Yoga Nidra for sleep | Yoga Nidra script

Are you among that considerable number of people worldwide who struggle with a sleep disorder or suffer stress and anxiety? Yoga Nidra might be the solution for your sleep and stress. The practice generates physical and mental activities changing brain waves to release emotional tension and slowing down your nervous system. It also allows the muscles to relax. It triggers a relaxing response letting your body and mind rest. Thus, it promotes deep sleep and reduces physical and mental stress. Here is a guide to yoga Nidra for you to reap its health benefits of it.

What is yoga Nidra?

Yoga Nidra, also known as yogic sleep, refers to a guided meditation form. This meditative technique dating back to the seventh and sixth centuries predates the Common Era and the religion of Buddhism. It involves deep breathing and reflection to promote a well-balanced connection between the body and mind. As this meditative practice permits the body and mind to rest when your consciousness is awake, it is often related to promoting deep sleep.

While you fall asleep, your brain waves start moving from the thoughtful beta waves. They pass through stages of alpha waves and then theta waves. Ultimately, they enter the slowest sleep-delta wave frequency. Yoga Nidra guides its practitioners into a relaxation state between the alpha and the theta. It allows you to lie in deep relaxation.

The whole practice also occurs in savasana- the yogic resting pose because it redresses fatigue and causes your mind to stop.

How to do yoga Nidra?

Prepare yourself for meditation as you want to get rid of the distressing woes and worries of the day. You would like to ensure that your space is cozy and calming. If you aim to practice yoga Nidra for sleep, this space would be your bedroom. Yoga Nidra exercises help in your journey to mindfulness. None is a wrong way to begin. Your mindset is all that matters. You may give the following examples a try:

Deep breathing exercise for 1 minute

In this exercise, you would follow your breath in relaxation and release. You might do this exercise whenever you need to refocus and re-center.

10 minutes of yoga Nidra

Prepare for a peaceful night’s sleep with this sleep meditation for 10 minutes. Through yoga Nidra, you would experience deep calm and relaxation. This happens when your muscles relax and your mind quietens before bed.

Yoga Nidra meditation for a 15-minute sleep

With this soothing meditation technique, fight insomnia and get ready for quality sleep. Experiencing deep emotional and physical relaxation before going to bed would reduce your stress and muscle tension.

Yoga Nidra script

Your yoga instructor reads a script while guiding you through the meditational journey. Contrary to other meditation practice forms, one experienced yoga instructor always gives verbal instructions when one practices yoga Nidra. The instructions can be live or recorded. Various scripts are there to follow.

When to do Yoga Nidra?

Any time is suitable for doing yoga Nidra, even when you try to sleep in the evening. You can do this provided you have fully digested the meals taken. After eating your last meal, wait at least 2 hours before you practice. If you do not, you have every risk of sleepiness overwhelming you.

But sometimes you remain more alert while some other times you tend to be drowsy. By observing your biological rhythm, you could identify the best yoga Nidra time for you. Being alert and practicing is one of the several measures you may take to stay more awake during yoga Nidra.

What are the stages of Yoga Nidra?

Yoga Nidra has seven stages. Find them below.

This stage uses proven relaxation skills for experiencing total physical relaxation. The body would feel profoundly relaxed and typically heavy. Your mind would begin quieting down.
You perform specialized breathing techniques at this stage to become energetically balanced and calm. You would experience stillness within.
Next, yoga Nidra utilizes techniques such as visualization, guided imagery, and mindfulness to bring about emotional and mental relief. It also helps dissolve limiting beliefs. Upon reaching this stage, your heaviness naturally lifts, and a buoyant, light feeling emerges. It happens as physical, energetic, emotional, and mental tension no longer holds you down. This way, your inbuilt intuition reveals itself naturally.
During this stage, you would feel an increased lightness and genuine peace. This non-mental state of existence opens you to your source of wisdom and higher knowledge.
The indescribable fifth stage goes beyond the thinking mind and words into a sensation of unconditional joy and pure contentment. You feel outer and inner stillness.
The sixth stage lets you naturally experience your True Self. It is a place within every one of us which is always joyful, undisturbed, and full of wisdom. It is a spacious, timeless feeling of being absolutely at ease, still awake and aware- the main aim of yoga.
Lastly, you need to go back to normal awareness and wakefulness at the end of your yoga Nidra session.

These uplifting consciousness levels are powerful, making you feel relaxed and restored afterward. There would be replenishment, even exhilaration of your energy.

How is Yoga Nidra different from meditation?

The primary objective of both yoga Nidra and meditation is to develop an intensified sense of awareness. But you always practice yoga Nidra while lying down. On the other hand, you sit traditionally and meditate.

Yoga Nidra calls for slowing down and chilling out. The same is the case with meditation. But with yoga Nidra, you aim to move into a deeper consciousness state, awareness sleep, and a deep relaxation state with awareness.

You are in a state of consciousness during meditation, focusing your mind and also allowing the free coming and going of ideas. Meditation deals with training in awareness plus gaining a good sense of perspective.

What are the benefits of Yoga Nidra?

The numerous applications and feasibility of yoga Nidra make it so appealing. Here are 5 of the amazing benefits which come with this highly restorative practice.

Anyone able to lie down and listen is fit for yoga Nidra. Being done in a comfortable lying position, physical disabilities, or limitations are not barriers to performing yoga Nidra. You can also play the guidance with an app or recording, whichever is convenient for you.
Yoga Nidra improves dopamine levels. A study conducted in the year 2002 showed that during yoga Nidra, the participants had increased levels of dopamine- the feel-good hormone. Dopamine release is associated with motivation, bliss, and concentration. It also plays an important role in many functions, including movement, sleep, mood, memory, attention, and learning.
It helps in treating chronic insomnia. One case study held much promise for yoga Nidra use in chronic insomnia treatment. The results showed improvements among the patients of anxiety, depression, insomnia severity, and sleep quality on using yoga Nidra.
It has proved to help with various physical ailments. Many studies demonstrate yoga’s effectiveness in alleviating common conditions like stress, back pain, type 2 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and PMS.
Yoga Nidra increases intuition and creativity– Brainwave studies show heightened alpha and theta activities in people practicing yoga Nidra. Practitioners can more easily access the dreamlike states of theta related to self-connection, creativity, and openness.

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What are the side effects of yoga Nidra?

Too much yoga Nidra could be linked to poor sleep, increased anxiety, and general health problems, including a lowered immune system.

It is not recommended for persons with severe mental disorders like schizophrenia. For them, work, including physical labor, is the cure.

It may not suit people with medical conditions like neck or back pain. Pregnant women should also check with their doctors before practicing yoga Nidra.

Conclusion

Yoga Nidra is a simple practice as it is taught while you lie down. Additionally, a yoga instructor or teacher guides you when doing the exercise. The welcome practice of Yoga Nidra is recommended, particularly after daylong work for your deepest sleep. It helps to recover from chronic pain, mood disorders, etc. and improves your general health and well-being. Still, before starting to practice yoga Nidra, it is better to consult a doctor or medical professional to know whether it is suitable for you.

How Can Yoga Nidra Help You Have Better Sleep and Reduce Stress?