Hare Krishna PAMHO
Typically a person sleeps 6-8 hours. I used to sleep 7 hours usually.
Now, I sleep at 11 PM and wake up around 4 AM. First thing I do when I wake up is have a bath and then start chanting.
After having bath I dont usually get sleepy. If however, still I feel sleepy, then I wash my feet or simply pour water on my feet. It wakes me up.
I have a bit of sleep remaining left always wanting me to sleep. My friends say have some tea and you wont feel sleepy, but that is also discouraged in ISKCON. How do we cope up with this in this case?
Replies
Sleep
Okay so i have been chanting since 6 months, and came up to 16 rounds, not yet initiated. However since last 1 month, i have disturbed sleep, i wake up in the middle of the night, however i fall asleep in again 1-2 minutes. I can't get up early in the morning beacuse of disturbed sleep because of which i have fallen to 4 rounds. I get up at 7:30 somehow and then after a bath I chant 4 rounds and the work for my new job since i just completed my engineering. I try to eat light at nights, dont use phone or any digital screen 1-1.5 hours before sleep, sleep by 10-10:30 read Krsna Book before sleeping and chant the narsimha mantra (Ugram viram ) for good sleep and protection still i dont get good rest and i wake up groggy and sleepy and tired. I also exercise for 15-20 minutes, everday still i dont know what is lacking. I have fruits dryfruits in my diet for good digestion and health and immunity and i dont eat junk still my sleep is like that. Please help \
I dont spend my time uselessly watching movies or serials or anything , either i work for my job or i read, hear , chant about Krishna and his devtoees still i dont know what is happening, i have changed my lifestyle still i dont what is lacking Please help this miserable soul
Fear
Since last one month, i have developed fear of ghosts or darkness, for this i spoke to one of the brahmacharis at ISKCON CHOWPATTY, who advised me to chant the holy name and the narsimha kavach mantra before sleeping and to read KRSNA BOOK. However its been a month or 2 since i have fear of darkness, i still sleep with my father or mother i dont know why is this happening, and also because i wake up in the middle of the night at 2/3 am i usually feel afraid of darkness and evil spirit. I read Srimad Bhagvatam everyday for 30 minutes, hear Srila Prabhupada and Radhanath Maharaj lectures for 30mins - 1 hour everyday, chant 4 rounds(because i cant get sleep cant chant 16 because of factors mentioned above)
I pray to the lord everyday that krishna please help me please. i am in a distressed condition, pray to prabhupada and radhanath maharaj and lord narshimadev for protection still i get disturbed sleep and fear darkness and ghosts
PLEASE I BEG FOR YOUR HELP PLEASE
Sleep more.
Hare Krsna
How do ISKCON devotees cope up with lack of sleep ?
There is no way to cope with lack of sleep if it is over medium or long term. Lord Sri Krsna says the following in Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna.
nāty-aśnatas tu yogo ’sti
na caikāntam anaśnataḥ
na cāti-svapna-śīlasya
jāgrato naiva cārjuna
There is no possibility of one’s becoming a yogī, O Arjuna, if one eats too much or eats too little, sleeps too much or does not sleep enough. (BG 6.16)
So solution is not to cope with less sleep, but to get enough sleep. To get enough sleep in this case one needs to sleep early.
If someone needs 7 hours(this is normal hrs of requirement) of sleep and wants to wake up at 4am then they must be asleep by 9PM.
Hare Krsna
Hare Krsna Prabhuji,
PAMHO.
I completely understand your situation. You should try to set your routine such that you are able to sleep by 10 pm. Still if some sleep accumulates and you are not able to find time to sleep during weekdays, make it a point to rest during day time on weekend. So you have periods where your body is completely rested.
Haribol,
Your servant,
Radha Rasamayi DD
Hare Krsna prabhu
PAMHO
The only solution is your own will power and Krsna's mercy. When you really, genuinely decide just before sleep and pray to Lord that you will wake up in Brahm Mahurata, then you will be able to do that. Of course, consistency is the key. Try praying and maintaining it daily . But at the same time, I would say not to jump the guns and decrease sleep by hours at one go. I do understand that sometimes even though we tgry hard but still we fail. But dont get discouraged with this. On the next day, try again. Mind is an organ, though powerful, but its still an organ. And like any other organs, it can be trained also with regular efforts.
Yas
Hare Krishna,
If you are feeling sleepy after taking a bath also, then try walking and doing japa in open air.
try herbal tea
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLRQtRO_BWQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JROmFyG5-LU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEJUxsh0eFs
watch these vids. might help you.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1uw9qZ-P9M
japa ( lip service ) without mind is no good. half sleepy japa is not really worth it. If you are unable to do at a stretch 16 rounds you can divide it ( 4 in the early morning) and 4 at 9 am 4 ( before lunch) and another 4 before going to bed. It is not just moving you jaws and articulating the mantra, more important is how much you are able to focus on the syllables of mantra while you speak them out. And How much is ur mind into it. Don't tax yourself with too many rituals at a time. slowly in increments you may increase the number. But what matters is perfection. You do 4 perfectly in the morning. 4 might take 30min max..then you can take some herbal tea or make some food, and do some regular exercise to keep fit.
to get up early what Syama Vallabh das prabhu said is right sleep by 9:30 pm. and I know our families wont cooperate. I talked to some Iskcon prabhu's and they said after mangal aarti and doing 16 rounds they take bit power nap. They even told they take a quick power nap even in the afternoons at time.. But not exceeding 30 min of sleep. Just for refreshing.
where there is a will there is way. But anyhow you are trying hard. Krishna will help you. don't worry. You may divide the 16 rounds thru out the day. and utilize the time properly for exercising.
rest I don't know. You better plan as per your convienience.
Hare Krishna.
Dearest devotee,
if you haven't already, do read through this article: https://iskcondesiretree.com/profiles/blogs/be-healthy-happy-and-holy
It states that a devotee generally should go to bed by around 10:00PM - 10:30PM, instead of 11:00PM. So, it is better to go to sleep at 10PM rather than 11:00PM. Krishna says that a person who sleeps too little (and also too much) cannot become a yogi. To quote A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada: "One who eats more than required will dream very much while sleeping, and he must consequently sleep more than is required. One should not sleep more than six hours daily." (BG: 6.16, Purport). From this, one can say that 5hrs may be a little less for a working person. Therefore, the conclusion is to sleep no less than, but also not more than, six hours. One can also conquer sleepiness or lethargy by intesifying one's devotion to Sri Krishna. This is evident from the following words of his divine grace: "So Arjuna conquered both sleep and ignorance because of his friendship with Krishna." (BG: 1.24, Purport) One need only try to practice to their best of their ability of staying awake without feeling sleepy. After all, sleepiness comes from the mind alone. Otherwise, why would guru and Krishna ask us to sleep 6hrs, and not more than that? Because Krishna and guru know that more is not required for one to be able to work with great vigor. Take for example sex-life: "The highest pleasure in terms of matter is sex pleasure. The whole world is moving under its spell, and a materialist cannot work at all without this motivation. But a person engaged in Kṛishna consciousness can work with greater vigor without sex pleasure, which he avoids." To conclude, sleepiness is a gift of Maya, which we should choose not to open or even accept.
I hope this helps!
Sincerely,
Śyāma-Vallabha Dāsa, a humble servant of the Lord