Is this meditation or sleep? 4 Important Differences.
It was one of the more common questions I hear from individuals who are new to meditating, and it is also one of the ones that is one of the most challenging for me to answer.
Should I be sleeping or should I be meditating? It’s normal to nod off while meditation, particularly if you’re just getting started with the practice.
The fact that you are able to completely unwind is a positive indicator of the situation, so take heart from that. The disadvantage of this method is that you are unable to practice meditation when you are asleep.
What makes meditation different from just going to sleep?
There are a few key distinctions that may be made between meditation and going to sleep.
When you meditate, you engage in a number of activities, some of which are as follows:
A heightened awareness of one’s surroundings, including tastes, scents, and sensations.
Keeping a watchful eye on and having complete command of your breathing
Concentrating on different parts of your body (body scanning)
Creating a “flow” of “energy” in and around your body
Seeing scenes, colors, and details in my mind’s eye, as well as imagining things.
reciting certain mantras or other words or sounds (such as transcendental meditation)
When you are asleep, you are the following:
- Having dreams, but not actively thinking or engaging your brain with your subconscious ideas.
- You do not have command of your breathing at this moment.
- You are not aware of the activities occurring in your immediate environment.
There are certain aspects that are shared by both of these items. There is also a fine line to walk in order to differentiate between entering the profound level of relaxation necessary for meditation and falling asleep.
In the following paragraphs, I’ll go a little further into this topic and discuss some of the ways in which you have some say over whether or not you’re falling asleep or entering a profound level of relaxation.
How Can You Tell If You Are Really Meditating?
It is very feasible to nod off during your meditation session and then wake up after you’ve completed it. Especially in the event that you are using a guided track.
The majority of individuals report emerging from meditation with emotions that are quite deep. During the course of your meditation, you could not even be aware of whether or not you were awake.
When you look back on the time you spent meditating, these are some of the clues that might help you determine whether or not you were really practicing meditation:
You had clear and distinct visuals; nevertheless, distinguishing visualizations from lucid dreams and other vivid dreams might be challenging. However, as time and practice go on, it will become more and more clear.
You experienced an expansion of your senses, which is one of the most reliable indicators of whether or not you were awake. Were your senses more acute than usual? When you were dreaming, could you smell, hear, and feel more than when you were awake?
You have an awareness of your ideas; the goal of meditation is not to empty your mind and think about nothing. One of the most common misunderstandings about meditation is this idea.
In point of fact, it’s all about directing your attention on something specific, like your breathing or a chant, and letting your mind take the wheel from there.
You are beginning to experience the positive effects of meditation, which is exactly why you started doing it in the first place, right?
If you’re meditating instead of sleeping, you should be able to see and feel the advantages of your efforts over time, whether you’re trying to modify a habit, get less anxious, feel less stressed, become calmer, or achieve any of a number of other goals.
If you are in a state of profound concentration and seeing colors, you should read these; Seeing a lot of blue when you’re trying to meditate? How about meditating while seeing the hue purple white?
How Do You Determine Whether or Not You Are Meditating?
How to Keep From Nodding Off During Your Meditation Sessions
If you have discovered that you do, in fact, nod off when meditating, there are a few things that you may do to prevent this from occurring:
- Instead of meditating while lying down, try sitting up. When most of us lie down and shut our eyes to go to sleep, our brains are programmed to begin the process of entering the sleep state automatically.
- When you first wake up in the morning, meditate so that your mind is clear. Because practicing meditation first thing in the morning has a variety of potential benefits, I would suggest giving it a go.
- Be careful not to become too comfy. You want to feel comfortable, but if you’re getting to the point where you can’t stop yourself from nodding off, you may want to consider making some adjustments.
- Beginning with brief meditations is a good idea. You could have a rough estimate of the amount of time it takes you to go off to sleep. Start by meditating for shorter and shorter times, and strive for a length that will allow you to quit meditating before you fall asleep.
- As you become used to it and gain confidence, you’ll eventually be able to extend the duration of your sessions.
Is It Normal to Become Sleepy During the Meditation Process?
It is totally normal to nod off in the middle of anything, and it happens more often than you probably realize.
Because falling asleep during meditation is counterproductive to your practice, obviously you don’t want this to keep occurring. To discover a solution to this problem, I suggest first following the methods outlined above.
Because meditation is such an individual practice and individuals have such varied experiences with it, it may be challenging to determine which approaches to meditation would be most beneficial for you.
There might be a need for some trial and error. My only piece of advice is for you to be patient and open to experimenting with a variety of methods.
I have no doubt that you will be able to locate a technique of meditation that suits your needs and prevents you from nodding off during the practice.
In Conclusion, Should I Be Meditating or Sleeping?
I really hope that this post has made it clear to you that it’s okay if you nod off while meditating; in fact, it’s totally natural to do so.
When you are in a profound level of relaxation and are communicating with your subconscious mind, it might be challenging to comprehend the events that are really taking place.
Through consistent practice, the majority of your questions may be resolved. The more you meditate, the more you will understand precisely what is taking place and how you are progressing as a result of this practice.
I have provided you with some pointers and things to keep an eye out for so that you can determine whether or not you are meditating, whether or not you are sleeping, and whether or not you are receiving the outcomes that you should be experiencing.
You are welcome to send me a note using the space below if you have any other ideas or comments to share. Thanks.
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