Meditation is a powerful tool for relaxation and stress relief, but it can also have an unexpected side effect: sleepiness. Many people find that after meditating, they feel tired and ready to take a nap. But why does meditation make us sleepy?
Meditation can make you feel sleepy because it relaxes the body and mind. When the body and mind are relaxed, it signals to your brain that it is time for rest so your body naturally responds by feeling more tired than before. Additionally, the breathing exercises in meditation decrease oxygen levels slightly, which induces a calming state of fatigue.
In this article, we’ll explore the nine most common reasons why meditation can lead to fatigue and drowsiness. We’ll also discuss how to combat these feelings so you can get the most out of your practice. So if you’re wondering why meditation makes you sleepy, read on!
Can meditation make you feel tired?
The answer to this question is both yes and no. While meditation does not directly cause tiredness, it can give you the opportunity to realize that you are already tired.
Think about your typical day – you are constantly running around, working, managing home tasks, and using technology, all of which can tire your mind.
Without taking breaks in between these activities, the only time you get for mental rest is when you sleep or when you meditate.
Consequently, when you sit down to meditate and your mind finally takes a break, feeling tired is a natural response.
Additionally, feeling tired during meditation is not necessarily a bad thing. If you find yourself dozing off during your practice, it may be a sign that you need to take more breaks throughout the day. Taking a nap after meditation can be beneficial to your physical and mental health.
It is also important to note that even if you are not feeling sleepy, you may still experience a sense of lethargy after meditating.
This is because meditation slows down the mind and allows you to know what your body is saying to you. In this case, you may need to rest.
Overall, it is normal to feel tired after meditating, and it is not necessarily a sign that something is wrong. Instead, it could be an indication that you need more rest, and it is important to take the time to listen to your body.
Why does meditation make me sleepy?
The causes and effects of meditation making one sleepy are numerous. One of the main causes of feeling sleepy during meditation is that the mind and body are not fully engaged in the practice. This could lead you to feel sleepy.
If you are new to meditation, this feeling of sleepiness is common. This is because the mind and body are not used to this practice.
A lack of nutrition in your body can also be a contributing factor. This can cause you to feel weak and not be able to practice well.
Selecting the correct type of meditation is essential, as it can help you stay focused and energized; otherwise, it might make you feel drowsy.
In the beginning, you may find yourself becoming drowsy during meditation due to lack of practice.
The effects of meditation making one feel sleepy can be both positive and negative. On the plus side, regular practice of meditation can lead to improved mental well-being and increased confidence and focus.
On the downside, feeling sleepy during meditation can lead to a lack of progress and can make it difficult to concentrate on the practice. It could also make it harder to reap the multiple benefits of meditation, as it can be difficult to stay engaged.
9 reasons why meditation makes you feel tired
Meditation is a great way to find inner peace and relaxation. But if you’re not used to meditating, you may find that it can make you feel very tired. This is because meditation has a profound effect on the mind and body, which can lead to an extreme level of physical and mental exhaustion. Here are 9 reasons why meditation makes you feel tired:
1. Relieving Stress
Meditation reduces stress levels by helping you to focus on the present moment instead of worrying about past or future concerns.
Stress can have a significant impact on sleep. It can cause difficulty falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep, and even lead to insomnia.
A reduction in stress can therefore have a positive impact on sleep and if you’ve suffered a few disturbed nights you may succumb to a post-meditationn nap.
When stress levels are reduced, it can help to reduce cortisol levels and racing thoughts, allowing the body to relax and fall asleep more easily. It can also help to improve the quality of sleep by reducing frequent awakenings and restlessness during the night.
Additionally, reducing stress can help to reduce anxiety and depression, which are both known to interfere with sleep.When you meditate regularly, your stress levels decrease significantly, leading to increased mental and physical exhaustion.
2. Restoring Energy
Meditation helps restore the body’s natural balance of energy by allowing us to reevaluate our current lifestyle and state of being. This ensures that we don’t overexert ourselves mentally or physically and leads to feeling fatigued after meditating for an extended period of time.
3. Slowing Down Mental Activity
During meditation, your thoughts slow down as the brain focuses on being in the present moment. Your device’s notifications or other stress-inducing factors like school or work are less important.
This reduction in brain activity can lead to mental fatigue that manifests through physical exhaustion as well.
4. Triggering Autonomic Nervous System Reflexes
Many people report feeling relaxed after meditating due to their parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). The PNS signals our bodies when it’s time to rest and reduce heart rate and blood pressure while regenerating bodily cells through proper sleep habits, all of which cause fatigue over time if done excessively.
5. Increasing Your Mindful Awareness
As you begin practicing mindfulness more often through meditation, your body begins registering sensations from its surrounding environment much more quickly than before making it hard not to get distracted easily during meditation sessions as well as in everyday life activities due to heightened awareness leading eventually causing fatigue if not managed correctly/properly.
6. Detoxifying Your Body & Mind
When you practice regular meditation, your body naturally begins cleansing itself from mental toxins such as negative emotions and stressful thoughts brought about by overwhelming daily scenarios at home or wor.
The strength exerted trying hold onto such negativities drains out all energy leaving one completely fatigued after every session!
7. Burnout from meditation practices
Burnout from meditation practices refers to the feeling of emotional and physical exhaustion one can experience from trying too hard while meditating. It can manifest as feelings of tension in the body, sense of fear and panic, hallucinations, mania, depersonalization, and a range of other issues. Burnout can be caused by pushing oneself too hard and trying to remain focused for too long. It can also happen as a result of trying to avoid falling asleep while meditating.
Burnout can have negatively impacts on the nervous system and physical body, leading to a decrease in motivation and overall wellbeing. In extreme cases, it can be severe enough to cause a person to abandon their practice altogether.
Therefore, it is important to be aware of the potential for burnout. It is also important to know how much effort is involved.
If one finds themselves in a state of burnout, it is important to take a step back, practice with a gentle approach, and reduce the amount of time dedicated to meditation.
Doing so will ensure the individual reaps the full benefits of meditation and avoids further distress.
8. Muscle Tension
The most common physical symptom of meditation is muscle tension. This is due to the fact that when we practice meditation, many of us are trying to stay focused on our breath or a mantra, often leading to us trying too hard to remain focused.
This can result in our muscles becoming tired and tense, which can then lead to the feeling of tiredness.
Additionally, meditation can cause the eye muscles to become strained, as we are often trying to keep our eyes closed for longer periods of time. All of these physical symptoms can add up and contribute to a feeling of tiredness.
9. Releasing Endorphins
During meditation, endorphin hormones are released like serotonin, dopamine, oxytocin etc positively affecting mood, social behavior, and creativity. This ultimately leads towards severe fatigue once endorphin hormones are exhausted due wear & tear lacks production propelling individual into deep desire for sleep.
How to avoid feeling tired after meditating
We now know that meditation is a powerful tool for calming the mind and body that can also lead to feelings of fatigue. Let’s now explore how to avoid feeling tired after meditating.
Make sure you are comfortable while meditating
It is important to make sure you are comfortable while meditating. This means finding a comfortable position that allows your body to relax and not strain any muscles.
It is also important to find a quiet place where you can focus on your practice without any distractions.
Additionally, it is helpful to wear loose-fitting clothing that won’t restrict your movement or cause discomfort. Finally, if possible,
Step 1: Prepare the right environment for meditation. Turn off the TV and other electronics, make sure the kids are in bed, and make sure the space is quiet, dark, and free of distractions.
Step 2: Get comfortable. Wear loose-fitting, comfortable clothes and choose a posture that limits fidgeting and discomfort. You can lay down in bed or sit up. If sitting up, it may help to place a cushion or rolled-up towel under your backside to lift your posture a little bit.
Step 3: Set up your meditation tools. If using your phone or another device, turn down the screen brightness and close all other apps or windows. If using a white noise machine, turn it on at a comfortable volume.
Step 4: Open a window and let in some fresh air. This can help keep you awake and alert during your meditation.
Step 5: Consider reducing the amount of time spent meditating. Doing short meditation practices throughout the day can be more effective than an extended seated session.
Step 6: Keep your eyes open or half-open with a gentle gaze downward. This can help keep your focus and be more rooted in the present. You can also place a small object in front of you to anchor the gaze.
Only meditate for a short period of time
It is important to know how long you should meditate for in order to prevent feeling exhausted. Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your meditation practice and avoid feeling drained:
Start with a shorter meditation session. You don’t have to meditate for hours. Even 10 minutes of meditation can provide numerous benefits for your body and mind.
Practice “gentle effort.” Don’t push yourself too hard as this can lead to feelings of exhaustion.
Utilize a three-phase approach. This includes a meditation phase, a yoga practice phase, and a focused mind phase.
Avoid meditating immediately after waking up. Give your body time to adjust and break up the time you have been asleep and your waking hour.
Meditate away from your bed. Avoid meditating in, on, or around your bed as this will make you instantly tired.
By following these tips, you can ensure that your meditation practice is effective and energizing rather than draining.
Break up your meditation into smaller chunks
Breaking up your meditation into smaller chunks can help you avoid feeling tired after meditation. This way, you can take regular breaks, increase blood flow, and maintain focus.
Taking regular breaks gives your body and mind a chance to rest, allowing you to stay awake and focused when you return to your meditation.
During these breaks, you can do simple activities such as stretching, breathing exercises, or drinking tea to help keep your mind alert.
Stimulating blood flow through activities such as walking meditation can also help you stay energized and focused.
By breaking up your meditation into smaller chunks and taking regular breaks, you can maintain a consistent level of alertness throughout your practice.
Ensure that you are not meditating when you are very tired
You’ve had a long day at work and feel exhausted when you come home. You go to meditate, but you find yourself feeling too tired and sluggish.
You take a step back and realize that you’ve been taking on too much throughout the day and haven’t been getting enough rest.
You also take notice of how you’re feeling throughout the day and realize that you’ve been feeling fatigued and unmotivated.
You check in with yourself and make sure that you’re sufficiently hydrated and that your posture is correct.
After making these adjustments, you realize that you are too tired to meditate and decide to take a break instead.
If you find yourself feeling tired and sluggish during meditation, then it’s likely you’re too tired to meditate. Here are some steps to help you determine whether or not you are too tired to meditate:
Take a step back from your daily routine and observe.
Take some time to examine your daily routine and the activities you’re doing. Think about how much stress, mental stimulation, and physical activity you’re taking on. If it’s a lot, it’s likely you’re not getting enough rest.
Pay attention to your energy levels.
Pay attention to your energy levels and make sure you’re prioritizing sleep and rest. Low energy and decreased motivation likely means you need more time for rest, so be aware if that’s the case while meditating.
Make sure you’re hydrated.
Dehydration can be a major contributor to feeling tired. Make sure you’re not just drinking enough water throughout the day, but also limiting your intake of caffeine and alcohol as these can leave you feeling dehydrated and tired.
Adjust your posture.
If you feel sleepy while meditating, check your posture. Take a deep breath and adjust your breathing as needed to make sure you’re taking in enough air. Additionally, straighten your posture and open up your chest to create more breathing space.
Make sure you are not meditating when you are feeling stressed
Meditating when feeling stressed can be difficult but with the right approach it can provide a great sense of relief.
To tell if you are meditating when feeling stressed, start by taking a few deep breaths and closing your eyes.
Once you feel grounded, observe your thoughts and emotions without judgment.
Ask yourself questions such as “What am I feeling right now?” and “How am I responding to the stress?”
Taking a few moments to be mindful of your thoughts and feelings will help you to identify the root of your stress.
Next, focus on your breath. Shift your attention to the sensation of your breath going in and out. Notice the rise and fall of your chest and belly. Don’t try to control your breathing, just observe it as it naturally happens.
Finally, bring your awareness to your body. Notice any areas of tension and relax them. Visualize sending relaxation throughout your body from head to toe.
As you do this, it’s normal for your mind to wander. When it does, simply bring your attention back to your breathing and body sensations.
By taking a few moments each day to practice meditation when feeling stressed, you can feel a sense of well-being and peace even during difficult times.
Don’t meditate when hungry
If you are meditating while hungry, there are some steps you can take to help you stay awake and focused during your meditation session.
Eat a lighter meal before meditating. This will give your body time to digest the food so that you don’t feel so tired during your meditation session.
It’s also important to stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water throughout the day to help keep you alert and focused while meditating.
FAQ
How does meditation affect the body?
Meditation has been scientifically shown to offer a wide range of positive physical and mental health benefits.
Physically, it has been shown to reduce stress and tension, improve cardiovascular health, and even increase focus and concentration.
On the mental side, meditation has been linked to improved mood, decreased anxiety, and improved cognitive functioning.
Moreover, regular meditation can help foster a greater sense of self-awareness, allowing one to make better decisions and become more mindful in their daily life.
All of these benefits can lead to a healthier, happier and more balanced life.
What is the best posture for meditating?
The best posture for meditating is one that is comfortable yet keeps the spine slightly lifted. For example, take a cushion or a rolled-up towel and place it under your backside so that your posture is elevated.
At the start of your meditation, focus on the top of your head. This can help keep your energy up and make you less likely to drift off.
Additionally, if you find yourself slouching, try elongating the spine, opening your chest, and maximizing the room to breathe more fully.
Also, trying different types of meditation, like walking meditation, or following a guided meditation can help you stay focused and keep your mind stimulated.
Final Thoughts
Meditation is a powerful tool for reducing stress and improving overall well-being.
By taking the time to focus on your breath, thoughts, and body sensations, you can create a sense of relaxation and peace even during difficult times.
Additionally, it’s important to stay hydrated and eat a lighter meal before meditating in order to stay alert and focused.
Finally, finding the right posture for meditation can help keep your energy up and make it easier to stay present throughout your session. With regular practice, you can reap the many benefits of meditation and lead a healthier, happier life.
