PracticingAcceptance
Senior Member
- Messages
- 1,861
I do 3 non-sleep rests at set points in the day. Either I lie down quietly, normally with my eyes closed, and try to focus on my breathing/body/sounds, or I put on a guided meditation from a meditation app.
Then I let myself let go of tension. If I do fall asleep it means I've been doing too much, and thankfully I do have lots of weeks where I don't fall asleep during these meditation rests. (Normally I struggle with the opposite: letting go and getting properly calm.)
Sometimes something strange happens, just for a few minutes. It feels like dreaming but I'm aware enough to be technically awake. I'm normally very aware of the mind-chatter, that internal monologue that goes on, but I start to not be fully aware of it. When I'm able to tune in to the thoughts, it's ridiculous nonsensical dreamlike stuff: stories I'm telling myself, or plans that I'm making, that don't make sense in the real world, formed through pulling together disparate bits of information. I often can't remember afterwards what the nonsensical thoughts were. Sometimes I come out of this state with a useful new idea.
Is this half-sleep? Is half-sleep actually scientifically possible? Is this dreaming, or deep meditation? Am I actually asleep but just think I'm awake? Does this dreaming count as rest? My CFS clinic told me that meditation is more restful than sleeping, because dreaming takes energy. But if I'm dreaming as a result of meditation, does that still apply?
Couldn't find anything on google about this particular thing, so I'm hoping one of you will have some experiential insight...
Then I let myself let go of tension. If I do fall asleep it means I've been doing too much, and thankfully I do have lots of weeks where I don't fall asleep during these meditation rests. (Normally I struggle with the opposite: letting go and getting properly calm.)
Sometimes something strange happens, just for a few minutes. It feels like dreaming but I'm aware enough to be technically awake. I'm normally very aware of the mind-chatter, that internal monologue that goes on, but I start to not be fully aware of it. When I'm able to tune in to the thoughts, it's ridiculous nonsensical dreamlike stuff: stories I'm telling myself, or plans that I'm making, that don't make sense in the real world, formed through pulling together disparate bits of information. I often can't remember afterwards what the nonsensical thoughts were. Sometimes I come out of this state with a useful new idea.
Is this half-sleep? Is half-sleep actually scientifically possible? Is this dreaming, or deep meditation? Am I actually asleep but just think I'm awake? Does this dreaming count as rest? My CFS clinic told me that meditation is more restful than sleeping, because dreaming takes energy. But if I'm dreaming as a result of meditation, does that still apply?
Couldn't find anything on google about this particular thing, so I'm hoping one of you will have some experiential insight...