Meditating - Staying Awake

Why is staying awake while meditating important? Falling asleep is certainly relaxing, and can be good for you, but to get the full range of benefits from your meditation you need to have your brainwaves in the alpha and theta ranges. When you are asleep, your brainwaves range from theta to delta. Meditation should be a state of relaxed alertness (primarily alpha brainwaves). Try the following tips to stay awake.

1. Don't lay down. Laying down may be the comfortable way to meditate, but it is also the surest way to have trouble staying awake. Find a comfortable posture for meditating, but not TOO comfortable.

2. Don't meditate where you sleep. A comfy chair may be a great place to meditate - unless its the one you fall asleep in while watching TV. Anyplace where you regularly sleep is likely to trigger a sleep response in your body.

3. Create slight discomfort. If you are too comfortable to stay awake, try turning the thermostat down, sitting in a harder chair, or otherwise creating a minor irritation that will be enough to keep you awake, but not distract you too much.

4. Try meditating in a new place. Using a chair set in the back yard, or doing your meditation in the car at a nice park can be a good way to get out of a rut and wake up your mind.

5. Use an automatic wake-up position. Rest your elbows on the chair arms and have your hands comfortably up in the air. If you begin to sleep, your arms will fall, waking you up. Many meditators have used positions that prevent sleep in this way, without being uncomfortable.

Sleep is good, but meditation is more than relaxation. It should help you develop a sense of peace and relaxed alertness. If meditating has become nothing more than your favorite sleeping aid, start using these tips today to get back on track.

Steve Gillman has meditated and studied meditation for over twenty years. Visit his website and subscribe to The Meditation Newsletter at: http://www.TheMeditationSite.com/newsletter. html

---

How to Record Meditation Scripts to Audio Equipment

If you're someone who loves to meditate (or wants to... Read More

Holosync Meditation - Does It Really Work?

Chances are, if you are on a quest for self-improvement,... Read More

Do You Want To Relax And Think Clearly?

Learning To Be In The MomentImagine thinking clearly, and feeling... Read More

Meditate to Unlock Your Hidden Potential ? Part 1

Meditation is often misunderstood by those who do not practice... Read More

Tips for Better Meditation

Meditation students often come to me and ask what they... Read More

Subconscious

The subconscious is a scarey thing to comtemplate for some... Read More

Mindfulness and Eating: Divine Desk Dining

Are you stuck eating lunch at your desk again?Lucky you.You... Read More

The Relationship Between Meditation and Self-Analysis

These are two very powerful tools for self-improvement, but how... Read More

Embrace Fear and Let Go

Before I started meditating several years ago with CDs using... Read More

Experiencing Peace as You Would Imagine Peace to be

Peace can mean quiet, tranquility, serenity, peace of mind, mental... Read More

Meditation Is Not Just for Men with White Beards

What kind of picture comes to mind when someone mention... Read More

Breathing

Breathe in through your nose and draw your breath down... Read More

Meditation - What is It Good for Anyway?

Meditation is an age old healing and stress relieving modality... Read More

Practicing Staying Present to the Now

Transformational Counseling is about assisting others to transform their life.... Read More

How To Meditate?

We are surrounded by negative forces like jealousy, hatred, fear,... Read More

Stress: Guilty As Charged

How To Defend YourselfDo you ever find yourself feeling overwhelmed?... Read More

The Mind is Like a Frisky Monkey

People are often so discouraged about the results of their... Read More

What Does Meditation Music Do To You?

Personally I belief that it is possible for anyone to... Read More

Meditate with Mindful Breathing

Breathing in, I calm my body. Breathing out, I smile.... Read More

A One Minute Meditation

Maybe learning to meditate intimidates you, and in any case... Read More

The Art Of Meditation: How Easy Is It?

Meditation is a form of relaxing and a method to... Read More

Establishing A Daily Meditation Practice

It's important to establish a daily practice and then stick... Read More

Meditation Is A Dinner Party

Try Not To Force Things Too MuchOften, when meditating, we... Read More

Meditation, Self-Acceptance & the Muse

Meditation presents an interesting paradox. It requires humility and acceptance,... Read More

Quieting the Mind Opening the Heart

To put it simply, the act of meditation involves quieting... Read More

Wireless Meditation: Top Five Tips For Wherever-Whenever Mindfulness

The problem with meditation is attachment.We get in the habit... Read More

Yoga Meditation For Pain Relief

The purpose of this article is to provide information on... Read More

Relax Into Health

I'd like to share a little secret about relaxation techniques... Read More

Meditation: A Path To Inner Peace

Throughout history, meditation has been an integral part of many... Read More

Active Meditation For Surges In Energy Levels!

When I first started learning about deep breathing exercises and... Read More

A Look at Meditation

I've counseled many people from every background and led workshops... Read More

Muraqaba- The Sufi Meditation By Sufi-Master Khwaja Shamsuddin Azeemi

When we try to learn a new skill or try... Read More

Understanding Meditation

Meditation has been around for many thousands of years. It... Read More