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

---

Practicing Staying Present to the Now

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

A Forty-Five-Second Meditation

Is Meditation Too Much Time And Trouble?If you haven't meditated... Read More

Wireless Meditation: Top Five Tips For Wherever-Whenever Mindfulness

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

Holosync Meditation - Does It Really Work?

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

The Art Of Meditation: How Easy Is It?

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

Fitness Workout - Exercising the Present Moment!

The following exercise program has been designed to get the... Read More

Do You Want To Relax And Think Clearly?

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

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

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

Quieting the Mind Opening the Heart

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

Relaxation Magic - Hypnosis, Meditation, Visualization

Hypnosis, meditation and visualization are three similar processes for accessing... Read More

Establishing A Daily Meditation Practice

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

The Mind is Like a Frisky Monkey

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

Can Cognitive Fitness Be a Workout for Your Brain?

There is growing interest to exercise your brain using something... Read More

You Can Meditate Right Now

Why Should You Meditate?What if you could close your eyes,... Read More

Lighthearted Meditation: Playing With Mindfulness

I often meet people who say things like, "I've been... Read More

Meditation: Time to Stop & Listen

As a co-active coach, one of the underlying principles that... Read More

Subconscious

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

Eenie, Meenie, Minie, Moe, With Which Meditation Should I Go?

There are many different styles of meditation, so which one... Read More

Druids and Meditation

It's pretty obvious that the ancient Druids used several forms... Read More

Meditation

Hello, sample some of the arguments below. But mind you,... Read More

Relax Into Health

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

Relaxation Techniques to Revitalize Body and Mind

We all get to a stage where we've just had... Read More

How To Meditate Without Even Trying

I remember when I started trying to meditate. I would... Read More

What Would Plato Think of Prozac?

Each person is unique and it is that individuality that... Read More

Whats The Point of Meditating?

What are you likely to gain from meditating?Simple:? It improves... Read More

Meditation - Easy Tools for Success

Do you want to learn how to meditate? Have you... Read More

What Does Meditation Music Do To You?

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

Enlightenment through Meditation

Helping the broadest range of people attain enlightenment through meditation... Read More

Why Should You Meditate?

Everyone's mind needs a little downtime. We all need time... Read More

Healing From Within

"We become sick because we act In sickening ways." Louis... Read More

Mindfulness and Eating: Divine Desk Dining

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

Meditation also Gave Me Something else

Some of the greatest benefits for me have been my... Read More

Meditation - What is It Good for Anyway?

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