To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. Also, Jesus told the thief as they were about to die, "Today, you will be with me in Paradise."
To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord is by far the most compelling argument against "soul sleep".
For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked. For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life. Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge. Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord— for we walk by faith, not by sight— we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. 2 Corinthians 5:1-8
If, once we shed our "earthly tent" we are simply asleep for thousands and thousands of years...why would Holy Spirit inspire Paul to tell us that to be absent from this body is to be present with the Lord?
Also, if when we die we simply "sleep" for thousands of years, why would Paul face the moral dilemma that he speaks of in Philippians 1:21-26?
For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith, so that your proud confidence in me may abound in Christ Jesus through my coming to you again.
How is it "very much better" to die, if by dying it only means to sleep for thousands of years. If "soul sleep" were a truth...then it would be far, far better for Paul and the other apostles to live as long as possible in our sinful human state to serve the church...because even if they lived to be 100, they would still be "sleeping" far longer than being in their earthly bodies.
To die and to be with Christ in Paradise is a wonderful hope. To die and to be "sleeping"...fully and completely separated from all, our loved ones here, Jesus, the Spirit...that isn't much to look forward to.
We are judged when we die. Those who are given eternal life will be in Paradise...those not, somewhere else. This isn't the second death which will be a full life or full death...life of body and soul or death of body and soul. But, we are consciously aware of being with Christ and He is consciously aware of being with us, otherwise His promise to a man dying on a cross like Him was just a lie.