What to do when you wake up at 3 a.m

  • Thread starter Thread starter Exoplanets
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
I couldn’t really give you true Catholic evidence to support this, because Catholics don’t believe in modern spiritual gifts. The only evidence I have is from my own personal experience with seeing and hearing things at that time of night, so I could tell you about that, if you wish.
 
Catholics don’t believe in “modern spiritual gifts,” ex-Catholic lokisuperfan? What in the world does that mean?
 
It means I was raised Catholic, and I haven’t yet converted to the LDS church yet, which I’m in the process of doing.
 
Last edited:
Modern spiritual gifts? Oh I dont know… like bi-location? Levitation, soul reading, apparitions of Mary, healings, speaking in lounges? Stigmata? Etc. Yeah, no modern spiritual gifts to be found around here… none at all…
 
Not necessarily. Spiritual gifts are like superpowers, but a little more…spiritual. Spiritual gifts include the gift of discernment of spirits, prophecy, tongues, interpretations of tongues, miracles, faith, healing, etc. They are typically acquired as a reward from God when a person reaches a certain point in their faith and can only be used for the good of others, thus only a person with truly good intentions can get one. That’s the difference between a spiritual gift and witchcraft or soothsaying: witchcraft or soothsaying is only used for personal gain or profit, whereas spiritual gifts are used to help and further the lives of people around you. You should research it if you’re interested. It’s a really interesting topic.
 
Wow!!! When I usually post it get 14 it so answers but… 70!!! Not expected. And thanks for all the knowledge ( I guess?) It’s kind of fun to look at everyone’s message!
 
Another reason to pray if you awake at night.
Night is when satan uses his minions to commit burglaries/ robberies/ murder/ drugs etc.
Pray against the evil in the world.

Also: I bet reading 1 chapter of a paperback book/ catholic book, or doing 100 push ups, Is enough to tire someone out enough to fall back asleep,

Start a rosary; when one falls asleep praying the rosary there is the saying that one’s guardian angel finishes the rosary,
 
Last edited:
LokiSuperFan;

Witchcraft is power coming from Satan (and is forbidden in the bible), it is also something that can bring about demonic possession according to catholic exorcists.

The Charisms of the holy Spirit are from God, it is God working through a human being, (not the same as mystic gifts, which the saints say we are not to ask for. Bilocation/ stigmata/ seeing apparitions/ hearing inner locutions, are mystic gifts not to be asked for, because ‘The devil masquerades as an angel of light.’ These are gifts only for chosen souls; eg: Saint Padre Pio.

The charisms of the Holy Spirit are for all the Church though, and these are mentioned in St Paul’s letter to the Corinthians: tongues, interpretation of tongues, dreams, discernment of spirits, prophecy, miracles, healing, words of knowledge, words of wisdom,
Jesus promised in the bible: ‘Believers will do the same works I do, and greater, because I go to The Father.’ ‘Believers will pray in tongues, cast out demons, and heal the sick.’

These are called the Power Charisms. And if anyone is interested in these, the Catholic Charismatic Renewal movement, is approved by the Vatican’s Doctrinal Commission, and every region has a catholic charismatic renewal website which lists local charismatic prayer groups/ retreats/ talks/ masses, on the charisms of the Holy Spirit.

Youtube: Fr Robert De Grandis
(A famous catholic charismatic renewal priest, who prayed over Mother Angelica from EWTN and she received the gift of tongues afterwards).
 
Last edited:
Yes, the bathroom. And I say a really quickie prayer. It goes something like: “Please, please, I want to get some more sleep.”
 
Exercise increases melatonin, the sleep hormone,
Do 100 push ups / or air boxing / or leg exercises while lying in bed, and you will sleep no problem hahah.
Natural tiredness.

Do You Have nightmares/ worries/ spend a lot of time on electronic devices (eg phone), ?

No involvement in the occult/ new age/ in the past?
 
Last edited:
I know of someone some years ago who got up to pray in the middle of the night. He felt that it was very urgent that he pray. That morning we saw on the news that Sacred Heart church was firebombed.
 
Never stay in bed when you cannot sleep, go to the lounge.
Sit in a lazy boy and distract yourself with a movie, or turn on the radio and try and listen to an interesting talkback or doco etc. Have a half dimmed light. By trying to concentrate you will likely fall asleep in the chair. Go to bed when your eyes drop.
A hot chocolate milk and comfort munchies (toasted cheese for me) can help.
If anxiety is the problem do a Buddhist like meditation after invoking Jesus to be with you. That is, try to clear your emotions by just observing your breathing and not engaging any concerns or feelings or concepts other than being in Gods wordless loving presence. Observe what concerns keep trying to take away your peace. This will likely be the repressed worry that is keeping you awake. Admit to Jesus this is your worry, look it in the face without letting your over active imagination obsess you re unlikely worst case consequences knowing Jesus will resolve this to the degree you can cope with whatever happens. Its power will diminish and you will be able to relax and feel sleepy again.
Works for me after 20 yrs of trying to cope with the “devils hour” when we are at our most vulnerable.
 
If you’re wondering how to get back to sleep, I’d suggest lying on your stomach. It always works for me.
If you’re not trying to sleep, I’d go outside. I love the cool air in the early morning.
And also, of course, as others mentioned, prayers.
 
I’m almost always up at 3:00 am. I listen to Relevant Radio on my Echo Dot.
 
You don’t win them. You have to ask God for them. And you do get to choose which one you get, although the one you want is typically the one that you’ll be able to use the best to help others (that’s why the Holy Spirit put the desire for that particular gift in your heart). And you don’t necessarily have to “get holy”, you just have to be incredibly disciplined in your faith. Like for me that meant chastity, no cussing, praying for 30 minutes every night, and withdrawing myself from people who were bad influences on me (which, sadly enough, meant some members of my family and closer friends).
 
I believe you’re asking about what you should do if you wake at 3 am when it’s not planned and you don’t want to.

The first think to do is not to get upset about it. That’s going to keep you awake. Do whatever makes you comfy: fluff up your pillows, give the duvet a shake, etc. Snuggle down in your bed again and without thinking why have I woke up and the alarm is going to go off in three hours just relax and go back to sleep.

If after 20 minutes of trying to get back to sleep admit temporary defeat and get out of bed. It would be a good idea to make yourself a warm drink - something you like and which you believe helps you sleep. It could be warm milk, hot chocolate, a herbal tea. It should not contain caffeine and definitely not alcohol. Sit somewhere comfy with it, preferably in the dark. Try to let your mind relax rather than starting to think about things and definitely don’t worry about waking up at this time. When you’ve finished your drink try going back to bed.

After your drink if you still think you’re not going back to sleep or if you’ve tried going back and are just tossing and turning get back up. You now need to do something. When this occasionally happens to me I get a science book of the shelf and start reading it. Even though I can’t get back to sleep I’m still tired enough to make reading a science book a chore that helps to make me sleepier. I teach science but at that time in the morning science is mind numbing and helps me nod off. You need to find something that is going to have a similar stupefying effect on you.

You may have a persistent problem. Should this be the case you need to seek help. I wouldn’t go to your doctor and simply get sleeping pills. They can cause more trouble than they’re worth. You want to get yourself on something called a sleep hygiene course.
 
good advice – don’t eat. The body supposedly is not ready (hormonally) to eat around the clock. Eating releases hormones that affect body rhythms negatively. I read this within the last few weeks; can’t remember where.

I don’t have THIS problem. My problem is that I often can’t get to sleep until 4 or 5 (i’m retired.) I just listen to Catholic radio whenever I am up at night.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top