Mental health

Resolved Dozing off while meditating

Posted by
Nectar Editorial
| 2020-12-16 | Mental health

Recently, I just started meditating and one of the skills I have been practicing is focusing on my breathing. When I try to do this for 5 min, I start to doze off towards the end, even when I am sitting upright. Is this normal? Also, I have been practicing before going to bed every night, so dozing off is not quite a problem. But if I need to calm down and mediate a little during work, dozing off is going to be a problem.... how can I overcome this?

1 Replies

Kimberly Chew
Psychologist
28 Dec 2020
Expert

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Dozing off, or even falling asleep, during a mindfulness exercise such as mindful breathing is normal, especially if we have only begun practising it! Finding the balance between relaxation and sleeping is a difficult task to achieve, especially if you do not get sufficient rest on an everyday basis.

Here are some ways to keep us awake during a mindfulness exercise.

It is important to get sufficient sleep. When we are not well-rested, it is inevitable that we feel sleepy. Make sure to get ample rest. Doing the exercise in an open space can help us to stay alert. If we are unable to do the exercise in an open space, an open window helps. Breathing in fresh air will help to keep our mind alert while meditating.

Alternatively, try the different mindfulness exercises such as mindful walking. Mindful walking helps us to focus on the experience of walking. This way, we redirect our attention to our surroundings rather than the thoughts in our head, allowing us to focus on being in the present instead of combating the many fleeting thoughts that enter our minds.