Meditation is frequently promoted as a wonderful method to unwind and let go of life's toxicities. Indeed, it is!
By essence, meditating may be exactly brilliant in assisting you in achieving a sense of tranquility. Perhaps it will put you in slumber in some instances.
You've probably fallen asleep yourself in this situation if you're a highly seasoned yogi. So, how can you maintain inner peace while yet being fully conscious?
Continue on for advice about how to utilize meditating to unwind and be attentive and conscious at the same time.
BRAIN ACTIVITY
A study found that meditative states looked to be identical to sleep phases 1 and 2, or non-REM sleep, in certain circumstances.
In comparison to rested stages, scientists concluded that all intensity levels of meditating caused a spike in alpha brain activity. Deeper phases were linked to increased theta activity and a decrease in core beta and low gamma pulses, according to some investigators. In other words, problem-solving and high-alert brain waves dropped while stress reduction brain activity rose.
In principle, meditation was discovered to be a state of mind that is unique from both slumber and awakeness while sharing some of their features. Whenever you meditate, you're straddling the line between concentration and tranquility, awareness and slumber. If you meditate very often, you'll probably find yourself drifting a bit too much in the realm of drowsiness every now and again.
Morning tiredness or sleep deprivation
Meditation has the effect of bringing you into contact with things you may not even have noticed beforehand. This is a long-term advantage that may have some negative consequences initially.
Once you're weary, worried, overloaded, or riddled with insomnia, your mind may interpret your guided meditation as a request for rest. Unless you've always been the constantly on the go type, it may take a considerable amount of time for the body to acclimate to the novelty of being stationary.
If you want to stay up all night, your mindfulness meditation may help you notice the impacts of becoming a chronic insomniac during the day. Whenever you notice yourself continually battling to remain awake when meditating, you're probably getting the news that you will need more rest in your routine.
What can you do to remain lively when meditating
You can discover the best ways to stay alert when meditating once you discover what's triggering your sleepiness.
Stay Away From The Comforts of Your Room
As previously said, merely seeing your bedroom in your line of sight might elicit sleeping thoughts.
Create an environment to meditate beyond the inner corners of your room if you can. This doesn't have to be elaborate, but segregating your sleeping and meditation spaces may make a world of difference.
Make a special place for meditating
You can educate your brain to link a specific place with meditating in the same way that you might correlate your mattress with sleeping.
Make a special place for meditating
You can educate your brain to link a specific place with meditating in the same way that you might correlate your mattress with sleeping.
To assist in inducing a feeling of serenity and establish the tone for contemplation, add a colorful tapestry, a humming bowl, a flowing water fountain, an uplifting picture, or a sculpture that immediately reminds people of calm and peace.
Eat before, not during your meditation session
While meditating during your break at work may be handy, it will be more beneficial if you do it prior to eating.
This means that your belly would be empty, and you won't be tempted to eat anything that would make you sleepy until sometime after your practice. If you can't meditate apart from a meal because of your work, consider eating a smaller snack beforehand.
As you meditate, try to stand still or roam
Trying to stand up as you meditate is a reliable strategy to keep attentive throughout your session. It's tough to drift off to sleep while standing, but it really is a good way to improve blood flow and flex your body as well, — particularly if you spend most of your time seated.
You may take it a step further by practicing walking meditation, which is a steady, purposeful motion that is synchronized with your breathing in order to produce a sense of conscious awareness.
Meditate in a fresh environment
Meditating outdoors is another method to perk up your brain.
It will not only provide you with an additional level of vitamin D. External meditation can also help you become more aware of the surrounding world's vitality and energy.
Practicing meditation outside may add a whole new element to your concentration, whether it's because of the buzzing bees, the hustling of the grass, or the comfort of the light shining down on you.
There's now a wealth of information suggesting spending time outdoors may help with psychological health, and techniques like woodland bathing and outdoor meditation are becoming increasingly more common.
When you combine mindfulness with nature, you'll be stocking up on the relaxing effects.
Keep your eyes wide open when meditating
Try switching to open-eye meditation if you've been doing mindfulness with your eyes shut. This may indicate to the mind that this is the time to stay alert.
Whenever you are meditating with your eyes open, it might be beneficial to pick a specific place to concentrate on. A soft-focus glance around 2 or 3 feet across from you is typically recommended.
If you're at your peak awareness, meditate
There really is no good or bad moment to meditate, and you don't have to battle throughout your drowsiest hours.
Put yourself up for future success by meditating around the time of day when you're usually at your most focused.
Choose a period when your activity levels are high, whether it's after your daily shower, immediately before lunchtime, or later in the night after the day is through, to maximize your chances of remaining conscious while you concentrate.
Final Thoughts
It's not unusual to drift off to sleep while meditating.
The brain activity that is engaged throughout meditating is perhaps comparable to those that are involved within the first phases of sleep. As a result, it's really only reasonable to become sluggish all through your concentration at times.
If drowsiness becomes a serious impediment to your mindfulness meditation, you may need to tackle underlying concerns such as unhealthy lifestyle choices, chronic tiredness, or sickness. If you believe this is the case, seek medical advice.
A few easy changes to your meditating regimen, on the other hand, can help you wake up and stay conscious while you meditate.