How to I avoid getting sleepy or falling asleep during my daily meditation?

When beginning a meditation practice there are many obstacles that can hinder the experience and frustrate the practitioner. Some of the more common issues that arise are sleepiness that ranges from feeling tired to actually falling asleep, distractions from noise and other things in your surroundings, and feelings of pain or discomfort in the body.

Perhaps you are a person that can fall asleep anytime, in any place, whether sitting or lying down. This is great on long plane rides, but certainly not very helpful when trying to meditate. This type of individual will find meditation without a mantra or object of focus difficult because the minute the body becomes still and the mind becomes quiet sleep is likely to occur.

Ironically, many who report sleepiness during meditation also observe that they are easily distracted by noise, movement and bright light creating the need for an environment that is softly lit, quiet and comfortable---the very things that make us feel immediately cozy and tired!

On the surface, one may become frustrated and feel that they will never be able to settle down without sleeping, thus they are incapable of gaining the benefits of a meditation practice. This is NOT true. There are several techniques that can be used to help alleviate sleepiness and distraction, allowing one to meditate successfully.

To begin, think about the environment…quiet is good but soft instrumental music may help drown out some of the outside noise without bringing complete silence. Opt for soft lighting in the room rather than complete darkness. Also, try using a seated, cross-legged (easy pose) posture and avoid lying on your back. If this isn’t comfortable for you, perhaps sitting on a block, blanket or meditation bench, or propping your back against a wall will help.

If you find yourself becoming drowsy, try holding your breath for a few seconds. Do this a few times, which will usually wake you up fairly quickly. If that doesn’t work, you can stand up and switch to a walking meditation for a few minutes and return to a seated mediation as you become more alert.

Try to observe your feelings no matter what they are, without reacting or becoming frustrated. It’s possible that you just don’t get enough sleep, but it could also be a form of passive resistance to the positive changes meditation can bring.

You will find yourself going through periods of cleansing and clarity, but remember you are doing nothing wrong when you become tired. This is considered very normal and only serves to enable you to relax more and improve the quality of your meditation. We all live much more pressured and busy lives, so it’s much harder to calm the constant noises in our heads. Give yourself the gift of taking this time out, allowing your mind to drift into calmness without guilt. Once we can do this, we benefit and become more productive in all areas of our lives.

During meditation you may drift away from your mantra and think of things from your present, past or future life. Acknowledge these thoughts, don't try to resolve them and they will float by so that you can deal with them at a more suitable time.