Is it normal to be totally exhausted after leading worship on Sunday morning?

I am not certain as to whether it is normal but it does seem to be quite common. Many worship leaders experience this. Realistically, many factors may contribute to this exhaustion.

First, often worship leaders spend a great deal of time preparing for a service. When I am preparing to lead worship it is not unusual for me to be up past my normal bedtime on Saturday night and then rise earlier than usual on Sunday morning. This less-than-the-normal-amount of sleep can certainly be a contributing factor to being very tired on Sunday afternoon.

Along with this, there can also be the mental strain in leading worship. You must be mentally alert, thinking ahead to what is coming next and considering what to say between songs and how to say it. All of these can ultimately be very taxing. They can cause a measure of fatigue.

Additionally, there can be physical factors such as the adrenaline rush that can occur in leading worship. After having been pumped full of a natural stimulant for the duration of the up-front time, your body’s normal reaction is to enter a state of tremendous relaxation.

All of these various factors combined can certainly lead to feeling totally exhausted after the service. Don’t worry, though. Some time ago, someone told me that “saint” (the word frequently used in Scripture for the followers of Jesus) is an acronym: Sunday Afternoon Is Nap Time. 🙂