With the lack of sleep, at least once in a lifetime, everyone has come across. Everyone suffers from insomnia in their own way. Some people do something, for example, read or watch films, while others toss and turn in bed, trying to sleep at least for a short time.
As a rule, those who take advantage of the lack of sleep for doing household chores or watching movies, reading, drawing, or something else, do not bother night wakefulness at all. These people simply do not want to sleep and find for themselves a way to spend the night differently. But those who feel the need for a night's rest, but cannot close their eyes and toss and turn all night, feel extremely ill without sleep in the morning, suffer from headaches and lack of vitality. These people need help, and prayer for insomnia may well provide it.
Reasons for lack of sleep
In order to understand exactly how reading prayers helps, we should outline the reasons why people lose sleep. As a rule, its loss is directly related to violations in the activity of the nervous system of the body.
In simple words, a dream disappears due to the presence of:
- stress, both permanent and temporary;
- excessive feelings or worries;
- feelings of responsibility for others;
- fears, both real and fictional;
- propensities to analyze life situations;
- excessive mental and nervous stress.
This list can be continued, however, it is also clear from this list that sleep disappears due to the fact that the nervous system is in an excited state, which is not replaced by relaxation.
How does prayer help?
Prayer helps with insomnia due to its calming, pacifying effect on the mind and soul of a person. When asking for help from the saints and the Almighty, people concentrate on this, that is, free their own mind from all the vain thoughts and anxieties that prevent them from falling asleep.
No doubt, the power of prayer is not only in this. A sincere believer relies on what is being spoken, he does not even admit a shadow of doubt that prayer for insomnia will not help him. An adult, as a rule, has a burden of responsibility and care on his shoulders, which sometimes turns out to be unnecessarily heavy. Praying, people share this burden with the Lord, entrust to him their worries and aspirations. Accordingly, their emotional state returns to normal and problems with going to bed disappear.
How and when to read such a prayer?
Like any other prayers, from insomnia, Orthodox requests to the Almighty and the saints can be pronounced both in your own words and using ready-made texts. Prayer is an everyday work for a Christian. You should not expect that, after reading a few words once, a person will immediately and forever get rid of problems with going to bed.
Pray should be daily and earnestly, sincerely, completely surrendering to this action. Of course, one should unconditionally believe in the power of the Lord God, not allowing even a shadow of doubt that he will not help to cope with the misfortune and will not bring back the dream.
A prayer is read with insomnia after the completion of all evening activities, washing. That is, just before you go to bed. As for the duration of the prayer, each person addresses the saints in his own way. One prays for a long time and reads excerpts from the Holy Scriptures, the other formulates a request in his own words and is very laconic. The Lord doesn’t care how long a person prayed. In order for a request to be heard in Heaven, sincerity, absolute faith, purity of thoughts, and hope for help from above are needed, and not the duration of the reading.
Who needs to pray?
People having trouble going to bed traditionally turn to the following saints for help:
- Nikolai the Miracle Worker;
- Rev. Irinarch of Rostov;
- seven youths of Ephesus;
- Alexander Svirsky.
Of course, they also pray for help from the Lord himself, and they turn to the Mother of God.
How to pray to Nicholas the Wonderworker?
Nikolai Ugodnik, as this saint is often called in Russia, from time immemorial has been especially revered in the Slavic lands. People went to his image and still are with all their troubles, cares, sorrows, needs, both large and small. Of course, even with difficulties with going to bed, too, from time immemorial turn to this saint.
A prayer from insomnia to Nicholas the Wonderworker can be this:
“Nikolai Ugodnik, father, our helper in Heaven, patron and intercessor, versed in every aspiration of the earth! You help in all troubles, in big and in small ones; you give success to every cause of charitable deed. Do not leave, Nikolai Ugodnik, father, me, a slave (proper name), consider my need and grant peace to the night. There is no sleep for me, a slave (proper name), mnu pillows at night, I drive demonic thoughts. Help, Nikolai Ugodnik, father! Cleanse my mind, strengthen my spirit, help control my weakness. Grant mental and physical health, have a good rest, save me, slave (proper name), and bless! Amen".
In the old days, people who suffered from lack of sleep, not only prayed for deliverance from this problem at home in the evenings, they attended church and put a candle in front of the image of the saint.
A prayer from insomnia to Nicholas the Good, read in the church before his image, may be as follows:
“Nikolai the Miracle Worker, our patron saint! Hear my request, for I, slave (proper name), need your help and participation. The dream has left me, the body has weakened and the soul has been bewildered. Help, Nikolai the Miracle Worker, to cope with the misfortune, avert the unexpected troubles. Bring peace to my soul, fill your thoughts with purity and strengthen your faith. Heal and bless me, holy Miracle Worker, father! Amen".
How to pray to Irinarkh of Rostov?
Rev. Irinarch lived in the Rostov land in the XVII century. This man was a recluse. He spent all his days in prayer, and also devoted time to taming the flesh. His feat in the name of the Lord was so great that God distinguished Irinarch among many. Of course, after the Most High called the recluse to himself, the earthly church canonized him in the rank of the reverend.
A prayer for insomnia to Irinarkh of Rostov may be:
“Father! Rev. Irinarkh, the great recluse of the land of Rostov, patron saint of all human needs and calamities! Teach me, slave (proper name), tell me. How to be in trouble unexpected. My insomnia is cursed by my body and soul. I do not have the day of the light of God, but the night of rest. I toil and suffer. Help, Father, do not leave dashing at the hour. Grant strength to me, a slave (proper name), to defeat the attack! Amen".
How to pray to the youths of Ephesus?
In Russia, these saints are not particularly known, but they are often turned to them for help in the Balkans and in the Mediterranean. As a rule, they are asked for help for children experiencing problems with the integrity of sleep or tormented by nightmares.
A prayer from insomnia to the seven holy youths for a small child can be this: “Sufferers of the Lord, eternal sleepers! Be merciful and behold my misfortune, spiritual repentance. My child does not sleep, and I am with him. Screaming, plagued, tearing my soul. Behold and help, youths! Give a good and sweet dream, fill my soul with peace. Amen".
As a rule, mothers pray for a sound sleep for their young children in the walls of the temple, putting a candle in front of the icon.
How to pray to Alexander Svirsky?
This man lived at the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries. He dedicated his life to church service. Father Alexander died as hegumen of the Trinity Monastery. Now this monastery is called the Holy Trinity Alexander-Svir. Father Alexander was canonized in the rank of the reverend in the middle of the 16th century, at the same time his Life was composed by one of the students.
The Monk Alexander does not disregard the needs of those whose heart is filled with sincere faith in the power of the Lord, and thoughts are devoid of cunning and pure.
Prayer for insomnia addressed to this saint may be as follows:
“Rev. Father Alexander, who has done many mercies with prayers to people! Look at me, the humble servant of God (proper name), console and do not leave without help in fierce grief. There should not be a person without a night's rest and, like a demon, looms in the corners. Heal me from the cursed adversity, grant peace and quiet, Father! Bless my soul, endowed my mind with clarity, and my body with good health. Strengthen my spirit and take away the demonic misfortune. Amen".