I keep falling asleep

BaileyD

I have never meditated on a regular basis because if I sit still for more than five minutes I start to get drowsy and begin to fall asleep. It doesn't seem to matter how much sleep I get at night either. I also fall asleep easily when I read. Maybe I'm just a sleepy person.

Any pointers? I would really like to incorporate daily mediation into my life finally.

PietroPumokin

even when your eyes are open? do walking or standing meditation; the most important tthing is taming the mind, not necessarily taming it in the sitting position. so if you drift towards sleep even with your eyes open, you can either stand or walk instead, or you can also try and overcome this, perhaps it's only temporary.

Jeffrey

You can make your meditation the process of being mindful of falling asleep. Whatever you do don't get cross with yourself for falling asleep. That would make it MORE likely to happen rather than less. Sometimes sleepiness hits a nadir (low point) and then energy rises again. Or sometimes you'll just fall asleep which is not a problem.

BaileyD

It just seems that falling asleep or becoming drowsy is slightly counterproductive. I guess I'll just work through it.:om:

Dazzle

Hi BailyD,

You could try walking meditation .

Meditating outside -or keeping a window open can help if you tend to have a stuffy, warm room.

Also just try doing 10 minutes twice daily to begin with - and set a timer or alarm.


Kind wishes,

Dazzle


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jinzang

Practice in a brightly lit room that is on the cool side. Emphasize attention to detail in your meditation practice. Drowsiness and agitation are the two problems everyone has to face in their meditation practice. You need to persevere.

RayfieldNeel

I have this problem, especially if I try to meditate after my family's nightly rituals of putting kids to bed, etc. Just a combination of not enough sleep and busy days.

It's interesting the things that start to happen when I'm able to watch sleep come on..my brain seems to begin creating loud gibberish or snippets of conversation/music and I sort of fall back into it. What the heck is going on in there?

FoibleFull

BaileyD wrote: »

I have never meditated on a regular basis because if I sit still for more than five minutes I start to get drowsy and begin to fall asleep. It doesn't seem to matter how much sleep I get at night either. I also fall asleep easily when I read. Maybe I'm just a sleepy person.

Any pointers? I would really like to incorporate daily mediation into my life finally.

Well, this is not exactly Buddhist advice, but ...

I had the same problem. Turned out I had severe sleep apnea (32 episodes an hour). I never suspected it and it never woke me up (must have come on so gradually that my unconscious adjusted to it as it got worse).

Here's the main point: I didn't know I had it, and none of the doctors clued into it, despite the obvious symptoms. It raised my blood pressure and caused permanent heart damage. Sooooo if you are tired all the time, get a sleep test done. Overnight tests in a clinic can be very very expensive, but ones done in your own home are considerably cheaper. And worth avoiding heart damage.

IF you have sleep apnea, it is easily treatable ... sleeping with a machine called a CPAP (google it) ... non-invasive, 100% effective, and you get used to it after about a month.

BaileyD

FoibleFull wrote: »

Well, this is not exactly Buddhist advice, but ...

I had the same problem. Turned out I had severe sleep apnea (32 episodes an hour). I never suspected it and it never woke me up (must have come on so gradually that my unconscious adjusted to it as it got worse).

Here's the main point: I didn't know I had it, and none of the doctors clued into it, despite the obvious symptoms. It raised my blood pressure and caused permanent heart damage. Sooooo if you are tired all the time, get a sleep test done. Overnight tests in a clinic can be very very expensive, but ones done in your own home are considerably cheaper. And worth avoiding heart damage.

IF you have sleep apnea, it is easily treatable ... sleeping with a machine called a CPAP (google it) ... non-invasive, 100% effective, and you get used to it after about a month.

Never thought about sleep apnea before. I do have problems sleeping through the night. I would look into it except for the whole lack of health insurance thing. Will probably just try quitting drinking next.

Linc

My teacher recommends upturning your eyes slightly. This lets you train yourself that eyes upturned is for meditation (as opposed to straight ahead normally, and downturned for sleeping).

BaileyD

Lincoln wrote: »

My teacher recommends upturning your eyes slightly. This lets you train yourself that eyes upturned is for meditation (as opposed to straight ahead normally, and downturned for sleeping).

I like that, thanks. I'll try it.

DairyLama

BaileyD wrote: »

I have never meditated on a regular basis because if I sit still for more than five minutes I start to get drowsy and begin to fall asleep. It doesn't seem to matter how much sleep I get at night either. I also fall asleep easily when I read. Maybe I'm just a sleepy person.

Any pointers? I would really like to incorporate daily mediation into my life finally.

Get more exercise, and meditate with your eyes open.

Dr. P

fivebells

Don't fight it. Just watch the sleepiness.