FAQ: How Do I Avoid Slips At Night?

Have you ever slipped up at night? Did you stay up a bit too late on your phone and one thing led to another? Or maybe you couldn't fall asleep so you sought out porn to relax your mind? Maybe you were up late working on a project and you convinced yourself a quick peek wouldn't do any harm...

Night time slips happen. In fact, the most common time of the day for porn viewership is 10pm-Midnight. A majority of of men are choosing to watch porn in the latter hours of the day. The question is why, and the answer is loaded.

On a biological level, your circadian rhythms are causing your mental state to shift. Without a good nighttime routine, your brain gets mixed signals about whether or not it's supposed to shut down. It may begin to seek stimluation instead of sleep.

On a psychological level, there are patterns ingrained from a young age. If you grew up experiencing comfort before you went to bed (hug from a parent, night-time snack, etc) and were not properly weaned, your mind will continue to seek out comfort by default.

Also on a psychological level, if you do not have any way to decompress at the end of the day, your mind will race and it will be hard for your brain to relax. One racing thought leads to the next, and before you know it, you're watching something you never intended to.

On a spiritual level, we know that the enemy often lurks in the nighttime – it's one of the reasons there are so many scriptures around sleep (like Prov 3:24 and Psalm 4:8). These are weapons to ensure that the night is committed to the Lord and that Satan does not gain any unmerited access or authority.

These are just a few of the major players in what causes nighttime slips. The next question is – how do we avoid them?
Here are my top 5 recommendations for ensuring that the only thing you slip into at night is deep and resetful sleep:

1) Screen time – Stop watching screens at least 1hr before you go to bed. Most researchers are recommending 2 hours now. This is vital for allowing your brain to relax. The impact of blue light (screens) on your brain is similar to that of sunlight. If you are looking at screens late at night, your brain thinks the sun is still up and does not make the necessary adjustments for nighttime sleep. That's why if you've been on a screen right before bed, your mind starts to race. Your brain is simply not ready for bed because you tricked it into thinking it was still daytime!

2) Phone Charging – At all costs, charge your phone in a separate room. Personally, that meant buying an alarm clock because I wake up at the same time every day (more on that shortly). My phone charges in my office, and I don't look at it until about 3hrs into my day. Simply having the phone charge in another room is a gamechanger mentally.

3) Develop A Routine – It doesn't have to be complex, but repeatedly doing the same activities in the same order every single night works wonders for your sleep cycle. For me, I get changed into my PJs, floss & brush my teeth, and read at least 10 pages of a book. Same activities, same order, every. Single. Night. Your brain starts to recognize the pattern and builds associations between the activities and sleep. I also go to bed and wake up at the same time (more or less) every day. Consistency in the bookends of the day is really good for your overall health and it is wonderful preventative measure for avoiding nighttime slips.

4) Reflect – This is a new one for me, but I've made a habit of reflecting on three major accomplishments/wins for the day right before I close my eyes. This gives me something positive to focus on and it puts me in a happy state before I go to bed. I have lost sleep, hair, and energy staying up late at night worrying about things that are beyond my control. Not anymore. Reflecting on a few key victories has changed everything in this regard.

5) Pray – Duh. Seems so obvious but this is an easy one to gloss over. Dedicating the night to the Lord goes a long way for your mind, body, and spirit. My wife and I will hold hands in bed and invite God to dwell in our room as we sleep. It's a simple act, but it really does shift the atmosphere before we hit the hay.

When executed correctly, these five steps will ensure that your nights are marked with peace, rejuvenation, and most importantly – sexual integrity.

Cheering you on,
Sathiya