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I like to meditate sometimes just before bed. Invariably I end up drifting off into dream type states and ending the mediating early. Is it a waste of time to meditate when tired or conversely are there some particular benefits to doing it then?

Many thanks as always

Sariputta discusses this in DN33.

Here is the problem:

Eight grounds for laziness. Firstly, a mendicant has some work to do. They think: ‘I have some work to do. But while doing it my body will get tired. I’d better have a lie down.’ They lie down, and don’t rouse energy for attaining the unattained, achieving the unachieved, and realizing the unrealized. This is the first ground for laziness.

Here is the solution:

Eight grounds for arousing energy. Firstly, a mendicant has some work to do. They think: ‘I have some work to do. While working it’s not easy to focus on the instructions of the Buddhas. I’d better preemptively rouse up energy for attaining the unattained, achieving the unachieved, and realizing the unrealized.’ They rouse energy for attaining the unattained, achieving the unachieved, and realizing the unrealized. This is the first ground for arousing energy.

DN33 is a long sutta. It is two hours long. I listen to it as much as I can. And when I am tired of walking, tired of listening, I hear the above verses. They come late in DN33, just when I need them.

Perhaps they may work for you as well. 🙏

Meditating when you're tired will just reduce the effectiveness of meditation. Just like unless the meditator enters to a continous strong awareness, their awareness naturally reduces at every night. But it is beneficial because you still create many moments of awareness for yourself. Also especially when you're tired during morning or afternoon, you can overcome tiredness by insisting to continue the meditation. So part of the meditation would be for overcoming the tiredness.

Only physical sickness tiredness is different so you may choose to not meditate when you're sick. Some meditators don't go to sleep for many days and continue meditating all night so there are benefits in meditating at night for few minutes, half an hour, an hour or more.