Yoga Nidra - How It Works, Stages, and Benefits

What Is Yoga Nidra?

Yoga nidra, also called yogic sleep, is a deep relaxation and powerful guided meditation practice inducing relaxation of the whole body wherein the conscious mind is relaxed, and the subconscious and unconscious mind are awakened. Though yoga nidra is meant for deep relaxation, it also has healing properties. Deep relaxation and healing are taking place between sleep and wakefulness. In simpler terms, yoga nidra is a state of maximum relaxation of the whole body and mind, wherein the mental state is conscious dreaming without dreams.

Yoga nidra helps everyone enter through each energetic layer called the koshas, including the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual layers. It helps reduce the tension and stress of every layer as a healing process. Yoga nidra also helps to restore the body’s senses and mind to their natural functions but takes it to a state where it guides toward self-awakening by detaching from the whole world, called samadhi. Though an ancient technique, it is getting too much attention for its relaxing and healing properties for the body and mind.

How Does Yoga Nidra Work on the Body and Mind?

Yoga nidra is a deep relaxation practice in which the state of relaxation and tension can be measured in the yogic philosophy in three phases:

• Muscular Relaxation: It is associated with the body’s nervous system. Yoga nidra helps to relieve stress and tension from the body by lowering the fight or flight response, inducing calmness and self-assurance.

• Emotional Relaxation: Emotional relaxation can happen deep within the body, but most people are unaware of it. Practicing yoga nidra can calm the mind on a deeper level.

• Mental Relaxation: It is related to excess daily mental energy. Yoga nidra enters the subconscious mind and relieves stress and tension.

What Are the Stages of Yoga Nidra?

Yoga Nidra is an ancient practice that lasts approximately 45 minutes and involves a structured approach to guide through each energetic layer of ‘koshas’ comprising eight stages:

• Settling: This first stage is the preparatory stage for the body to create a feeling of well-being and self-awareness by preparing it to position itself into Shavasana, or corpse pose (lying down on the back).

• Sankalpa: It is an intention or positive statement that helps change the mind by being repeated with full faith.

• Rotation of Consciousness: In this stage, yoga nidra helps to get awareness of various body parts without moving them, which are visualized. Following the instructor’s voice carefully is important and will relax the whole body.

• Breath Awareness: This stage helps to create awareness of breath and energy by counting the breaths drawn in and out through the nostrils. Breathing can help calm the nervous system and keep the mind free of thoughts.

• Sensory Consciousness: This stage guides experiencing the opposite sensations linked to mental or physical stimuli. This can create emotional relaxation by stimulating the brain's opposite hemispheres and helping focus on opposites such as hot and cold, dry and wet, light and heavy, etc.

• Visualizing the Chidakasha: Chidakasha refers to the dark space that is found in front of the eyes when the eyelids are closed, also called the mind’s eye. It helps to enter the subconscious and unconscious mind. This stage encourages to visualize different shapes, colors, and images. It stimulates the Pineal gland found behind this space and produces melatonin, which helps to achieve more restful sleep by decreasing stress and boosting immunity.

• Revisiting Sankalpa: Sankalpa is a positive mental affirmation that is used in the initial stage. Repeat the sankalpa three more times, which will help to get deep into the subconscious mind.

• Externalization: This stage is very important, as it may feel disoriented and confused when it is done very quickly. This stage has to be done very slowly by making awareness of the body and breath, the external environment, and then moving the body to awaken from the state.

How to Prepare the Body and Space for Yoga Nidra?

It is very important to create a peaceful and comfortable environment for Yoga Nidra practice by

• Finding a Peaceful Environment: The environment chosen for practice should be free of noise and distractions.

• Dimming the Lights: The lighting in the space is dimmed to achieve relaxation. In the daytime, the eyes are covered with a soft cloth.

• Controlling the Temperature: The temperature should be comfortable, neither hot nor cold.

It is also necessary to prepare the body for yoga nidra, which includes

• Wearing Comfortable Clothes: The clothes worn during practice should be breathable and comfortable.

• Hydrating: Drink enough water before the practice in order to get hydrated, but do not drink excessively as it may cause discomfort.

• Empty Stomach: The practice should be done on an empty stomach.

What Are the Steps to Follow for the Perfect Yoga Nidra Pose?

The steps to be followed are :

• First, lie down on the back in a corpse pose (Shavasana), then close the eyes and relax, and then take deep, slow, and relaxed breaths in and out.

• Start paying attention gently to the right foot for a few seconds, then move slowly to the other parts of the right leg.

• Repeat the step for the left leg, and likewise, move gently over all parts of the body, such as the genital area, stomach, navel region, chest, right shoulder, right arm, then left shoulder, left arm, throat, face, and finally, the top of the head.

• Take a deep breath in, sense the body, and relax in this state for a few minutes.

• Turn to the right side slowly and it makes the breath flow through the left nostril thereby it cools the body.

• Take enough time to sit up slowly and gradually open the eyes when comfortable.

What are the Benefits of Yoga Nidra?

• Stress Reduction: Yoga nidra reduces stress by lowering the fight or flight response of the body’s sympathetic nervous system.

• Improvement of Sleep Quality: Yoga nidra improves sleep quality by changing the autonomic nervous system’s activity; it activates the parasympathetic nervous system, thereby relaxing the body and mind; it reduces the sympathetic nervous system’s activity, thereby lowering stress levels. This may cause deep sleep.

• Immunity Booster: Yoga nidra practice can help in boosting immunity by increasing the production of antibodies as well as improving the function of immune cells.

• Improvement of Memory and Concentration: Yoga nidra changes brain waves from beta waves to alpha and theta waves that may help reduce stress and improve memory and concentration.

• Chronic Pain Reduction: Yoga nidra reduces chronic pain by lowering muscle tension and also by lowering the activity of the sympathetic nervous system.

• Spiritual Benefits: Yoga nidra improves spirituality by increasing awareness of the present moment and entering into a deeper level of consciousness.

Conclusion:

Yoga nidra practice caught the attention of everyone by its therapeutic effects on the body and mind and healing properties. Yoga nidra helps everyone live a peaceful and relaxing life by not getting caught up in worries and healing long-held emotions.