Lyric discussion by SweetMelody 

Cover art for Sleep lyrics by Poets Of The Fall

While this song does impact me and I see ways it mirrors my own life. I figured I would give it a go at figuring out the meaning of it.

Hear your heartbeat Beat a frantic pace And it's not even seven AM

The heart only beats frantically in a very few emotional states. These are mostly excitement and fear. Given that its not even seven AM, It rules out excitement leaving fear.

You're feeling the rush of anguish settling You cannot help showing them in.

This shows someone who has been hurt in the past. Again its a rush. Fear causing adrenaline to pump and it settles in. The person can't deal with what they have been through so they can't help allowing the memories in.

Hurry up then Or you'll fall behind and They will take control of you

This I agree with Camikaza on. It has to do with the drepression taking control.

And you need to heal The hurt behind your eyes Fickle words crowding your mind

Some believe that the eyes are the window to the soul. Behind them would be a wounded soul. Fickle means to change constantly. So the mind would be racing over things at this point.

So Sleep, sugar, let your dreams flood in, Like waves of sweet fire, you're safe within Sleep, sweetie, let your floods come rushing in, And carry you over to a new morning

This in my opinion is a person trying to console someone who is going through this nightmare situation. They are encouraging the person to sleep and rest. The last line though I think holds some religious overtones, Though the darkness may last for the night, joy comes with the morning.

Try as you might You try to give it up Seems to be holding on fast

Here the person is trying to let go of the things that haunt her night. Its not something easy to do and it doesn't let go.

It's hand in your hand A shadow over your A beggar for soul in your face

At this point, the person is feeling hopeless. It feels as though death itself has taken them by the hand and its seen all over them.

Still it don't matter If you won't listen If you won't let it follow you

If the person would stop listening to the things that are bothering them, they could be free of it.

You just need to heal Make good all your lies Move on and don't look behind

The first part is simple. you just need to heal. Not really much deep with that. The next line though, Make good all your lies. This is very deep. Its second nature to say they are good or fine when asked how they are. We hide what we are really feeling. In essence we lie. The last line is saying to keep moving forward and don't look at where you have been.

Day after day Fickle visions Messing with your head Fickle, vicious Sleeping in your bed Messing with your head Fickle visions Fickle, visions

This is showing that what is happening isn't the first time it has. Its happened many times before.

Anyway, this is what I gleened from this. Its a really good song regardless.