Yogis: How much do you sleep?

Spirituality
#21

For me, it very much depends… When I am in an Ashram, I need much less sleep and 6 hours is plenty, on an ongoing basis with light physical work (karma yoga) and plenty of sadhana (meditation, chanting, asana practice, pranayama). When I am back home at working full time (although not a very physical work), all I get in normally is 2 to 2.5 hours of yogic practice (a combination of the above) and then I need 7 to 7.5 hours. However, when I include Yoga Nidra (and I’ve only taken this up recently), I seem to need less sleep 6 to 6.5 hours. I will become certified in Yoga Nidra over the next year and will be exploring it more deeply!

Om shanti.
Arati

#22

Depends.

I have been at a point, sometime ago, when I needed zero.

I have also been at a point, sometime ago, when it was but a couple hours.

Now it’s the normal, 7 - 8. But I know what must be done to get to the point where it’s none.

It depends on physical, and spiritual purity, and the amount of a specific type of meditation one does - in my experience.

SATTVA & “Milking the Cow”

#23

I sleep usually 8 your body only needs 6 to 8 but depending upon stress levels. And other enviromental things you may need more or less.

#24

[QUOTE=Sasha;47696]I sleep 8-9 hours, it depends on tiredness, and get up in the proper moment, when I feel rested.
If you dont go to work and meditate all day long, you wont need to sleep so much.
It changes naturally, so dont put a cart before horse. By the way, this topic is supposed to be in General section, not Spiritual, isnt it?[/QUOTE]
Are not both methods are considered legit? Don’t the enlightened sleep less while some paths create higher states by forcing less sleep?

#25

I don’t know what’s wrong with me but I need so much sleep nowadays. On weekends I can sleep upward of 10 hours.

#26

Probably about 7-8 hrs per night. sleep is very important

#27

In the dhyana-yoga chapter of the Bhagavad-gita it says:

“He who is regulated in his habits of eating, sleeping, recreation and work can mitigate all material pains by practicing the yoga system.” (BG 6.17)

It’s so important to find a proper balance in sleeping. Too little sleep may result in lack of strenght and energy and maybe agitation of the mind. When I started with yoga it was impossible for me to get up before before seven to start my practice, although I tried hard because it was recommended by some teachers. But my mind just got so angry about it. At that time I always needed 8 hours sleep and sometimes more. Too much sleep is not only a waste of time, it also increases tama-guna, ignorance, inertia, dullness and foolishness. It simply results in misery and is contrary to the goals and effects of yoga.
Now I get up before 5 o’clock every morning, have an asana and pranayama practice of 30 to 40 minutes and 2 hours meditation. After that I go to work. I sleep between 6 and 7 hours. My only problem is that I run out of energy when I sleep to little, so I always include surya namaskara and kapalbhati pranayama in my practice to make sure I have sufficient energy.

#28

It is definitely safe to say that the body knows what it needs, when it needs it and how much. The problem here though is that I think very often people ignore their bodies, they don’t know how to listen to them and they sort of overshadow/overpower them with external things that take the attention, like tv-s and laptops and iphones and blackberries, etc. I mean, it’s not like I don’t use any of those on a daily basis, but I’ve noticed that if I give myself time to switch from this mode, where some gadgets steal my focus to a mode that is more about my feelings and body, I sleep better and I can clearly sense when the moment of sleepiness arrives, i.e. I go to bed at the right time and I wake up refreshed the next morning - no under- or oversleeping. :slight_smile:

#29

I probably sleep on average of 6 hours because of work which is a 12 hour shift. I need 16 hours to be totally refreshed and a minimum of 12 hours sleep to be refreshed. If the kundalini is going strong then I might wake up after 3 hours of sleep still lit up. I wish it was like that everyday.

#30

I usually get about 6 hours of sleep due to school and work. However during the rare times I get to catch up on sleep and wake/sleep at the same time, I have found that 9 hours is usually what my body wants. Anything less or more causes me to feel either tired or over-rested.

#31

[QUOTE=panoramix;47648]High yogis are said to sleep just two or three hours daily.[/QUOTE]
Where did you get that info from please?
I sleep about eight hours a night.

Thanks.

#32

Hello, it’s a well known fact.
I can’t remember the sources.

#33

I am a great lover of yoga. It is my favorite exercise. Sleep is important for all yogis. I sleep at least 8 hours in a day and in my opinion 6 to 8 hours are enough to sleep.

#34

And I believe it is individual and has nothing to do with being a Yogi or not.

#35

I get about six hours sleep I have very real seeming dreams ,
I sometimes like an afternoon nap

Peace

#36

6 hours is all thats needed now sometimes 5

#37

[QUOTE=Seeking;78837]6 hours is all thats needed now sometimes 5[/QUOTE]
You are talking for yourself I reckon …

#38

[QUOTE=Connected;78839]You are talking for yourself I reckon …[/QUOTE]
just reporting how many hours of sleep this body needs. Others need for sleep is for them to talk about.

#39

it is interesting to hear everyones different needs and takes on how much sleep is needed. thank you are for sharing such vulnerable information.

#40

[QUOTE=panoramix;47648]How many hours do you sleep?
How many hours does your body/mind really need?

High yogis are said to sleep just two or three hours daily.

Can that be achieved in a short run?

How can one know what’s the appropriate number for him/her?[/QUOTE]

On average, I sleep about five hours per night through the week and about nine hours per night on weekends. I’ve always read that you need at least seven hours of sleep per night, so I don’t understand how yoga could help you get by with as little as two or three hours per night.