Should You Fight Sleepiness During Meditation?

This site contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.

As you meditate, you may find that you get sleepy. This makes sense. The entire goal of meditation is to help you relax. As you relax, your body may feel like it is time to sleep. That is particularly true if you close your eyes for the entire meditation session. It is a common misconception that people need to close their eyes. When you close your eyes, you may be able to limit the distractions in the room.

On the other hand, closing your eyes can also make you sleepy. If you feel tired, should you try to fight the feeling? There are a few essential points that you need to know.

Why Do You Get Sleepy?

So, why do you get sleepy during meditation? The biggest reason people get sleepy is to allow themselves to get too relaxed. There is nothing wrong with relaxing during meditation. Remember that the goal of meditation is to focus all of your minds on the present moment. This means that if there is a specific part of your body that you want to relax, you need to focus all of your attention on that individual body part. If you concentrate with all your power, your mind should be working pretty hard. Therefore, you should not get sleepy. If you are getting sleepy, it may be because you are not concentrating hard enough. Make sure you command your mind’s attention and keep your focus on the present moment.

How You Can Stay Focused During Meditation

You must practice regularly to ensure that you stay focused during your meditation sessions. Like anything else, you will get better at meditation the more you practice. Then, during your session, you may want to try holding specific yoga postures. You may find that you have an easier time staying focused if you assume a specific position. You may also want to try chanting during meditation. People say different things, but one of the most common examples is “om.” You need to find something to help you stay focused during your meditation session. You might even want to consider focusing on a specific breathing pattern. If you perform breathing exercises while meditating, you might have an easier time staying focused.

If you want to combat sleepiness, one of the best ways to do so is to squeeze your eyes shut as tight as possible. Then, open them as wide as possible and stare straight ahead. This could be a way to wake up your brain, and you may find that you do not feel sleepy after you do this a few times. You might also want to try tilting your chin up word. Try changing your head position slightly to look up at the ceiling if seated. You may find it harder for your body to fall asleep when you do this. 

What Happens If You Fall Asleep While Meditating?

If you let your body get sleepy, you might eventually fall asleep entirely. There are several reasons why you don’t want this to happen. First, remember that the goal of meditation is to help you get your mind to focus and concentrate on individual parts of your body. You want your body to relax, you want to leave your stress at the door, and you want to increase your ability to focus. If you fall asleep, you are no longer doing anything. Therefore, you might not get as many benefits from your meditation session.

The other reason you do not want to fall asleep while meditating is that it can throw off your sleep schedule. If you fall asleep for several hours, you may have difficulty falling asleep later at night. Therefore, make sure you stay awake while meditating. You do not want to throw off your circadian rhythm. 

Make Sure You Stay in the Moment

Ultimately time meditation can help you improve your overall quality of life. You may find that meditation is essential to your stress management strategy. You may also find that medication can help you if you are dealing with chronic pain. If you want to get the most out of your meditation session, you need to make sure that you are relaxed. On the other hand, if you are too relaxed, you may find that you get sleepy. You do not want to fall asleep when you meditate, as it could interrupt your sleep cycle. It could also reduce the benefits of meditation. Therefore, consider a few helpful tips to find a way to stay focused without falling asleep. 

Images Courtesy of DepositPhotos
This site contains affiliate links to products. We will receive a commission for purchases made through these links.
Special offer for our visitors

Get your Free Stress Management Guide

We will never send you spam. By signing up for this you agree with our privacy policy and to receive regular updates via email in regards to industry news and promotions