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I was reading the magic rules.

Under aiming a spell

Some spells restrict you to willing targets only. Declaring yourself as a willing target is something that can be done at any time (even if you're flat-footed or it isn't your turn). Unconscious creatures are automatically considered willing, but a character who is conscious but immobile or helpless (such as one who is bound, cowering, grappling, paralyzed, pinned, or stunned) is not automatically willing.

Then further down is SR

Spell resistance is a special defensive ability. If your spell is being resisted by a creature with spell resistance, you must make a caster level check (1d20 + caster level) at least equal to the creature's spell resistance for the spell to affect that creature. The defender's spell resistance is like an Armor Class against magical attacks. Include any adjustments to your caster level to this caster level check.

The spell resistance entry and the descriptive text of a spell description tell you whether spell resistance protects creatures from the spell. In many cases, spell resistance applies only when a resistant creature is targeted by the spell, not when a resistant creature encounters a spell that is already in place.

The terms “object” and “harmless” mean the same thing for spell resistance as they do for saving throws. A creature with spell resistance must voluntarily lower the resistance (a standard action) in order to be affected by such spells without forcing the caster to make a caster level check.

And finally SR

A creature can voluntarily lower its spell resistance. Doing so is a standard action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity. Once a creature lowers its resistance, it remains down until the creature's next turn. At the beginning of the creature's next turn, the creature's spell resistance automatically returns unless the creature intentionally keeps it down (also a standard action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity).

It's not stated anywhere how SR works while you are asleep, but from reading the 3 different parts it sounds to me that SR should always be active while you are alive, and you are alive while sleeping. Only when you are actively lowering your SR is it down.

So, does sleeping cause your SR to lower?

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Look at it like this: it's not stated anywhere that sleep does lower your SR. You're helpless while sleeping but that has no effect on SR - in fact, it prevents you from voluntarily lowering your SR. And, as stated here:

A creature with spell resistance must voluntarily lower the resistance (a standard action) in order to be affected by such spells without forcing the caster to make a caster level check.

you cannot lower your SR in a different way unless something explicitly states you can.

So, no, spell resistance is not lowered while sleeping.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Not to mention, once you lower SR, you need to actively keep it lowered, or else it returns a round later...so, even if you do lower it, as soon as you fall asleep, it will come back up. \$\endgroup\$
    – YogoZuno
    Jan 12, 2017 at 3:49

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