Buddhist resources on sleep deprivation and stress

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dpcalder
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Joined: Sat Oct 12, 2019 6:02 pm

Buddhist resources on sleep deprivation and stress

Post by dpcalder »

I have an absolutely miserable job that is overly stimulating, stressful and leads me to go days without sleep. Is there any way to "power" through these situations with mindfulness? I am always trying to morally purify myself but I always fail absolutely and utterly miserably. I am just too tired to meditate and I am never morally purified because no matter how hard I try to disarm stimuli with mindfulness throughout the day, I ALWAYS fail before long and succumb to dukkha impulses. The rationale for a monastery has become increasingly obvious to me. I have come to regard my job and all my possessions as worthless garbage to be discarded.
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Ceisiwr
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Re: Buddhist resources on sleep deprivation and stress

Post by Ceisiwr »

If it is that stressful perhaps changing jobs?
“Knowing that this body is just like foam,
understanding it has the nature of a mirage,
cutting off Māra’s flower-tipped arrows,
one should go beyond the King of Death’s sight.”
Inedible
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Re: Buddhist resources on sleep deprivation and stress

Post by Inedible »

It sounds like you will have to wait to hit some sort of crisis point where things break down completely. Then you can pick up the pieces and go from there. You are past the point where trying hypnosis mp3 files would help. B-complex, ginseng, ashwagandha, bee pollen, honey, valerian, DHEA, and melatonin are all too mild at this point. You could try boxing classes. Maybe you'll feel better if you hit something enough times. And try to make a controlled change before you are forced into it. You said your job and possessions aren't worth having, but you must be holding on to them for a reason.
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Sam Vara
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Re: Buddhist resources on sleep deprivation and stress

Post by Sam Vara »

dpcalder wrote: Wed Jan 27, 2021 10:16 am I have an absolutely miserable job that is overly stimulating, stressful and leads me to go days without sleep. Is there any way to "power" through these situations with mindfulness? I am always trying to morally purify myself but I always fail absolutely and utterly miserably. I am just too tired to meditate and I am never morally purified because no matter how hard I try to disarm stimuli with mindfulness throughout the day, I ALWAYS fail before long and succumb to dukkha impulses. The rationale for a monastery has become increasingly obvious to me. I have come to regard my job and all my possessions as worthless garbage to be discarded.
I don't think you can power your way through with mindfulness - it doesn't work that way. Having experienced a very stressful job in the past, the best advice I can give is to be mindful at work regarding the precepts. No matter how bad things get, no matter how stressful and unpleasant, I will try not to break a precept.

I felt I had to keep working because I had a family to support. Are you in a similar situation? You could try looking for another job.
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