STRUGGLING TO SLEEP? YOGA NIDRA COULD BE THE ANSWER

Yoga Nidra, otherwise known as ‘Yogic sleep’, comes from the Indian yoga tradition. It has been found to be beneficial for both body and the mind. This includes improving focus and attention, alleviating sleep issues, tension, anxiety, and stress.

It is a lying down form of meditation that uses the whole body as a focus of awareness. The theory behind Yoga Nidra is that it works on something called our body of energy or life force. In India, this energy is known as prana, and in China it is called chi. It’s a state of deep relaxation, it will feel a bit like a conscious sleep.

What to expect?

In classic a Yoga Nidra practice, you lie on your back with your arms away from your body, palms turned upwards. Your feet should be hip width apart, with your toes falling outwards. Your eyes remain closed throughout the practice. Yoga Nidra puts a strong emphasis on the way your body is laying. Your relaxation posture influences your consciousness, and that this supine position prepares you for letting go and helps to balance the flow of life force in your body.

During a Yoga Nidra, will become aware of your breath, through a ‘rotation of consciousness’. This occurs through the practice of tensing and releasing different body parts. At this point, you may begin to feel softness and lightness in your body or feel as if you are melting into the floor or floating. After the rotations you will bring your awareness to the natural rhythm of your breath. Other techniques may include visualising energy or light flowing through your body or being guided into an imaginary place of beauty and serenity.

How Yoga Nidra can improve sleep and reduce stress?

Just 1 hour of Yoga Nidra has been proven to be the equivalent of 3-4 hours of actual sleep, due the changes in brain-waves that take place. There are five brain waves (Beta, Alpha, Theta, Delta and Gamma), each have their own characteristics. During a Yoga Nidra, Theta and Delta waves dominate.  When Theta waves dominate you are at your most creative, inspired, and deeply relaxed whilst still being conscious of your surroundings. Whereas Delta waves are the slowest recorded brain waves in humans and are associated with the deepest levels of relaxation and healing - this is where vital repair and restoration happens.

Yoga Nidra has been shown to combat stress. Often stress manifests itself in the form of muscle tension or anxiety, but it can also foster at a deeper level which can build up over time if not dealt with. Nidra enables us to go deeper and release this stress. During deep relaxation we activate our parasympathetic ‘rest and digest’ nervous system, this helps to rebalance hormones, reduce inflammation, repair damaged cells and hence reduces our anxiety.

Find yourself a comfortable spot and try at Jenny’s 10 minute deep relaxation for sleep.