Yoga Nidra: How It Improved My Sleep

The time period yoga nidra actually interprets to “yogic sleep.” Once I first discovered this, my speedy ideas have been, “How on earth do you do yoga whilst you’re sleeping?” and in addition, “A exercise whereas I’m sleeping? Signal me up!”

Because it seems, that’s not fairly what it’s. Yoga nidra is “a yoga session that’s posture-free and assists you with slowing down and releasing stress-related emotions you could have skilled all through the day,” says yoga teacher Keriki Purkiss. Actually, it’s yoga that helps you chill out by listening to guided imagery and focusing in your breath whilst you’re in savasana, or “corpse pose”—the lying-down place usually carried out on the finish of a standard yoga class.

“Yoga nidra is the observe of aware sleep,” yoga nidra teacher Jana Roemer as soon as informed Effectively+Good. “Primarily, we’re determining learn how to permit the physique to go to sleep whereas retaining the thoughts awake.”

The advantages of yoga nidra

Though it won’t seem like a lot, this observe has tons of science-backed perks. “Once we go into yoga nidra, we downshift into an alpha mind wave state. Right here, [levels of cortisol are reduced] and we go right into a state of therapeutic,” explains Roemer. This can be why analysis has proven that yoga nidra can result in reduced stress, enhanced cognitive processing, and even improved red blood cell counts and blood glucose levels.

“It has been formally recognized by the US Military as a complementary various remedy in treating PTSD and power ache,” yoga nidra and meditation information Hilary Jackendoff as soon as informed Effectively+Good.

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However essentially the most well-known profit could also be improved sleep—in truth, studies have shown that yoga nidra could even be an efficient therapy for folks with power insomnia.

“It permits the physique and thoughts to chill out, decreasing the manufacturing of stress hormones,” says Purkiss. “When stress ranges lower, it turns into simpler to go to sleep and keep asleep. Common observe of yoga nidra, particularly earlier than bedtime, establishes a calming pre-sleep routine. A constant bedtime ritual alerts the physique that it’s time to wind down.”

How yoga nidra differs from meditation

Recently, I’ve personally been experiencing quite a lot of stress, and it’s been manifesting as challenges in my sleep cycle, largely by way of hassle getting deep sleep. I simply had a birthday and higher sleep hygiene has been on my radar (to carry onto my youthful glow and power).

So when an editor from Effectively+Good reached out asking if I needed to attempt yoga nidra for every week and see what occurred, I used to be intrigued, if a bit hesitant. The observe sounded rather a lot like meditation to me, and I’ve struggled mightily with meditation up to now. I at all times find yourself extra harassed than relaxed as a result of I can’t get my thoughts to decelerate, which simply leaves me annoyed—not precisely the supposed impact.

However Purkiss defined to me that yoga nidra is definitely a bit totally different from meditation—largely as a result of, historically, you might be mendacity down throughout yoga nidra. “Though not part of commonplace observe, some persons are in such a relaxed state they often go to sleep,” she says. “Yoga nidra is a type of guided meditation that has you in a relaxed state or a state of consciousness between being awake and asleep.”

What occurred after I tried it for myself

Armed with this data, I used to be able to try it out. I might attempt a yoga nidra session each night time for every week earlier than I went to mattress to see if it helped me clear my thoughts and get deeper sleep. To start out my journey, I went to YouTube and located there have been a ton of movies on there with various run occasions. I made a decision I might begin with 10-minute classes, and work my means as much as 30-minute classes over the course of the week.

I’ve gotta let you know the reality: I used to be solely ever in a position to totally get by means of 10-minute classes, nevertheless it wasn’t for lack of attempting. Two occasions I tried a 30-minute video, however I might solely make it a few third of the way in which by means of earlier than I needed to cease. I simply couldn’t lay nonetheless lengthy sufficient. I began to expertise what I can solely equate to restless leg syndrome, however in my entire physique. Firstly of the session, you might be instructed to not transfer, and since I used to be attempting so laborious to not, that’s all I needed to do.

Throughout the observe you might be informed to scan your physique and chill out totally different physique elements from head to toe. And after I say head to toe, I imply down to every particular person finger. This drove my thoughts wild! As I used to be laying there, actively fascinated by stress-free the muscular tissues with out truly feeling them doing something totally different, I simply grew stressed.

You might be instructed to not transfer, and since I used to be attempting so laborious to not, that is all I needed to do.

Possibly the issue was that I used to be in mattress underneath all of my sheets, feeling too restricted, I assumed. I began to observe underneath a lighter blanket. That did assist, a bit, however I nonetheless felt antsy by the tip. The perfect half was at all times the information telling me to begin wiggling my fingers and toes—each as a result of it lastly gave me permission to maneuver and was a sign that the darn factor was over.

I additionally discovered that it was tough for me to focus. There’s a half throughout most practices the place you depend down from 27 as you breathe deeply, however I misplaced depend each time. My thoughts was actively fascinated by stress-free every physique half but in addition questioning if I used to be truly feeling myself chill out. Was something taking place, or was I simply laying there? Then, if I did transfer even a bit bit, I began to marvel if the yoga nidra would have the supposed impact. This led me to attempt to focus much more on not shifting, in flip making me much more stressed. Within the session I used, the information would say that in case you misplaced depend to begin over from 27, which leads me to consider it is a widespread prevalence, nevertheless it drove me nuts that not as soon as was I in a position to get previous 19 or so.

All that stated, regardless of my battle, I did truly see a change in my sleep. I tracked my sleep with my Apple watch, and noticed that the time I spent in my REM, core, and deep sleep all elevated from earlier weeks. I additionally did not have as a lot time spent awake: Once I’ve tracked my sleep earlier than, I might common quarter-hour of time awake and 53 minutes of REM. Within the seven days of doing yoga nidra, my time awake averaged seven minutes, with 77 minutes of REM. A strong enchancment. On a number of nights, I even slept by means of all the night time with out having to stand up to go to the toilet, which is large for me (although that might have been a hydration factor). I discovered these stats to be constant even after I solely obtained 4 or 5 hours of sleep. The sleep that I did get, even when it was minimal, was higher.

My takeaways concerning the observe

If you happen to’re somebody who’s seeking to get higher sleep, and doesn’t get stressed whereas meditating like I do, I’d recommend giving yoga nidra a shot. The advantages in your sleep high quality are legit, and in case you’re in a position to keep nonetheless for longer than I can, they could even be extra highly effective.

Personally, although yoga nidra is a problem, I plan to maintain attempting to include it into my bedtime routine extra typically—and possibly even work my means as much as extra time. I do know me, and I will not commit to each night time. However the night time after I finished doing it, I seen a marked distinction within the lack of deep sleep I obtained. And as an evening owl with an early hen schedule, I would like all the standard sleep I can get.