How Yoga Nidra Benefits Mind & Body
YOGA NIDRA The ancient practice of yoga Nidra, also known as yogic sleep,
is a meditative practice that results in conscious deep sleep.
Current research suggests that yoga Nidra can help relieve
menstrual problems, diabetes symptoms, and post-traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD).
INSOMNIA YOGA NIDRA
If you suffer from difficulty falling asleep then the
initial stages of yoga Nidra can dramatically help
you unwind, prepare for sleep and drop off. With
the initial relaxation of the body and quieting of the
mind, the practice of Nidra will see many fall asleep.
The principles work just as well if you wake up in
the middle of the night and are unable to go back
to sleep… Once you find the idea that works for
you (there are many recorded now online) a neural
pathway is created in the brain so next time you
listen to it you will be very likely to fall asleep again.
ANTIDOTE TO A STRONG
YOGA PRACTICE
If you have a strong ashtanga, hot yoga, or power
yoga practice the chances are that you may not
be engaging in enough relaxation. You may think
of Nidra simplistically as a much extended and
deeper Savasana pose. Perhaps a better way
of understanding it is as a guided meditation
ultimately bringing forward the unconscious and
subconscious mind. So for those looking to begin
meditative practice….
Nidra may be the route in.
GENERAL HEALTH BENEFITS
As well as obvious benefits such as reducing
stress and tension, yoga Nidra can also help with
chronic fatigue. For those requiring long-term
convalescence in hospital Yoga Nidra has proved
very helpful. By encouraging balance within
the body yoga nidra supports and nourishes
the immune system. Working by shifting the
body from the sympathetic state – “fight or
flight” – to the parasympathetic state – “rest
and digest “– the practice brings about a range
of physiological and neurological benefits.
DEEP RELAXATION
The practice of yoga Nidra is richly restful but don’t
just take my word for it! Many scientific studies have
shown that regular practice can cause brainwave
activity to change from a beta state to an alpha
state. Put simply this means that we shift from
the usual alert, awake, and stressed state of beta
activity to the more relaxed alpha state. Increased
dominance of alpha waves in the brain is beneficial
as it is conducive to mental resourcefulness,
creativity, problem-solving, efficiency, and relaxation.
