Falling asleep during Eucharistic Adoration

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dailymass

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I am curious if others experience something that happens to me a lot during Eucharistic Adoration…as I am meditating and praying, I tend to doze off virtually every day. I have reflected on this and the only thing I can reconcile is that I am at such peace before Jesus in the monstrance, all my cares and worries leave me at such profound peace, I doze off.

I asked a very devoted Priest about this - he stated he too falls asleep a lot. At first, it bothered him - he stated that he would keep shifting his position or make himself as uncomfortable as possible so he wouldn’t fall asleep. Now, however, he feels that just showing up and trying to make the best holy hour possible, regardless of falling asleep, is pleasing to our Lord.

Any thoughts or experiences?😃
 
dailymass said:
I am curious if others experience something that happens to me a lot during Eucharistic Adoration…as I am meditating and praying, I tend to doze off virtually every day. I have reflected on this and the only thing I can reconcile is that I am at such peace before Jesus in the monstrance, all my cares and worries leave me at such profound peace, I doze off.

I asked a very devoted Priest about this - he stated he too falls asleep a lot. At first, it bothered him - he stated that he would keep shifting his position or make himself as uncomfortable as possible so he wouldn’t fall asleep. Now, however, he feels that just showing up and trying to make the best holy hour possible, regardless of falling asleep, is pleasing to our Lord.

Any thoughts or experiences?😃
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Am sure you mean no disrespect. You know, it could be a medical condition that you can’t control.
 
I used to do 1 - 2 a.m. at out Perpetual Adoration Chapel, but I couldn’t stay awake much of the time. It was embarrassing to have the 2 a.m. person come in and wake me up, so sometimes the shame factor was enough to keep me awake. :eek:

Try to avoid the hours when you know you have a tendency to get sleepy anyway. I decided to leave my 1 a.m. hour to someone who is more of a night-owl, and I also avoid the early mid-afternoon when my body has the after-lunch slump. It helps me to dress in layers, because if I get too warm, I get drowsy. Better yet is if there is a window to the outside you can open, but our chapel doesn’t have one. Even if I do nod off, I figure that my intentions were good when I came, so that is worth something and better than if I hadn’t come at all. Hang in there! 👍
 
I had a friend who dozed off in Adoration when she felt a sharp shove on her shoulder. There was no one behind her.

She figured it was her Guardian Angel.

She has never fallen asleep since.
 
I think often of what our Lord said to the apostles in the garden of Gethsemane - “Could you not even keep watch with me for an hour?”

It doesn’t matter what time of day - morning, afternoon, night - I am at such peace, I drift off…maybe I’ll ask my guardian angel to poke me in the shoulder when I go later today 🙂
 
Staying awake for me is part of the self-discipline I need to show my love and devotion. After spending 20 years in the Army, I dislike ceremony. I stood and marched in more than enough parades to have had my fill. But, Mass is different, of course. Still, I tend to dread the monotony, and but kick myself to stay alert and focused.
 
You’re in good company. Saint Thérèse of Lisieux (the Little Flower) used to fall asleep during prayer. She was consoled when she realized that loving parents (like God) love their children even when they are sleeping.
 
When one of my kids accompanies me to adoration (11 pm to midnight Sunday), I tell them, there are two rules:
  1. No sleeping on the job.
  2. No waking your father up until midnight.
 
PhilotheaZ said:
You’re in good company. Saint Thérèse of Lisieux (the Little Flower) used to fall asleep during prayer. She was consoled when she realized that loving parents (like God) love their children even when they are sleeping.
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You beat me to this one!

We don’t have Adoration at our parish, so I can’t relate to this particular one, however, I do fall asleep saying my rosary every single night. Now, I’ve suffered from chronic insomnia since I was a teenager, and instead of getting upset about my lack of discipline, I tend to view it as a blessing.
 
Lately I’ve been finding that whenever I try to quiet my mind to pray and listen to God, I fall asleep and start having weird dreams. Sometimes there seems to be prayer in the dream, but nothing I could articulate.

If I awake in the middle of the night, I put myself back to sleep by praying the Divine Mercy chaplet. I rarely get past the Creed before drifting off again. Maybe I should call that “intending to pray the Divine Mercy chaplet.”

Betsy
 
I too, pray the Divine Mercy chaplet last thing before drifting off to sleep. I usually get thru it but only after falling asleep (for just a minute) and then waking again. It’s a wonderful way to go to sleep - praying.

I personally agree with others who say that coming to Adoration with intention is giving glory enuf. Before you drift off, say “Heavenly Father, I offer up every breath I take, awake or asleep to glorify you”.

David
 
I’ve never fallen asleep during Adoration, mostly because the times when I usually go to Adoration there is also Benediction taking place, so it keeps me awake. But many times when I’m praying the Rosary I end up falling asleep (I’ve really been trying to stop that though since I’m in the middle of a 54 day Rosary Novena and think I should stay awake whenever I recite it). I do think it’s a good thing though, that you’re so at peace that you can sleep.
 
dailymass said:
I am curious if others experience something that happens to me a lot during Eucharistic Adoration…as I am meditating and praying, I tend to doze off virtually every day. I have reflected on this and the only thing I can reconcile is that I am at such peace before Jesus in the monstrance, all my cares and worries leave me at such profound peace, I doze off.

I asked a very devoted Priest about this - he stated he too falls asleep a lot. At first, it bothered him - he stated that he would keep shifting his position or make himself as uncomfortable as possible so he wouldn’t fall asleep. Now, however, he feels that just showing up and trying to make the best holy hour possible, regardless of falling asleep, is pleasing to our Lord.

Any thoughts or experiences?😃
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I went to Adoration for the first time the other day (I’m a new convert) and I was the opposite, I felt like I was on ecstasy. Have you ever been to a really loud concert and felt the sound waves hitting your chest and reverberating inside you? That’s what it felt like, it was like an external force was pressing against my chest. It was unreal! I’m definitively going back for more this weekend.
 
During lent I tried to go every weekday at lunch time. Now I try to go at least twice a week. Anyway, I kept a log and there was no days in which I didn’t get sleepy. I didn’t usually really fall asleep but would nod off for a momment. This was durring rosary time. I found it helped to kneel for 1 mystery and sit for the next. My feeling is that it is the presence and intention that counts the most.

Before I leave I allways open the bible to three places randomly usually after asking for help or guidence in some area. There are times that I am so sleepy that I can’t concentrate enough to actually read. I always write down the book and chapter and read it later anyway to meditate on so I don’t worry about it.
It doesn’t seem to even matter if I have been fasting before hand.

So, I wouldn’t worry too much if you doze off now and then.

God Bless,
Jim
 
If I’m alone, I sometimes pace in the back of the Chapel for a few minutes to wake up. Over the past ten years, I’ve had assigned hours of 3-4 a.m., 1-2 a.m. and now, 4-5 a.m.

Our former associate pastor says just to go and get a “Son” tan–basking in His presence. He says not to worry so much about how well you concentrate.
 
Reading something helps - make sure to mouth the words, or even read aloud if there’s no-one else there.

Even better - kneel. Don’t know anyone who’s fallen asleep on their knees.
 
LilyM said:
Don’t know anyone who’s fallen asleep on their knees.
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Hi, I’d like to introduce myself. Betsy from Baltimore, Maryland, who can fall asleep kneeling very easily. I have even drifted off standing if I’ve been really sleep-deprived.

Betsy
 
I have a 2-3 AM Adoration hour, but I’m a night owl, and the chairs in our chapel aren’t all that comfortable, so I rarely have a problem with falling asleep. Now, getting up at 1:30 AM or so, to get ready and get to the chapel by 2, when I may have only had an hour of sleep – that’s difficult! 😃
 
dailymass said:
I am curious if others experience something that happens to me a lot during Eucharistic Adoration…as I am meditating and praying, I tend to doze off virtually every day. I have reflected on this and the only thing I can reconcile is that I am at such peace before Jesus in the monstrance, all my cares and worries leave me at such profound peace, I doze off.

I asked a very devoted Priest about this - he stated he too falls asleep a lot. At first, it bothered him - he stated that he would keep shifting his position or make himself as uncomfortable as possible so he wouldn’t fall asleep. Now, however, he feels that just showing up and trying to make the best holy hour possible, regardless of falling asleep, is pleasing to our Lord.

Any thoughts or experiences?😃
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St. Theresa of Lisieux fell asleep at the Liturgy of the Hours.

I have a friend who also falls asleep during his hour in the adoration chapel. He also falls asleep trying to read and even watching a movie. However, he works physically hard during the week, so in his case, its just plane fatigue and the quiet atmosphere of the chapel is conducive towards sleep.

Jim
 
I have a friend who is generally at adoration when I arrive. She drifts off to sleep quite often, and I’m talking DEEP SLEEP. :sleep:
It used to distract me, but the more I dwell on being with Jesus, the more peaceful my surroundings are.
Sometimes she’ll wake, and look around and see me. We’ll smile at each other and continue. She’s home, and so am I.
 
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