To Stay Awake While Meditating

People relax when they fall asleep. But even thoughof a chair or trying a less comfortable chair will
meditation is calming, you don't want to fall asleep whileincrease your alertness.
meditating because you want to receive the completeChanging where you meditate might snap your mind
benefits from meditation. When a person is asleepwake-- maybe meditating in your backyard or by a
their brain waves go into the theta and delta ranges,lake or at the park. You can try positioning your arms
but when meditating the brain waves are mostly in theor legs so that they will fall or move when you fall
alpha state. The brain is calm, though alert.asleep and wake you up.
The reason that a lot of beginning meditators fallOn the other hand some people use meditation to get
asleep is that they have not learned how-to bring outtheir mind quieted before they go to sleep. It can
the inner awareness-alertness that is like, but not therelieve sleep disorders. When someone first begins to
same as the relaxation response that happens beforepractice meditation, they will see how quickly and how
going to sleep. There are similarities between sleep,many thoughts careen into the mind when they try to
mediation, and hypnosis. Energy ebbs from thestill their mind.
external senses and the energy focuses on the innerIf thoughts about troubles, bills, TV shows, work, your
imagery.relationships etc. flood your mind when you try to fall
It may be easier to mediate after getting up in theasleep, then using meditation to control your focus and
morning and not before going to bed when you arebe serene can help you to fall asleep easier and can
tired. Wait until a few hours after eating or mediatekeep you calmer during the day.
before eating. Using drugs and meditating don't workWhen someone practices meditating each day, he can
well together.learn to be calm and focus his thoughts. This is what
Never lie down to meditate, as you will probably fallhappens to the body while meditating: more blood
sleep. When you mediate you want to be comfortable,flows to the arms and legs, blood pressure goes
but don't want to encourage drowsiness. Do finddown, stress hormone levels lower, brain waves go to
another comfortable posture. Do not practicethe alpha state. These physiological changes occur
meditation in the place you sleep, if you fall asleep inwhen the mind is cleared and the thoughts are
your easy chair, never meditate there. You don't wantfocused. With practice a person can learn to meditate.
to initiate a sleep response.Whether you are having trouble meditating because
If you find you are so comfortable that you can't stayyou are falling asleep or you want to use meditation to
awake, try a different posture or create s a bit offall asleep afterwards it is a practical, useful, and
discomfort. Something that isn't so irritating, but helpsbenefit habit.
you stay awake. Perhaps, sitting on the floor instead