Do You Feel Sleepy While Meditating?

Reiki

My first meditation experience was with Reiki during my teenage days. I was lucky that my parents introduced me to meditation early on in my life. My parents were visionaries at that time. Unfortunately, I struggled with the practice and was too embarrassed to accept failure.

My biggest trouble during the practice session was an irresistible urge to sleep. The only option would be to nap, or my head would start aching. I wasn't mature enough to fight it out. It used to be very bad. There was no way to resist sleep.

My best friend did the Reiki course along with me. He made fun of me after listening to my issues during practice sessions. He wasn't disrespectful but tried to motivate me using sarcasm. I could not handle the feeling of embarrassment though and stopped the practice.

Yin Yoga

Years later, in my 30's I tried my hand with Yin Yoga. As an early migrant in Australia, it helped me manage stress. The practice of yin yoga includes simple yoga poses. The practitioners have to hold each pose for a long duration. Some of these poses could last 7–10 mins long.

I used to love these classes, but my struggle with sleep was still there. After a few sessions, I gathered the courage to ask the instructor. It was surprising to learn from the instructor that the issue is prevalent.

According to my instructor, it wasn't an issue but a blessing in disguise. She told me not to worry. According to her, my body is too weary with all the stress, and Yin Yoga is helping me relax. My instructor told me not to fight the sleep. Instead, she jokingly promised to wake me up once the class is over.

There were direct clues that Yin Yoga was helping me to manage stress. I am not a morning person. Interestingly, the mornings after the class used to be very fresh though. It was a sign that the practice was doing something good.

Massage Sessions

I experienced the same feeling during massage sessions. A friend of mine is a massage therapist. She uses a technique where the patient sleeps during the session. 

It allows the masseuse easy access to the tensed body parts. In some of these sessions, I will nap for around 10–15 minutes. My body used to feel relaxed after these sessions.

Vipassana

Even though I understood that feeling drowsy was fine, it was still embarrassing. My idea of meditation evolved in 2020 before COVID-19 hit Australia. It was during a 10-day Vipassana course. If you want to learn more about the 10-day Vipassana course, read my article below:

During the session, Mr Goenka, in his recorded videos, talked about this feeling. According to Vipassana, feeling drowsy during a session is a pitfall. Before my embarrassment could come back, Mr Goenka explained the reason.

Every meditation technique is different. It's not criminal to feel drowsy while practicing Vipassana. The foundation of Vipassana is on observing body sensations. If you want to understand how and why sensations in Vipassana practice. read my article below:

Drowsiness stops us from focusing on sensations. It takes our minds away and breaks the flow. Mr Goenka recommended an effective strategy to handle drowsiness during a session. 

The recommendation was to start heavy breathing during such situations. I tried and with some practice, it worked.

Guided Meditation

After coming back from the Vipassana course, I went to a friend's place for dinner. His father conducts guided meditation. I discussed the topic of drowsiness with him. He gave a different angle to it.

He told me he experiences this feeling in every session and does not fight it. In fact, it makes his session better. It's a great way to silence the chatty brain. According to him, he goes into that stage in all his meditation sessions and finds it very relaxing. When I saw him practicing, his chin was almost touching the chest due to drowsiness.

Conclusion

Based on my experience with different techniques, here is the conclusion:

• It's okay to feel drowsy in the practice. We should not resist it.
• At times, this feeling could be beneficial in attaining relaxation. It depends on the kind of practice. 
• If drowsiness breaks your focus during practice, start heavy breathing. It will take time, but you will get better at it.

I have practiced Vipassana, Yin yoga & guided meditation for the past 3–4 years. Drowsiness is still a part of all sessions, but I have stopped fighting it.

Instead, I watch it and use it to my advantage. In Yin Yoga, I let it happen. After the session, I allowed myself to get a good night's sleep.

While in Vipassana, I do heavy breathing to manage drowsiness.

Let me know if this article was any help.

If you want to read more on Vipassana, read links to my articles below: