The Sleep You’re Longing For

I’ve long been suspicious of people who claim they sleep perfectly every night. I want to ask, “Is your life so boring you have nothing to think about? Nothing to reflect on? Nothing to worry about?”

I don’t say that, of course. I’m nicer than that (so I put it in a blog).

Many of us struggle with sleep. We lie awake replaying conversations, worrying about tomorrow, or just staring at the ceiling while our minds refuse to shut off.

That’s what makes Ken Wytsma’s new book, The Sleep You’re Longing For, so interesting. It’s not written by someone who has it all figured out. Actually, I can say this because he’s a friend – Ken definitely does not have it all figured out. Sorry, Ken.

But it’s also true that Ken has done some remarkable things with his life – church planter, author, pastor, husband, father of four great kids, small business owner, and world traveler.

And for much of that time, he struggled with sleep.

In this new book, Ken moves sleep out of the category of “life hack” and into something much more important. This isn’t about optimizing your REM cycle so you can squeeze more productivity out of tomorrow.

It’s about what our inability to rest says about us.

Because sleep isn’t just physical. It’s emotional. It’s relational. And, whether we like it or not, it’s spiritual.

To put it in junkyard terms, if you leave the car running at full RPM all the time, you’re going to blow the engine at some point. So why are we leaving it running?

There’s a refreshing honesty in the book. Vulnerability even. Ken doesn’t pretend his life has been perfect, and he doesn’t offer a ten-step formula to make it perfect. Life is still messy. Anxiety still shows up. But he meets the problem with clarity, humility, and practical wisdom.

If you struggle with sleep, or know someone who does, this book is worth your time. You can order it here.

Then maybe, in the future, you’ll tell me you sleep perfectly every night. And when I roll my eyes, you’ll simply say, “Because I read Ken’s book.”