pray on your commute, pray when you eat lunch.
 
@DeusVivit
So I’ve been doing my research on saints who got little to no sleep, like saint Catherine of Siena, and it got me thinkin, would God help me stay awake to praise Him at night?
Click to expand...
St. Catherine was a mystic and very advanced in prayer before receiving this particular grace.
Be very cautious - this could be a temptation, and you may be indulging in spiritual gluttony. Before I go to sleep, I ask God to bless my rest, and to keep my heart attentive to Him, although my body is at rest. Whether or not this takes place, I don’t know. But my intention may be pleasing to Him.

EDIT: The earth produces first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear” (Mark 4:26–28). The kingdom of heaven is built not by mere human effort but by the care of a gracious God who finishes the good work He begins. Beware of trying to produce full corn before you have grown the blade. Let the Holy Spirit work to bring you through the beginning, middle, and contemplative prayer stages, as you become enabled by Him.
 
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Find on YouTube “catholic audio - light and peace” book. Theres a section talking about that
 
And besides, sleep is itself a part of the consecrated day. The reality of sleep is accounted for in the Church’s prayer cycles.

“Protect us, Lord as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace.”

“Lord, grant our bodies restful sleep; and let the work we have done today bear fruit in eternal life.”

Sleep is nothing to be despised. Liturgically, it is a foreshadowing, a “rehearsal” if you will of the mystery of our own death and resurrection.
 
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A form of fasting that should only be undertaken with a doctor’s approval and supervision.
 
Sleep is essential. Maybe consider prioritising prayer over some other activity? TV, Internet, music, friends…you don’t have to cut anthing out completely, just spend 10mins less so you can pray more.
 
I’ve started to pray the St Michael the archangel prayer whenever I boil the kettle. The prayer finishes before the kettle boils.

It’s funny, as soon as I put the kettle on it pops into my head.
 
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