Former Third Day Member Develops Biblical Sleep Program

By Josh Kimball, Christian Post Reporter Tuesday, February 24, 2009

A Bible-based sleep program developed by a former member of the award-winning Christian band Third Day has been finding notable success in a nation where more than 70 million have a sleeping disorder.

"Traffic to our website has increased 500 percent in the past three months, and since the release in December, the CD has already sold out on Amazon five times," says musician and educator Billy Wilkins, who developed the Wesley Sleep Program. "For some reason, more and more people are finding interest in this program."

The International Classification of Sleep Disorders, Second Edition documents 81 official sleep disorders, ranging from the few common ones that affect most people to a larger number of more serious ones that affect a small portion of people.

Whether big or small, many have turned to prescription sleep medications, which topped a list released last September by Consumer Reports magazine of the most effective sleep solutions. The magazine study ranked prescription sleep medications at No. 1 with a 75 percent effectiveness rate.

However, with the state of today's economy, more Americans are finding that the second-most effective sleep aid may be a more financially appealing way of acquiring sleep while also not much less effective than prescription sleep medications.

According to Consumer Reports' latest study on sleep aids, sleep sounds and music trailed prescription sleep medications by only 5 percent in effectiveness, beating out over-the-counter medications (57 percent) and muscle relaxation techniques (40 percent effective).

And aside from its low cost, sleep sounds and music have little – if any – risk of dependency.

And that's what Wilkins found after he began searching the Bible for the peace that he needed to rest effectively.

Wilkins said he found so many scriptures that answered and supported his spiritual quest that he soon began to realize that this level of peace was God's desire for all of His children. While following his musical instincts and researching music therapy, Wilkins began to chronicle his findings and was soon on the path to developing the Wesley Sleep Program.

The program, which comes in the form of a 60-minute CD, starts off with narration designed to soothingly equip the listener with biblical principles for real rest, while combating four common sleep hindrances. The remaining musical portion leads to even deeper levels of relaxation and calm sleep.

The program also comes with a companion book, in which Wilkins speaks open and honestly about his own struggle with insomnia and anxiety medications.

Since its released in December, the Wesley Sleep Program has shot up to No. 2 in Amazon.com's Audio Books category and remained as a best seller for a number of weeks.

And Wilkins says the program is not only for those with insomnia, but for anyone looking to find peace, relaxation and freedom from anxiety – whether it is from insomnia or just life's daily stresses.

"The program can be of great help to anyone emotionally, physically and spiritually," the program's promoters say.

The Wesley Sleep Program has been endorsed by Nationally Syndicated Talk Show Host Dr. Allen Hunt, Educational Consultant Dr. Allen A. Steinhauser, and Pastor and Certified Human Behavior Consultant Dr. A. T. Stewart, among others.

Promoters of the program say it is Wilkins' natural gift of music, along with his desire to research and teach in an educational environment that has contributed to the unique concept of the Wesley Sleep Program.

On the Web:
Wesley Sleep Program website at wesleysleepprogram.com