Yoga Nidra: the meditation technique for deep rest

Why practice Yoga Nidra?

Anyone can practice Yoga Nidra meditation, but it is especially helpful for people who have difficulty falling asleep, struggle with sleep deprivation, anxiety or depression. But even if you don't suffer from these, Yoga Nidra can be valuable.

We live in a society where we are encouraged to do more in less time. This leaves little room to relax, slow down and recharge. Yoga Nidra is a technique that not only helps you fall asleep, but also restores the body. In fact, it is said that 45 minutes of Yoga Nidra is as restorative as three hours of sleep.

The benefits of Yoga Nidra

Yoga Nidra provides:

1. Less stress, anxiety and depression symptoms
2. Improved cognitive performance and memory
3. Increased self-confidence
4. Improved sleep and physical health
5. Better contact with your intuition

Yoga Nidra and Science

The benefits of Yoga Nidra have been scientifically proven. This research shows that Yoga Nidra helps reduce mental illnesses, such as stress, anxiety, insomnia and PTSD, and also helps address physical illnesses such as hormonal imbalance, body aches, migraines, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. Another study confirmed that Yoga Nidra has a positive effect on sleep quality and sleep efficiency in people with chronic insomnia.

What is Yoga Nidra

Yoga Nidra literally means "yogic sleep" and is an ancient sleep-based meditation technique where you enter a deep state of relaxation. Anyone can practice Yoga Nidra and it takes no effort. You don't have to force or try anything. Your body already knows how to do it. The technique allows you to easily enter a deep state of awareness - just like experienced meditation practitioners.

Yoga Nidra consists of a series of body, breath and awareness techniques. These are designed to guide you from your "thinking mind" to a "state of being. Unlike traditional meditation, Yoga Nidra takes no effort. While meditation trains your mind to focus, Yoga Nidra is about deep relaxation where your mind is allowed to wander.

What isn't Yoga Nidra?

Simply relaxing

Yoga Nidra goes beyond just relaxing. During Yoga Nidra, the body must be relaxed to rest deeply and recover. But that is not the end goal of Yoga Nidra. The goal of Yoga Nidra is to quiet the body while keeping your mind active, allowing you to explore your inner world.

Dreaming

Yoga Nidra is different from dreaming, although it is possible that you may dream away during a Yoga Nidra meditation. The main difference lies in the activity of the senses; during dreaming they are active, whereas in yogic sleep the senses rest and mental processes come to a halt. This makes for a clear and calm mind.

Hypnosis

During both Yoga Nidra and hypnosis, the body is deeply relaxed. Yet the exercises and their goals differ. In yogic sleep, you reach a deeper state of consciousness than during hypnosis. Unlike in Yoga Nidra, you can lose consciousness during hypnosis.

Savasana

Most yoga classes end with the resting posture Savasana, in which you lie relaxed on the floor with your eyes closed and your arms by your side. Although Savasana and Yoga Nidra are outwardly similar, a different process takes place internally. Yoga Nidra represents a specific state of consciousness that allows the body to repair and renew itself. Savasana, on the other hand, adopted at the end of the yoga class, brings the body and mind back to a "neutral" state, where heart rate and blood pressure drop and the nervous system calms down.

What is the difference between Yoga Nidra and meditation?

You may be wondering what the difference is between meditation and Yoga Nidra. Both are effective ways to relax, yet they work differently. While during meditation you train your concentration and awareness, the goal of Yoga Nidra is to reduce your awareness and activate the subconscious mind. This creates a sense of inner calm and peace. Therefore, meditation is often a little more active than Yoga Nidra.

All you have to do is lie down and listen

Anyone can participate in Yoga Nidra. The sessions are designed to guide you from your "thinking mind" to a "state of being. Therefore, your mind is allowed to wander while practicing Yoga Nidra. All you have to do is lie down and listen.

But how does just lying down and listening get you into a deeply relaxed state? A lot happens on a neurological level during a Yoga Nidra session: your brain enters a state between waking and sleeping. Your body sleeps, but your mind remains awake. This causes you to experience deep rest.

This has everything to do with the nervous system. Yoga Nidra calms the sympathetic nervous system. This part of the nervous system is responsible for the fight-or-flight response. You can think of Yoga Nidra as pressing the pause button. Your thinking mind no longer dominates. This allows your body to relax completely.

What happens during a Yoga Nidra exercise?

But what exactly happens during a Yoga Nidra exercise? During a Yoga Nidra session, a voice guides you through a series of meditation exercises. You yourself only have to lie down and listen. And although every Yoga Nidra session is different, the following elements often recur:

1. Relax the body
2. Set an intention
3. Visualization
4. Body scan
5. Closure

Read more about the different components of a Yoga Nidra meditation here:
Yoga Nidra exercises: 5 steps to deep relaxation

When is the best time to practice Yoga Nidra?

You can practice Yoga Nidra any time of day: in the morning after a bad night's sleep or in the evening as part of your evening routine. Just be careful about practicing Yoga Nidra after eating a large meal, as you may fall asleep faster.

Practice Yoga Nidra Yourself

Do you feel tension in your body, have low energy and want to completely unwind? In the Meditation Moment app you will find various Yoga Nidra exercises that you can do at any time of the day.

During a session, you lie in a comfortable position and listen to the voice leading the session. You relax deeper and deeper, after which your body can fully recover. At the end of the session, you feel completely rested.

How do you practice Yoga Nidra at home?

During a Yoga Nidra session, all you have to do is lie down and listen. Therefore, it is important to find a teacher whose voice you like. This makes it easier to relax and let go. 

Furthermore, it is important to create a comfortable place where you will not be disturbed for a while. Perhaps the easiest is to lie in bed. But you can also use a yoga mat, for example. Make sure you can relax completely: put a bolster under your knees (this is optional) and keep a blanket handy in case you get cold. A sleep mask can help you relax even deeper. Also, using headphones or earplugs can be nice if you are easily distracted by sounds from your surroundings.

Start the Yoga Nidra session and let the voice carry you along. Don't worry if you fall asleep; it happens to even the best of us from time to time. When this happens, simply bring your attention back to the voice. At the end of the session, take a moment to reflect on what the exercise has done to you.

Where does Yoga Nidra come from?

Yoga Nidra is an ancient meditation technique from India. It began around 1000 B.C. with the Sankhya philosophy: a dualistic philosophy that describes all the elements that make up life. The Sankhya philosophy teaches you to distinguish between purusha (mind) and prakriti (matter). According to the philosophy, awareness of this distinction would ensure a happy life.

Over time, these ideas have continued to deepen with the help of Advaita Vedanta, a philosophy that says everything is one, and the Tantric teachings of Kashmir Shaivism, a spiritual movement from part of India. Hundreds of years later, Advaita Vedanta and the Tantric teachings of Kashmir Shaivism brought out something interesting: they explained that the things we see and experience are not separate from us. They are actually a kind of reflection of how we ourselves view the world. In a way, we are connected to everything around us.

Today, Yoga Nidra is used as a technique for deep relaxation. During Yoga Nidra, you focus your attention on your breathing, your thoughts and your body. You perceive these things and accept them without judgment. This develops awareness that you are more than your body, your thoughts or your feelings.