THERAPIES & TRADITIONS · GUIDE
Common Meditation Obstacles: Restlessness, Sleepiness, Doubt and Boredom
Why meditation often feels restless, sleepy, doubtful or boring, what studies and the NHS say about these common hurdles, and gentle ways to work with them.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
Back to Meditation & MindfulnessSleepiness
In an online survey of 218 people who practiced mindfulness, common difficulties included finding time to practice and falling asleep during formal practice. [4] The authors suggested teachers could normalize falling asleep. [4] This was a single cross-sectional survey, so it shows how common the problem is in that group, not what fixes it.One small experiment (35 novices, each doing 20-minute sessions) found more drowsiness in seated meditation than in a movement-based version, especially without guidance. [5] That is a short laboratory study with self-rated drowsiness, so treat it as a hint, not a rule. Proper evidence not found for tested fixes such as the time of day or posture; the NHS beginner's guide only says to be comfortable and upright. [2] See best time to meditate and meditation posture and seating.
Restlessness
The NHS says some people find it easier to cope with an over-busy mind while doing gentle yoga or walking. [1] See meditation for people who struggle to sit still.Boredom and effort
In a 3-week guided online course for 175 novices, meditation became on average less effortful and less boring over time. [6] People with lower self-regulation skills or a greater tendency to ruminate were more likely to find it effortful and boring and to give it up. [6] This is observational, so it cannot show why.Doubt: "Am I doing it right?"
The NHS guide says there is no right or wrong way to meditate and that a session full of thoughts is still a meditation. [2] On "Is it working?", NCCIH says much of the research has been preliminary or not rigorous. [7] A reasonable expectation is modest: see does meditation work?.Practice that is hard to fit in
Across 43 studies of the MBSR and MBCT courses (1,427 people), participants did about 64 percent of the assigned home practice, roughly 30 minutes a day, six days a week. [8] Most people do less than the plan, and there was a small link between more practice and better results. [8] Informal practice (see everyday mindfulness) may suit busy days.| Hurdle | What sources say | Strength of evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Wandering mind | Normal part of practice [2] | Described, not tested as a fix |
| Falling asleep | Commonly reported in a survey [4] | Insufficient evidence on remedies |
| Boredom | Eases over 3 weeks on average [6] | Promising but limited |
| Doubt | No right or wrong way [2] | Guidance only |
Related pages
Meditation for beginners, how to meditate step by step and building a meditation habit.Frequently asked questions
Is it bad if I fall asleep while meditating?
It is a commonly reported difficulty, and the authors of one survey suggested teachers treat it as normal. [4] If it bothers you, a more upright or movement-based practice may help. [5]
Why does my mind never stop?
The NHS says the aim is not to stop thoughts but to see them as events that come and go. [1]
Is boredom a sign I should quit?
In one online course boredom fell over three weeks for most people, but those prone to rumination found it harder and were more likely to give up. [6]
How much should I practice?
There is no rule; the NHS beginner's guide says 20 minutes is a good guide. [2] Course participants in a review did less than assigned on average. [8]
When is a difficulty a reason to stop?
If practice brings strong anxiety, low mood or unsettling experiences, pause and speak with a clinician. [9] The NHS notes it can make some people feel worse. [1]
More details: evidence, limits and cautions
The details behind this page: cautions, limits of the evidence and where sources disagree. Open any note to read it.
How to read the evidence labels
Labels used on this page: promising but limited, insufficient evidence.
A busy, wandering mind
The NHS says mindfulness is not about making thoughts go away but about seeing them as mental events that come and go. [1] Its beginner's guide adds that a wandering mind is a natural part of practice, not a failure, and that even very experienced meditators still have wandering minds sometimes. [2] If the mind wanders ten times, the suggestion is to bring it back to the breath ten times. [2]A brain-imaging study of 14 practitioners doing breath-focused meditation describes a cycle: mind wandering, noticing it, shifting attention back and a spell of sustained attention. [3] See mind wandering and attention for more.
Safety and when to get help
References
- NHS, Mindfulness. Read 2026-10-22.
- NHS Every Mind Matters, How to meditate for beginners. Read 2026-10-22.
- Mind wandering and attention during focused meditation: a fine-grained temporal analysis of fluctuating cognitive states. NeuroImage. 2012. PubMed 21782031. Read 2026-10-22.
- An Exploration of Formal and Informal Mindfulness Practice and Associations with Wellbeing. Mindfulness. 2019. PubMed 30662573. Read 2026-10-22.
- How static and kinetic meditation, with or without guidance, affect autonomic nervous system activity in novice meditators. Frontiers in Psychology. 2025. PubMed 40893865. Read 2026-10-22.
- Mindfulness meditation experiences of novice practitioners in an online intervention: Trajectories, predictors, and challenges. Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being. 2022. PubMed 34268871. Read 2026-10-22.
- NCCIH, Meditation and Mindfulness: Effectiveness and Safety. Read 2026-10-22.
- Home practice in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Behaviour Research and Therapy. 2017. PubMed 28527330. Read 2026-10-22.
- Adverse events in meditation practices and meditation-based therapies: a systematic review. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica. 2020. PubMed 32820538. Read 2026-10-22.