Sleep to be present

A sleep-deprived brain is a brain incapable of presence. Not metaphorically: neurologically.

The prefrontal cortex, the area responsible for sustained attention and emotional regulation, is the first region to suffer from lack of sleep. It's also the region that mindfulness trains. Meditating with an under-slept brain is like training with broken weights.

Matthew Walker, in "Why We Sleep," shows that 17 hours without sleep produce a cognitive impairment equivalent to a blood alcohol level of 0.05%. No one would drive in that state, but most people work, decide and "meditate" in it.

Presence begins at night. Not the moment you close your eyes on your cushion.

A simple rule: Treat your bedtime with as much seriousness as your morning practice. They are two sides of the same training.