Acharya Prashant explains that feeling sleepy during meditation or while reading spiritual books occurs because these activities reduce fear and anxiety. Sleep is a state of relaxation that is impossible when one feels threatened or stressed. When meditation or a teacher's presence alleviates the perceived need for self-defense, the body attempts to recover from an accumulated sleep deficit caused by years of living in fear. In this context, consciousness is often merely an expression of fear and mental activity driven by problems; therefore, when problems seem to subside, the mind seeks the freedom of sleep. However, Acharya Prashant clarifies that sleep is only a temporary solution and a compromise. While it provides a pause from problems, it does not delete the underlying tendencies that create them. He categorizes people into three levels: those who remain awake because they are still too anxious for meditation to work, those who fall asleep because they are satisfied with temporary relief, and the highest seekers who remain awake because they demand a total and permanent solution. He warns that using meditation simply to detoxify from a toxic lifestyle without changing that lifestyle is a useless compromise. To truly benefit, one must resist the urge to sleep and remain alert for the ultimate solution.
