Hi all! When I get deep into a meditation at the end of the day, when I get home from work, I often find myself starting to nod off after 15-20 minutes! Are there any meditation techniques that could help me meditate longer without starting to fall asleep? Or maybe I just need to sleep better in general? 
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More sleep? set a timer for 10 minutes and gradually increase it if you stay awake for 10 minutes, meditate twice a day for 10 minutes, walking meditation?? Do you sit in a chair or on the floor? Can you meditate at a different time? Change things around a bit and see what works.
All that has ever worked for me and all can suggest is trying a different time of day for meditation especially longer ones. Personally, I never meditate in the evenings simply because I know I will nod off or at least really struggle with focus.
Joe, my go to meditation in the evenings when I am tired is this: I sit comfortably and concentrate on the energy in my toes (seems like it is always there for some reason). Once I have a good feel for that energy I concentrate on slowly moving the energy to all parts of my body in sequence, going from toes to the balls of my feet to my arches, heels, ankles, etc. By the time I have reached my ears I feel like I have on an energy suit. I then send that energy out the top of my head to specific other people that are hurting and my community in general. That focused exercise usually takes about 15-20 minutes, after which I ājust beā. Seems like that is the natural progression for me.
The exercise of moving my energy helps me to concentrate and seems to ward off sleep. I get great relief and strength from that and if I fall asleep afterward it feels good.
Hope that spurs something useful in you, Peace
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Hi All,
being tired is actually one of the 5 Hindrances, as described in Joseph Goldsteinās book āMindfulnessā.
Itās the hindrance āSloth & Torporā.
According to the book, here are the ways to overcome it.
- Removal of Sloth and Torpor
a. Practice Mindfulness
i. Be mindful of s&t
ii. Note when s&t arises
iii. Investigate how we are experiencing them
1. What is this experience
a. Notice body sensations
b. Notice mental factors
iv. This helps to find concentration even in the sleepy state itself
v. Dipa Ma (famous teacher)
1. Only sleep 3 hours per night
2. Itās okay to fall asleep when youāre sitting
a. No more struggle. One might nod off but then come back to awareness quickly. Sleepiness goes away.
b. When you allow it, you donāt notice it happening so much as when you donāt allow it and look for it to come.
vi. We can be with the states when they arise, until they disappear
vii. The states are impermanent
b. Develop mental clarity
i. Clarity of cognition
-
Noting of greater number of objects as a way of enhancing awareness
a. Breath is main object of attention
b. Then add
i. Touch of buttocks on cushion
ii. Hands resting on thighs
iii. āIn ā out ā sitting ā touchingā
c. Then add Hearing -
Initial and sustain application
a. Vitakka (initial) & Vicara (sustained) attention
i. Aim and connect with arising of each object of awareness
ii. Then sustain the attention -
Develop radiant mind
a. Become more aware of the knowing than the noting
b. The mind knowing the mind
c. āI am aware that this is happeningā -
Focusing on light
a. Look at light
b. Or imagine a light source
c. Open your eyes or change posture
i. Open eyes and look slightly upwards
ii. Open eyes wide like cartoon character
iii. Waves of sleepiness will pass through the head, but will go away
iv. Change posture, walk, go outdoors, splash water on face, pull earlobe
d. Practice wise reflections
i. Consider this precious human birth and impermanence
ii. How do we want to die? With awareness? Then how do we practice awareness until then
e. Engage with good friends and profitable talk
i. Seeing others practicing can encourage us
ii. Reading Dharma books
- Raises energy
- Arouses motivation to practice
iii. Chanting mantras
f. Take rest
i. If nothing works, take a rest
ii. Lie down and allow yourself to fall asleep
- Get up just when you are falling asleep
- Instead of sleep what was needed was moment of deep relaxation
Sorry for the formatting. The first section shows correct formatting.
Hope it helps.
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Excellent material 
