From Forums of the Virgin Mary [translated from Spanish; content is from Peru]:
The fight that is established in your soul at the time of sleep.
In recent times there seems to be a disconnect between humans and the dream.
On the one hand, falling asleep has become a problem for an increasing number of human beings.
Especially in the first world.
That’s why sleeping pills are a booming business for the drug industry.
The evil one favors insomnia, while God favors rest and sleep.
Here we will talk about how the spiritual battle takes place in the middle of the dream, what the consequences are for human beings, and how to protect ourselves.
Not sleeping well has health consequences.
It increases the risk of diabetes by reducing insulin sensitivity.
It brings cardiovascular problems and increases the risk of early mortality.
It also generates lower cognitive capacity, memory loss, difficulty reasoning, decreased reaction capacity, and attention.
On the other hand, good sleep favors memory during the day.
Strengthens the immune system.
It contributes to a healthy regulation of the endocrine system.
Sleep is not staying in an inert state, a passive activity; quite the opposite.
Many mechanisms are activated that contribute to the body managing to replenish energy and isolate itself from the environment.
In the dream state God purifies us and comforts us while we sleep.
He prepares our hearts for the next day.
And sometimes He speaks to us in dreams.
Many times the things that we dream are infused by God, although other times they are regurgitations of our minds; but still, the truth is that they always have to do with our soul.
Sleep is an intermediate, almost spiritual state.
And we are vulnerable at night because we are not in control.
There may be obsessions that make us toss and turn, disturbances to which we must pay attention and throw out.
And while God makes our sleep restful, Satan, to the contrary, wants us tired to get away from the plan of salvation.
The demons hope to make you weary, exhausted, and worried about the protection of your soul.
You can even go so far as trading the purity of your soul for a good night’s sleep, through impure fantasies that you accept in your mind to sleep.
On the other hand, not wanting to sleep is wanting to be omnipotent, like God. [scroll for more:]
And not being able to sleep is a departure from God, when the mind and heart are excessively anchored in human problems.
In short, living sleepy and stressed keeps us from the holiness that God wants for us.
Satan wants us to have little energy to perform during the day and little lucidity, so that we are more irascible and think less before making decisions.
Let’s focus on ourselves and the stress and bad moods that take place in us, for this is what the devil desires: to prevent us from building the Kingdom of God.
Satan has many tools to upset us with sleep.
One of the forms of attack is the so-called sleep paralysis.
Many more people than you think suffer from it.
And far from being a simple anomaly, it’s a truly scary disorder.
Those who suffer from it suffer deeply.
It is the inability to move the muscles of the body as soon as a person wakes up, or before falling asleep.
It lasts approximately three minutes, and the person is conscious the entire time, which is frustrating.
On many occasions, people have had experiences of demonic attacks at that time, which is why it is considered to be a form of stalking by the evil one, an act of intimidation.
But in general terms, the possibility of resting in peace is a gift from God.
It is a free gift that He gives to human beings so that we are better prepared for the day; it is a rest for the mind and body.
However, there are exceptions such as that of Saint Catherine of Siena, who by the work and miracle of God, did not need to sleep for a very long period, as
God gives humans the gifts they need to carry out the mission.
And in the case of this saint, for many years she did not need to sleep or eat, as a special grace granted by God, because the saint needed to fulfill a mission.
Instead, Saint Teresa used to fall asleep during her morning meditation.
Others have transformed this human need to sleep into a more humble dedication to God.
Saints like San Pacomio, San Carlos Borromeo, Santa Paula, San Macario, and San Martín de Tours slept on the ground, on stones, on chairs, on straw mattresses, or with their clothes on.
They were decisions and deliveries that the Lord responded to by granting them a deep and restful sleep.
Prayer vigils arise from abstinence from sleep, which is comparable to fasting from food.
If the Lord requests a surrender, a fast, or a vigil, His call must be heard, with the assurance that He will grant the grace to fulfill it. [scroll for more:]
This is key when observing the way in which the saints live their dreams and other aspects of their lives; consider the inner peace they possess.
We know that praying tirelessly is the best way to stay firm and pure.
But also another aspect of living in a very deep alliance with God, which allows you to transcend suffering and need, is to sleep peacefully.
This does not mean that they do not suffer, or have problems, but with the Lord it is more bearable and they find full meaning in it.
For the common Christian, the time to sleep is also a time of purification that God sends us.
That is why it is very important to pray before going to sleep, to ask God for His mercy and purification.
It is essential that the last word, the last thought, the last desire or gratitude of our day, be given to God.
Praying before going to sleep is a practice that incorporates God as Lord of our days.
In addition, praying before falling asleep guarantees greater peace for the soul, and protects us from the evil spirit that stalks us.
There are many prayers that can be said, and it is even a good idea to recite some psalms or Bible verses that speak especially about this time of day.
Some make the Rosary the last prayer before going to sleep.
Various scientific studies have proven that those who believe in a maximum power that guides and protects them, that is, in God, and pray, have fewer worries at bedtime and sleep better.
In Matthew 6:25 God exhorts us not to worry and to focus on what is truly important.
“That is why I tell you: do not worry about your life, thinking about what you are going to eat, or about your body, thinking about what you are going to wear.”
And Psalm 3:5 expresses it explicitly: “I lie down, and I fall asleep, and I wake up again, because You watch over my sleep.”
Those who go to bed with stress and worries often have trouble stopping their thoughts and falling asleep.
And even when they do, it is of poor quality and it is difficult for them to get the proper rest to be optimal the next day.
But there is also a significant fact, and that is that many wake up at 3 in the morning, 3 am.
Some consider that it is simply a physiological problem, for example when going to the bathroom.
Some say that the soul perceives that some human beings cross the veil: there are many natural deaths at this time, because it is when the body is weakest.
Others consider that it is the fruit of the evil one, because it is said that 3 am is the hour of the devil, when statistically more crimes occur.
But many times it is God Himself who wakes us up to pray, because at that time there is less prayer in your city and the layer of protection thins.
For example, most of the members of convents and monasteries are sleeping.
At this time the prayer is to atone for the sins of the night, to keep Satan away from weak people, and that the guilty can reflect, repent, and make good resolutions that will become facts at dawn.
It is recommended to pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy at that time.
Because 3 in the afternoon, in the revelation that Jesus Christ made to Sister Faustina Kowalska, is the hour of His Mercy for the whole world.
The Lord told her, “At this hour, I will not refuse anything to the soul that asks Me for it on the merits of My Passion.”
At 3:00 p.m., Our Lord died. And it is the most momentous time since creation.
But also, 3 in the morning is a mystical hour, as if it were an echo, although less intense, of 3 in the afternoon.
And there too great graces are granted.
Well, so far what we wanted to talk about the little-known spiritual battle that happens during sleep.
And we would like to ask you if you wake up frequently at night and what do you do in those cases?
— Forums
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