Very tired during Mass

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Robert_Sock

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I’m an early bird so I go to 7am Mass, but I get super tired and close my eyes. On several occasions when I’m standing I’ll start to doze and stumble as if I was intoxicated. I tried the vigil Mass at 4pm on Saturday, but the same thing happens.

I’m on a bunch of meds for various mental illnesses, but after Mass I’m fine. Getting through Mass is TOUGH. I’m always a little tired, but during Mass it really manifests itself.

Any advice? Should I watch Mass on EWTN instead?
 
Check with your doctor about the timing of taking your meds. And it may be just one. Like, I take Clonazepam on an “as needed” basis. It does ok, but it also makes me groggy. I’ve been known to nod off during groups, and I’ve been told that I snore. But once I’m outside, I feel fine.
 
Robert_Sock said:
Getting through Mass is TOUGH. I’m always a little tired, but during Mass it really manifests itself.
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FWIW, if changing your Mass time and/or changing your meds doesn’t help, I would not be offended if you sometimes drifted off during Mass. If anyone gives you a hard time, quote Psalm 127 to them: “he gives to his beloved sleep.” 🙂
 
Some good advice already posted.
St Therese of Lisieux would sometimes fall asleep in the long thanksgiving after Holy Communion. This did not disturb her, rather she reasoned that little children sometimes fall asleep in the arms of their parents.

Would sitting rather than standing at times during Mass be helpful? Although I would not be unduly disturbed if you doze off now and then. The more one worries and becomes anxious about some problem, the more one is focusing on it and reinforcing it giving it life.

I can have yawning fits while praying The Rosary and become very tired. I don’t worry about this, rather I reason that The Lord will cure me as and when - and if - He Wills to do so and I am very aware that because I do anticipate yawning fits and tiredness during The Rosary, sure enough it happens every time. We are not perfect creatures - oh not at all and in many areas if not all areas and our lacking in perfection has many ‘faces’ and expressions in our lives.
 
Are you sleep deprived and/or in a CO2-rich environment? At one time, I was suffering under both of those conditions, and I would often have the hardest time keeping my eyes open, my speech would be slurred, it was unbearable. We went on a road trip and I couldn’t stay awake at the wheel, I didn’t realize why. I went to my doctor and he couldn’t find anything wrong. For quite a while, I had a phobia about enclosed poorly-ventilated spaces. It was worst during the winter when the windows were closed and the heat was off and the room was crowded. I would lunge for the windows or the fan control, desperate to get air. It even happened in the summer time, because they would close the windows then.

When I started getting enough sleep on a regular basis, all the symptoms went away.
 
Robert_Sock said:
I’m an early bird so I go to 7am Mass, but I get super tired and close my eyes. On several occasions when I’m standing I’ll start to doze and stumble as if I was intoxicated. I tried the vigil Mass at 4pm on Saturday, but the same thing happens.

I’m on a bunch of meds for various mental illnesses, but after Mass I’m fine. Getting through Mass is TOUGH. I’m always a little tired, but during Mass it really manifests itself.

Any advice? Should I watch Mass on EWTN instead?
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Watching Mass on TV does not fulfill your obligation.

Why can’t you go during the day when you are more alert or some of the meds have worn off a bit?
 
Robert_Sock said:
I’m an early bird so I go to 7am Mass, but I get super tired and close my eyes. On several occasions when I’m standing I’ll start to doze and stumble as if I was intoxicated. I tried the vigil Mass at 4pm on Saturday, but the same thing happens.

I’m on a bunch of meds for various mental illnesses, but after Mass I’m fine. Getting through Mass is TOUGH. I’m always a little tired, but during Mass it really manifests itself.

Any advice? Should I watch Mass on EWTN instead?
Click to expand...
I’m interested why you’re tired during Mass but not afterwards.

During Mass, do you have different experiences than when not at Mass? Like are you more or less troubled by stray thoughts, delusions, anything like that? Like maybe you’re more relaxed at Mass because you are in a familiar environment that doesn’t challenge you in ways that make it difficult for you with mental illness? I had some pretty wild thoughts at Mass when I was manic, but I got through them because I knew they couldn’t hurt me while I was there. So I felt very relaxed about it, but my mind would feel like it was getting a workout.

I’m just thinking there may be some interesting psychology here, because I totally empathize with feeling tired in one context and suddenly not tired in another.

Alan
 
Allergies? I often take allergy medication and, as long as I’m moving, I’m okay. Once I sit down, I’m often down for the count.😊
 
Christy_Beth said:
Check with your doctor about the timing of taking your meds. And it may be just one. Like, I take Clonazepam on an “as needed” basis. It does ok, but it also makes me groggy. I’ve been known to nod off during groups, and I’ve been told that I snore. But once I’m outside, I feel fine.
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Clonazepam? Why would he take that, It knocks people out LOL
 
Sit down when you feel overcome with tiredness. You wouldn’t be expected to stand if you had a broken leg, so you shouldn’t be expected to stand because your illness is not visible. Sit near the back of the church if you don’t want anyone to notice.

I once attended High Mass where the Papal Nuncio presided (I think that’s the correct term). The church was packed and Mass seemed to go on forever. The Nuncio’s sermon was so long people started nodding off. We all sat bolt upright when one poor man let out a few snores. He was sitting about 3 rows from the front. 🙂

I don’t think the previous poster was recommending Clonazepam…s/he was just saying that it might be one of the OP’s meds.
 
TheRealJuliane said:
Watching Mass on TV does not fulfill your obligation.

Why can’t you go during the day when you are more alert or some of the meds have worn off a bit?
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I think it would given the fear of driving under such conditions.
 
Robert_Sock said:
I think it would given the fear of driving under such conditions.
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Watching Mass on television never fulfills an obligation. If someone fears driving because of illness or medication, so much that it is preventing him from going to attend Mass, then he has no obligation at all. The obligation may be dispensed in other circumstances, but it is never fulfilled by such a thing. Sacraments are all personal and must be experienced in person. Therefore there is no Confession by email or Skype.
 
AlanFromWichita said:
I’m interested why you’re tired during Mass but not afterwards.

During Mass, do you have different experiences than when not at Mass? Like are you more or less troubled by stray thoughts, delusions, anything like that? Like maybe you’re more relaxed at Mass because you are in a familiar environment that doesn’t challenge you in ways that make it difficult for you with mental illness? I had some pretty wild thoughts at Mass when I was manic, but I got through them because I knew they couldn’t hurt me while I was there. So I felt very relaxed about it, but my mind would feel like it was getting a workout.

I’m just thinking there may be some interesting psychology here, because I totally empathize with feeling tired in one context and suddenly not tired in another.

Alan
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After Mass I go grocery shopping and I can’t stop anticipating it. Sounds dumb, but I have trouble having to do extra things or go places.
 
If you are referring to Sunday 7am Mass and therefore an obligation, before you can be dispensed from that obligation (personal attendance at Mass), you would need to address the matter to a priest.
 
latingirl said:
Clonazepam? Why would he take that, It knocks people out LOL
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What I was asking was if the OP took it, because it can have that effect on people. I have to be careful when I take mine, preferrably at night, but not during the day. But there are days when I really need it. Those days really are a problem because I know if I take one, I’d doze off if I’m in a group. But I can’t let my anxiety get too bad, because that might cause other problems. Also, other medication can cause a similar reaction. :o
 
Maybe its listening to the mass that is making you sleepy, you may find the voice of the priest, and the praying and the hymns so comforting it literally knocks you out, st therese had the exact same problem,
 
I had flue like systems last night. but I had similar systems in the past. No more Valium for me.
 
Just tell people you’re doing the St. Joseph meditation. After all, an angel visited St. Joseph only in his dreams 😉 So just tell people you’re doing the same.
 
If it’s any consolation, St Theresa use to fall asleep during the Divine Office, and she wasn’t on any medications which would cause the side-effects you have.

As others recommended, check with your doctor.

God Bless
Jim
 
You can read in advance the scripture they are going to read. This will be helpful to focus.

Maybe you should do a prayer to Mother Mary to pray for you so you can have zeal during mass.

Agreed for you to consult with a doctor.

You seem to be exhausted, anyway, you could get more rest? I find that reading a book, put me asleep when i go to bed early.
 
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