I’ve been running into a pattern lately where I start nodding off during meditation. It doesn’t happen every time, but often enough that I’m noticing it more.
I’m not sure if it’s actual fatigue, sitting too comfortably, or just the time of day I’m practicing. When I catch it early and adjust, sitting up straighter or opening my eyes, it helps. Other times I realize I’ve already drifted pretty far.
I’m trying not to treat it as a failure, but I’m also curious whether there’s a more skillful way to work with it.
Do others deal with this? If so, what’s helped you stay alert or understand what’s behind the drowsiness? Thanks in advance for any helpful replies.
I’ve experienced this, too. Sometimes it’s plain fatigue after a full day, other times it’s a soft drifting that comes from slowing down. When I notice it happening, I just try to sit more upright, and that usually solves the issue.
Hi Tom. Yes, this is one of the most common things people run into with meditation, so you’re definitely not alone. It actually sounds like you’re already working with it in a pretty skillful way!
Drowsiness is especially common when people start practicing more regularly, or in longer sits. If you’re noticing it a lot, a few simple checks can help: making sure you’re getting enough sleep, choosing a time of day when you’re less tired, and sitting more upright rather than too comfortably.
An erect spine can make a real difference. It’s a posture that supports alertness without needing extra effort, and it’s much harder to drift off in. Often, just that small adjustment is enough.
Thanks for bringing this up. It’s a really common question, and helpful for others to see talked about openly.
Yes! That has happen to me too and I was not tired. It is something that didn’t happen before or often but sometimes and when sitting long, an hour or more. In lesson “6Rs & Obstacles” from The deep path, Liam says this is one of the five obstacles of the mind, it’s defined as ‘torpor’.