Constant mindfulness is so tiring!!

[JonW]

"You need a very light touch."

Very true. Very well put.
Jon

[Mudlotus]

. I sometimes think of the practices of mindfulness being like holding a soap bubble... You need a very light touch

Beautiful!

p.s. was acute depression related to your sleeping problems? I'm interested because this was the starting point of my crisis and practice.

[quirky_friend]

Hey Mudlotus, good question.
I have a number of very pronounced risk factors for depression including previous history, family history, predisposition to SAD (seasonal affective disorder), and a lot of change in my life these last 2 years. That and doing a change of medication finally tipped me over the edge.
My sleep was pretty shocking for a while and I found Mark William's body scan recording a very calming listening option for times when I woke with panic. I'm now back to my "typical" pattern of only needing to use zopiclone if I've had two poor nights sleep in a row, about every fortnight.
I'm finding mindfulness has given me some added tools for relaxing at night, even if I've had a tough day.

[noegoman]

Hi basejumper31,
Welcome to the forum.
My one observation is that you make mindfulness sound like very hard work: "intensify", "exert effort", "improve", "like with muscles in the body"…it does sound as if you're talking about a fitness regime. Mindfulness is a much more gentle process than that. The bottom line is that you need to be self-compassionate. This is not about self-improvement. This is not actually about striving to get anywhere. It's about turning towards where you already are. That's mindfulness.
Best wishes,
Jon

couldn't be better expressed

i want to answer to my own message two years after...

when one's walking the mindfulness path, we're getting each day more conscious of our acts and thoughts, we are improving our concentration, and constructing a bunch of mental resources and biology stuff. So, we cannot ask our body to evolve at a great speed, everyone's body has its tempos, and it needs to rest sometimes, more frequently if we try to concentrate more on remaining in the present moment. This tiredness is absolutely normal, and we have to listen to it: it is our mind saying, "eh, what about a light sleep?", because it needs it!

(sorry for this mediocre english expression)

[JonW]

Yes, good point. It's important to get a good night's sleep.
Thank you for your contribution.

[Happyogababe]

I find if I overthink it and begin 'checking to see I'm doing it right', judging myself that I can tie myself up in knots. This time around (so far) I'm able to let go/let be more and more with only the stronger distraction thoughts grabbing my attention for a while (sometimes persistently) before I become aware and anchor myself with focus on breath and body.

I don't think that it adds to my fatigue, sometimes I get disappointed with myself, until I remember to be compassionate to myself and accept that all is as it is. I find that my meditation practice spills out into the day naturally and I have a bell on my phone that chimes occasionally to remind me to check in with the present.

I think it just takes time and patience and importantly being kind to yourself.

[kennylee82]

Mindfulness practice can be tiring but does not have to be 'strained'.

When you're starting to practice mindfulness, it is going to be very hard to have your mind on the present. I'll say 90% of the time it will wander away.

Here's the thing, don't 'force' it to stay at the present. You'll get frustrated. If it wanders, just bring it back to present and set an "intention" that you are going to be mindful.

Repeat again, as you need.

It takes maybe months of practice for the mind to stay at the present for considerably longer times by it's own.

And mindfulness practice WILL cause you to feel tired but not strained. You've been training your brain muscle to pull back the monkey mind each time it wanders off, which is pretty frequent in the beginning. It's natural to feel mental fatigue. But you shouldn't feel strained.

Hope it helps.

[JonW]

"Here's the thing, don't 'force' it to stay at the present. You'll get frustrated. If it wanders, just bring it back to present and set an "intention" that you are going to be mindful.
Repeat again, as you need."

That's it. Exactly.
Let go of the attachment to goals. They will only impede you.
Jon