Even though the ancient Indian practice of yoga Nidra is rapidly gaining popularity, not only in India but also around the world, many of us are still not aware of its advantages for our brain, body and spirit.
Yoga Nidra, literally meaning ‘yogic sleep’, is one of the many techniques of meditation that aims to calm the mind, cleanse and purify energy channels, and reduce the negativity within your thoughts. It is perhaps the easiest of meditations, usually voice-guided or if you do not have a trainer, music guided and is to be done for a minimum of 35 minutes until you have reached a state of deep conscious relaxation, where you are aware that you are not asleep. Still, there are also no errant thoughts worries racing through your mind.
How is yoga Nidra done?
- Lay down in the position of Shavasana- arms lose and relaxed, jaw unclenched, eyes closed lightly. You can use a pillow to rest your head or lower back.
- Take a few deep and even breaths and try to feel all the sensations on your body and block out your surroundings.
- Let your thoughts flow, negative as well as positive.
During your session, your brain will go through the 5 layers of self, and by the end of it, you will find yourself in a state of semi-sleep.
These are some of the benefits of yoga Nidra that make it a worthwhile addition to anyone’s daily workout routines:
- Stress relief
One of the biggest reasons for its popularity is its effectiveness in reducing stressful thoughts and helping people manage stress better by filtering out unnecessary worries. The practice of yoga Nidra bleeds out any emotional tension from your body as it relaxes your muscles entirely and has shown promising results in helping with depression, anxiety, and PTSD when paired with therapy.
- Better sleep
Yoga Nidra helps treat sleep disorders like insomnia. It trains your body to calm down your brain and relax your body at will, proving to be very beneficial for your sleep patterns. But unfortunately, this yoga technique has also proven to help rewire conditioned thought patterns, contributing to increased stress and sleeplessness.
- Better physical health
Stress and sleep deprivation are two of the main reasons for many imbalances that happen in our bodies. And by aiding better brain function and helping your body get better rest, yoga Nidra solves many of those problems. Lowered cholesterol levels, blood pressure regulation, strengthened immune system, menstrual pain relief are other physical health benefits of this form of meditation.
In a world where mood disorders are prevalent, Yoga Nidra can be of great help when done regularly. So practice this every day, either in the morning to give a peaceful start to the day or in the evening to dissolve the day’s tensions and notice all the positive effects on your mind and body.
