How to Stop Falling Asleep During Meditation
Falling asleep while meditating has become a problem for many, and has even been a contributing factor as to why most individuals who start out the holistic practice, quit just after a few days or weeks. The reason for this unwelcomed occurrence isn’t far-fetched. Meditation and sleep after all share similar states: the withdrawal of the senses and discontinuance of mental and physical activity.
The practice of meditation is indeed one with numerous benefits. Individuals who regularly engage in the act can be sure to have the emotional, mental, spiritual, and physical aspects of their lives transformed in an amazing way. On hearing of the many usefulness of daily meditation, a great many individuals resolve to commit to a routine along those lines. But sadly, sleep becomes a stumbling block between their dedication to the act of meditation and the great benefits to be derived from the act.
In case you’re one of those prone to falling asleep during meditation, know that something has to be done to fix the situation. Though sleep and meditation share similar states as I earlier mentioned, the latter isn’t sleep.
Meditation requires you to be awake, alert and mindful, and if you’re drifting towards the opposite direction, then you’re not engaging in real meditation and therefore can’t get the benefits to be derived from true meditation.
6 tips to help you stop falling asleep while meditating
So for all those out there experiencing the problem of sleeping during meditation, and considering giving up on the routine, don’t quit. It’s just a phase and will pass. Don’t get easily discouraged! Be patient, employ your willpower and put in more practice. And in no time falling asleep during meditation would become a thing of the past.
We have carefully put together a few tips that works on How To Meditate Without Falling Asleep. By following these instructions, you should get past your issue of falling asleep during meditation in no time!
1. Ensure Not To Eat Heavily Prior To Meditation
It’s an error to eat minutes before engaging in meditation. When we eat heavily, all our body’s energy becomes channeled towards digestion. This alone has the potential to make the body feel weak and dizzy. So give yourself about two or more hours after eating, before engaging in meditation. This would reduce the urge to fall asleep. In additional to this, it is also important not to meditate after you’ve just consumed alcohol or other drug substances. They both of have the tendency to increase your likelihood of falling asleep during meditation.
2. Ensure Your Body Gets Enough Rest
Many times people who intend meditating find themselves falling asleep while in the act. We live in an age where regardless of the nature of your job, getting exhausted during the course of the day is inevitable. Even for those who aren’t engaged in any strenuous work! Our body needs rest, and to deny the body of sleep in a bid to meditate won’t work out as planned.
So this is what you do: if you feel the need to meditate, but had a busy day, do yourself good by giving your body rest first before engaging in meditation. This way, the urge to sleep would be reduced to a minimum level as you’d have already satisfied your body’s need to sleep.
3. Meditate With Both Eyes Open
In case you find yourself still falling asleep even after giving your body a good rest before initiating meditation, you then should try keeping your eyes open while meditating. Our body is usually deceived to think it needs to sleep whenever both eyes are shut. So, in order to avoid falling asleep, have both eyes open, when the urge to sleep passes, you then can return to the state of having both eyes shut. The meditative practice of shamatha permits practitioners to have both eyes open.
4. Choose A Posture That Works For You
Your posture while meditating also plays a huge role in inciting sleep. Check for a posture that works for you. The highly recommended posture for meditation, requires practitioners to sit in a soft front and an upright back. While meditating with this posture, check on yourself from time to time to see if you are drooping in an awkward manner. Often times, falling asleep while meditating can happen quickly, so it’s best to correct this as soon as you notice it’s happening.
5. Meditate In The Right Environment
Where you meditate also determines if you’d fall asleep during meditation or not. As a starter, do not make the mistake of initiating meditation while on your bed. It’s just not going to work. If a place is too comfortable, the chances of falling asleep while meditating there would be very high. So seek out a space that’s not too comfortable and not too uncomfortable. As time goes by, the meditative energy within that area will be built up. Thereby allowing you go into meditation there with ease.
6. Have The Right Attitude For Meditation
Being successful at meditation requires that you have the proper attitude and approach. In spite of your past failures of successfully going into meditation, encourage yourself and use affirmations as “I will stay alert and aware even as I go into meditation.” In other words, have a positive mindset and be determined to overcome sleep and other stumbling blocks while you meditate.
With all of these tips, falling asleep while meditating should be a problem of the past! Remember to stay positive and consistent!
Make sure to keep updated and visit Designing Your Mind for all of your meditation and mental health information!
