Yoga Nidra for sleep or yogic sleep can play an important role in your life quality. If you are tired yet can’t fall asleep, you should practice Yoga Nidra for sleep. The benefits have been proven by many over the course of years.
You need to follow a specific pattern of breathing so that you can get proper relaxation responses. These relaxation responses help to trigger balance in the body, thereby understanding the body’s sympathetic and parasympathetic responses.
What is Yoga Nidra?
Yoga Nidra, also known as yogic sleep, is a guided meditation technique that helps you fall asleep peacefully. It is a state of complete relaxation of the body. However, the practitioner is fully aware of the instructions given to him.
The main goal of yoga Nidra and meditation is the same, and that is to attain complete consciousness or samadhi. It is mostly a conscious stage between sleeping and waking up. Yoga Nidra is an ancient Indian technique. Although most popular in the East Asian cultures, this practice has now spread to the West. This practice is being implied to the US military soldiers to help them recover from any severe post-traumatic stress disorder.
Does Yoga Nidra really work?
As stated earlier, yoga Nidra for sleep is a conscious state between sleeping and waking up. The practitioner of yoga Nidra is fully aware of what’s going on in his or her surroundings. They are completely aware of all the instructions being given to them. Yoga Nidra, however, is different from meditation and requires one to be extremely focused.
It is regarded to be the best mode of relaxation while maintaining consciousness. In dreaming, one is only aware of what is going on in his dream environment and not reality. Yoga Nidra is not just an ancient practice but a proven science.
There have been several types of research across Yoga Nidra, and the conclusions drawn from it suggest that it reduces anxiety and improves sleep quality. Yoga Nidra can also play an important role in treating or reducing PTSD symptoms. Practicing yoga Nidra for thirty minutes is as helpful as getting 3 hours of conscious sleeping.
Is yoga Nidra hypnosis?
The answer is no. Yoga Nidra and Hypnosis are a completely different methodologies with different goals. Yoga Nidra is one great practice that runs in the same line as hypnosis. It works best to control mind and body methods, thereby allowing healing and psychotherapy. This holistic technique is somewhat similar to hypnosis but it’s not hypnosis and there are significant differences between both methods.
Yoga Nidra is a systematic way to relax your body and get over various psychological disorders. It has a positive impact on your health, thereby helping you become the Master of your own mind.
In Yoga Nidra, while the person is asleep, the brain is awake. The brain is conscious enough to receive signals from the guide. In hypnosis, the brain is in a complete shutdown state and remembers the past’s deeds. Hence, it is necessary to understand the difference between the two before indulging in any one of them.
Yoga Nidra is a sattvic condition, and hypnosis is a tamasic condition. In hypnosis, the brain is conscious, but this consciousness is limited to a minimal area. In Yoga Nidra, the spectrum of consciousness is very vast. The brain is in constant touch and receives signals from the brain.
The main aim of Yoga Nidra is to make the mind’s consciousness reach as far as one can take it. In Yoga Nidra, the mind’s consciousness is active, but in hypnosis, the mind’s consciousness is suppressed.
What is the difference between Yoga Nidra and meditation?
Yoga Nidra and meditation may have the same goal, but the benefits are significantly different from each other. Some of the common differences between yoga Nidra for sleep and meditation include the following.
Practice
Traditional meditation needs to be practiced in a seating position, while Yoga Nidra requires a specific posture for practicing, and that is Shavasana. You are asked to lie down on the back with many comfortable items to support you. Since your body is in a state of complete stillness, you can enhance your inner experience. This position is also very suitable for those who suffer from lower back pain.
Know the layers of self
Traditional meditation is practiced in a waking state, thereby helping you understand your brain in a better way.
On the other hand, Yoga Nidra helps to understand yourself’ deeper layers since it is the state of complete consciousness. It helps you understand things that you may not realize in the asleep state. Yoga Nidra is a far more effective way of understanding self-using the five koshas. In Yoga Nidra, one is made to undergo each layer, and as we pass, we become more aware of it.
Guided practice
In traditional meditation, you need to focus on your breath and the mantra. It is more of a self-guided practice. As soon as we lose track, we need to come back to our real selves.
On the other hand, yoga Nidra is a voice-guided practice. The guide will give instructions so that the practitioner is connected to the outer world while exploring the inner self.
What are the benefits of Yoga Nidra?
Yogic sleep can have a huge impact on the body’s relaxation response. Some of the prominent benefits of yoga Nidra include the following.
1. Reduces insomnia
Yoga Nidra for sleep is extremely beneficial for those who are suffering from insomnia. Depression, burnout, and a weak immune system can hamper sleep quality.
Yoga Nidra, however, contributes to the wavelengths of mind, thereby helping you fall asleep. You get the opportunity to power up your brain. It helps to understand the sympathetic and parasympathetic responses of the brain, thereby helping you fall asleep.
2. Release tension
When practitioners become completely aware of their own body sensations, they can become aware of all worries and stress that irks them. Research has shown that yoga Nidra can help regulate the emotional self, thereby lowering stress and anxiety. It also plays an important role in enhancing the quality of life and promotes well-being.
Yoga Nidra is not only beneficial for mental relaxation but also physical reasons. Rather than a complete sleep, sleepless sleep will be more beneficial. Yoga Nidra is a short trip to the consciousness of the inner self.
3. Connect with yourself
We have to become the Master of our mind to ensure we follow a healthy and good lifestyle. The yoga Nidra classes are a safe space to connect with personal space.
Practicing yoga Nidra can make you more flexible, thereby helping you learn more. It acts as your path to complete freedom, away from any physical stress. The instruction will provide clear instructions. Yoga Nidra for sleep is not easy, but it is totally worth it, especially if you are trying to heal from any trauma.
Practice yoga Nidra, and connect with yourself while letting go of all the boundaries that hold you back.
Moreover, you also get the opportunity to detach yourself from worrisome thoughts. It throws you in a deep state of testing, thereby helping you analyze mindfulness. Practicing yoga Nidra for thirty to forty-five minutes a day is enough to gain all advantages.
4. Have a free life
Yoga Nidra can have a huge positive impact on your lifestyle. It sets you free from any boundaries and problems. When you are aware of yourself, there are very few chances to have any problems with the outer world. Yoga Nidra actually helps to boost harmony with yourself.
It enables you to connect with yourself, maintain a work-life balance, and achieve healthy peace of mind. If there’s anything that has been tiring or worrying you for long, you should let go of it by practicing yoga Nidra for sleep.
How can Yoga Nidra help your sleep?
Yoga Nidra needs to be performed accurately to get the benefits. This form of guided meditation can feel like sleeping as it helps to achieve the deepest state of relaxation and maintain consciousness.
Many people suffering from issues like anxiety and stress can face several negative emotions. This hampers daily life and surroundings. On the other hand, practicing yoga Nidra can help to relax your body and mind. It cuts out the negative impact of depression and stress.
Yoga Nidra a day helps to achieve proper sleep by encouraging the restorative sleep state. Since the body’s physical, mental, and emotional state is balanced, practitioners can have a peaceful sleep at sleeping hours. Practicing yoga Nidra has an important role in getting over racing thoughts.
What happens if you fall asleep during Yoga Nidra?
Yoga Nidra is practiced to stay alert in your mind. However, if you are a beginner, there might be instances when you fall asleep before becoming alert.
Since it is a guided practice, it is common for you to lose track as you fall asleep. However, staying consistent will only help you master the art of staying alert.
Is Yoga Nidra better than sleep?
In most ways, yes.
Yoga Nidra is far more beneficial than sleep because it has physical benefits and psychological as well. Yoga Nidra has been proven beneficial for getting over PTSD (Post-traumatic stress disorder), anxiety, and depression. On the physical front, yoga Nidra is beneficial for improving life quality while maintaining the body’s proper cholesterol level.
Moreover, the guides believe that an hour of yoga Nidra is as beneficial as three hours of sleep. So, you get more benefits from yoga Nidra and that too in a short period.
Can Yoga Nidra help to reduce anxiety?
Several studies have shown the advantage of Yoga Nidra over psychological problems such as depression and anxiety. When practicing yoga Nidra, one becomes completely aware of the inner self.
When one connects with themselves, they eventually turn out to become the Master of their own minds. The faster you become the Master of your mind, the easier it is for you to stay focused and reap off the benefits. Furthermore, when you become the Master of your mind, you can control your thoughts and actions, thereby helping yourself to get over anxiety.
What are yoga nidra scripts?
There’s a constant fluctuation between introversion and extroversion in Yoga Nidra. Practicing Yoga Nidra helps to stabilize the thoughts while understanding oneself thoroughly.
The yoga Nidra usually follows a set of instructions or scripts to guide you through the process. The Yoga Nidra scripts aim to help you achieve a calm mind to fall asleep like a baby.
Examples of Yoga Nidra scripts
The yogic gurus or instructors follow particular scripts to fall asleep. Some of the examples of Yoga Nidra scripts include
- Set-Up
You should begin the yoga script in a comfortable environment and ask the practitioner to lie in a completely relaxed position.
- Breathing
You should instruct them to breathe properly as if you are blowing out a balloon.
- Progressive muscle relaxation
Ask the practitioners to relax by squeezing and relaxing the muscles of the body. While relaxing, the practitioner should focus on each muscle turn and tighten it as much as they can before releasing the pressure.
- Counting breaths
As soon as you start, it would help if you asked the practitioners to count the breath. It would help if you asked them to count backward from 40 to 1. If they lose track, they should count backward again. It is necessary to connect with the mind to get maximum advantages.
- Become aware
Guide the practitioners to become aware of their bodies. They should take a break at each part and name it to know where they are. Becoming aware of the body plays an important role in helping you love yourself.
- Expand the light
Now that you have helped the practitioner know their physical being, it is time to let them know their inner being. You should make them realize all the wonderful things that go around them and all the people who love them.
- Closing breath
Now ask them to breathe gradually so that they can come out of the state and relax. You should offer instructions like ‘you are wonderful, and the world needs your positivity.’ Words of kindness seem to do wonders and would help the person feel better about themselves.
Yoga Nidra for Sleep meditation
To practice yoga Nidra for sleep, you should lie on your back in a comfortable position. You can also keep comfortable items such as blankets to keep yourself warm or anything extra that might be potential support. You will stay in that position for at least 30 minutes, so you need to maintain it.
It would help if you bestowed the Sankalpa or intention to practice yoga Nidra for sleep. Once you become aware of your inner and exterior sensations, you will be guided into a state of deep rest. Many people suggest that they have also experienced a sight of light while in the process. As you go deeper into the process, you become more aware of the brain sensations.
In the end, you will experience positivity and will be brought back to reality. Your awareness will be equivalent to your understanding. It would help if you ended the yoga Nidra for sleep in a seated space to honor the space you created for a peaceful rest.
Are there Yoga Nidra side effects?
Yoga Nidra for sleep is extremely beneficial, but there are certain pitfalls one needs to take care of. Yoga Nidra side effects tend to harm the beginners more than anyone else.
Some of these include the following.
Falling sleep: Beginners will usually find it hard not to fall asleep. But it is essential to stay awake and aware of practicing yoga Nidra at its best.
Losing concentration: Initially, it may not be easy, but it is extremely crucial. Our minds are very much flexible to move away from the concentration state. When our minds try to wonder, it is our responsibility to bring it back.
Overdoing it: While yoga meditation is beneficial, introverts shouldn’t overdo it. There should be a balance between physical and psychological activity. Hence, when the mind becomes extremely extroverted, it might neglect the benefits of physical exercise.
Schizophrenic people should not practice Nidra yoga: Schizophrenic people can have negative impacts by practicing yoga Nidra. Instead, they should practice Karma Yoga to get maximum benefits.
Can I do Yoga Nidra before bed?
Yoga Nidra for sleep can be practiced at any time of the day. Most people practice Yoga Nidra even during the evening while trying to fall asleep. However, you can practice yoga Nidra before going to bed to make your mind more conscious as you become unconscious.
Practicing yoga Nidra before bed is one of the best ways of letting go of everything that has been irking you. It helps you achieve peaceful sleep. Still, you should avoid practicing yoga Nidra right after eating because you can become prone to sleeping.
How to start practicing Yoga Nidra?
If you are a beginner, you should prefer joining a yoga Nidra class for getting extra advantages. If there is no physical class around you, it is better to join an online class.
Several online instructors can help you practice yoga Nidra. However, it is necessary to understand that yoga Nidra is a very self-conscious practice. Before you delve into the practice of yoga Nidra, you must commit yourself to it. If you want maximum benefits, you need to stick to your words. Your instructor can eventually guide you through the process and help you achieve significant results.
What should I bring to Yoga Nidra?
It would help if you were dressed comfortably to practice yoga Nidra. Many people aren’t comfortable with lying down, so it is necessary to build a comfortable nest. Your yoga mat and blanket can help you build a proper best. But the main thing you should bring to yoga Nidra is your intention or Sankalpa to commit to the practice.
Takeaway
If practiced the right way, yoga Nidra for sleep can be beneficial. If you have been fighting your thoughts for a long time, maybe it is time to give them up. Deep relaxation is widespread and can play an important role in helping you achieve the maximum. Yoga Nidra is the practice of letting go. It is time that you commit to yourself and practices yoga Nidra.
