Solutions to falling asleep when meditating

Sayalay Susila (sayalaysusila.net); Dhr. Seven, CC Liu (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

  Q: How do I deal with sleepiness?  

Sayalay, how to I stay awake while meditating?

A: There are many ways to deal with both kinds of sleepiness, sloth (physical) and torpor (mental). Sometimes, we must find the external cause of sleepiness.

For example, don’t meditate right after eating. If you do, you'll be overwhelmed by both sloth and torpor. The same will occur if you meditate when you are already too tired.

If sleepiness comes, here's help: Open the eyes. Look at light. This will brighten the mind. [Looking at the internal light or nimitta also helps]. Reciting some of the Buddha's words and temporarily putting aside the object of meditation will also make the mind more alert.

Scanning the body up and down makes the mind more attentive. Physically pulling on the ears is also extremely effective to energize the brain; there are many acupressure points on the ears that connect right to the brain.

Do standing meditation instead of sitting. Worrying about falling down on the person in front of you will probably keep you awake.

I'll also share my own way of staying awake. It is more difficult but very effective: The very moment I notice sloth and torpor, I just look at them, and they are gone.

However, this method requires sharp (alert, vigilant) mindfulness. Most people are unable to be aware of subtle laziness right when it arises. By the time they notice it, the laziness has already gained momentum – body swaying and head nodding.

By this time, it is too late to apply this method. If your mindfulness is precise and you are clear on what is happening in the mind, the moment you know sloth and torpor, they disappear.

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