diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 4a00dad..9227d8d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -21,8 +21,8 @@ $ docker-compose up
     container_name: lazytainer
     image: ghcr.io/vmorganp/lazytainer:master
     environment:
-      - PORT=81           # comma separated list of ports...or just the one 
-      - LABEL=lazytainer     # value of lazytainer.marker for other containers that lazytainer checks
+      - PORT=81                # comma separated list of ports...or just the one 
+      - LABEL=lazytainer       # value of lazytainer.marker for other containers that lazytainer checks
       # - TIMEOUT=30           # OPTIONAL number of seconds to let container idle
       # - MINPACKETTHRESH=10   # OPTIONAL number of packets that must be recieved to keepalive/start container 
       # - POLLRATE=1           # OPTIONAL number of seconds to sleep between polls
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ $ docker-compose up
       - lazytainer # wait for lazytainer to start before starting
     labels:
       - "lazytainer.marker=lazytainer" # required label to make it work
+      - "lazytainer.marker=stop"       # can be either "stop" or "pause", or left blank for stop
 ```
 
 ## Configuration
diff --git a/docker-compose.yaml b/docker-compose.yaml
index 67a27b7..6dc8b8c 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yaml
+++ b/docker-compose.yaml
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ services:
       - lazytainer
     labels:
       - "lazytainer.marker=lazytainer"
+      - "lazytainer.sleepMethod=pause"  # can be either "stop" or "pause", or left blank for stop
 
   whoami2:
     container_name: whoami2
@@ -34,4 +35,5 @@ services:
     depends_on: 
       - lazytainer
     labels:
-      - "lazytainer.marker=lazytainer"
\ No newline at end of file
+      - "lazytainer.marker=lazytainer"
+      - "lazytainer.sleepMethod=stop"  # can be either "stop" or "pause", or left blank for stop
diff --git a/lazytainer.go b/lazytainer.go
index 83d6fae..fc8a1c7 100644
--- a/lazytainer.go
+++ b/lazytainer.go
@@ -193,10 +193,19 @@ func stopContainers() {
 	dockerClient, err := client.NewClientWithOpts(client.FromEnv)
 	check(err)
 	for _, c := range getContainers() {
-		if err := dockerClient.ContainerStop(context.Background(), c.ID, nil); err != nil {
-			fmt.Printf("Unable to stop container %s: %s\n", c.Names[0], err)
-		} else {
-			fmt.Println("stopped container ", c.Names[0])
+		stopMethod := strings.ToLower(c.Labels["lazytainer.sleepMethod"])
+		if stopMethod == "stop" || stopMethod == "" {
+			if err := dockerClient.ContainerStop(context.Background(), c.ID, nil); err != nil {
+				fmt.Printf("Unable to stop container %s: %s\n", c.Names[0], err)
+			} else {
+				fmt.Println("stopped container ", c.Names[0])
+			}
+		} else if stopMethod == "pause" {
+			if err := dockerClient.ContainerPause(context.Background(), c.ID); err != nil {
+				fmt.Printf("Unable to pause container %s: %s\n", c.Names[0], err)
+			} else {
+				fmt.Println("paused container ", c.Names[0])
+			}
 		}
 	}
 }
@@ -206,10 +215,19 @@ func startContainers() {
 	dockerClient, err := client.NewClientWithOpts(client.FromEnv)
 	check(err)
 	for _, c := range getContainers() {
-		if err := dockerClient.ContainerStart(context.Background(), c.ID, types.ContainerStartOptions{}); err != nil {
-			fmt.Printf("Unable to start container %s: %s\n", c.Names[0], err)
-		} else {
-			fmt.Println("started container ", c.Names[0])
+		stopMethod := strings.ToLower(c.Labels["lazytainer.sleepMethod"])
+		if stopMethod == "stop" || stopMethod == "" {
+			if err := dockerClient.ContainerStart(context.Background(), c.ID, types.ContainerStartOptions{}); err != nil {
+				fmt.Printf("Unable to start container %s: %s\n", c.Names[0], err)
+			} else {
+				fmt.Println("started container ", c.Names[0])
+			}
+		} else if stopMethod == "pause" {
+			if err := dockerClient.ContainerUnpause(context.Background(), c.ID); err != nil {
+				fmt.Printf("Unable to unpause container %s: %s\n", c.Names[0], err)
+			} else {
+				fmt.Println("unpaused container ", c.Names[0])
+			}
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/minecraft_example/README.md b/minecraft_example/README.md
index a4ad414..ac69ca6 100644
--- a/minecraft_example/README.md
+++ b/minecraft_example/README.md
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ docker-compose up
 ```
 
 ## Watch the magic happen
-after 90 seconds of no activity the server should stop
+After a configurable period of no activity the server should stop  
 if you generate some traffic by trying to connect to the instance or running a command like
 
 `telnet localhost 25565`
diff --git a/minecraft_example/docker-compose.yaml b/minecraft_example/docker-compose.yaml
index 134465c..6aa650d 100644
--- a/minecraft_example/docker-compose.yaml
+++ b/minecraft_example/docker-compose.yaml
@@ -23,6 +23,9 @@ services:
     restart: unless-stopped
     labels:
       - "lazytainer.marker=lazytainer"
+      - "lazytainer.sleepMethod=stop"  # can be either "stop" or "pause", or left blank for stop
+      # using "stop" will release the memory associated with the server
+      # using "pause" will keep the memory allocated, however it will restart much faster
     depends_on: 
       - lazytainer
     volumes: