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What is Yoga Nidra 

Dating back to 600 BCE, the sages taught Yoga Nidra (YN), also known as “yogic sleep” and “dynamic sleep,” as a way to explore deep-rooted patterns they believed drive a person’s actions. YN was used to purify the mind, by accessing a state of conscious sleep. It was believed that YN helped to detect, explore, and  ‘loosen’ the grip and influence of limiting beliefs and their unavailing habits. The benefits of Yoga Nidra (YN) have been studied and documented across continents as a “systematic method inducing complete physical, mental, and emotional relaxation.”  (1)

While the body needs the strength, flexibility and neurological benefits of asana, the mind needs YN for the release of fear based beliefs and other egoic patterns of thinking that resist acceptance of, and awareness in, the present moment.  Whatever your intention for practicing, YN is a path to greater mental, physical, emotional and spiritual wellness. 

In stillness, YN pulls us beyond the desires and competitive conventions of the ego that tell us we are how we look,  what we have,  and what we do.  With regular practice, YN peels away false narratives and our culture’s habitual striving for external validation. 

A brief Medline review revealed YN as a therapeutic intervention for  insomnia; anxiety; posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD); and the emotional, physical, and cognitive symptoms associated with premenstrual syndrome (PMS). 

How Yoga Nidra Works

During YN, students lie on their backs while being guided into a state of deep relaxation where the body goes to sleep and the mind remains awake and aware.  

It all starts with Sankalpa (intention setting) and a body scan while paying attention to the breath. Students are then invited to explore their own mind and subconscious while being directed to a series of opposites and visualizations.  As the student rehearses different emotional states at rest, new neural pathways can be developed.

The progression of the experience starts while the student’s brain is in a beta, active mind, or “fight-flight” state.  The process then sinks the brain into deeper states of relaxation moving from beta through alpha and into theta, which is referred to as the “dream,” or REM state, where emotions can be processed and released.  After theta, the brain enters delta.  Delta is the most reparative state, the state of deep dreamless sleep where organs regenerate and the body can rest, restore, and heal.  And all of this happens while the student is awake and aware, although in my experience, staying awake takes practice.   What I have noticed during my own practice is that I drift between entranced states of conscious awareness and “Where am I now?” as if I could be anywhere and nowhere simultaneously.  I have developed a fascination not only with the sensations and awarenesses that arise while I am in this “state,” but also its undeniable impact on my sense of self in relation to all that is.  

Yoga Nidra for Insomnia

One of the most common complaints in early recovery is the inability to maintain a regular sleeping cycle.  The consequences of insufficient sleep and chronic insomnia are significant, and can include:

• Poor memory and trouble concentrating

• Impaired work performance

• Work-related accidents

• Motor vehicle accidents

• Depression

• Heart disease, heart attack, and stroke

• Increased blood pressure

• Low libido

• Weight gain

• Diabetes

• A weakened immune system

• Increased inflammation

• Overall poor quality of life

Sleep disorders persist in the United States despite current behavioral and pharmaceutical remedies.  In 2021, a study published in the National Medical Journal of India concluded that YN is effective for alleviating chronic insomnia.  The findings showed statistically significant improvements in total sleep time and enhancement in subjective sleep quality following a regular practice of YN. (2)  Currently, an International multi-site study is underway investigating the physiological correlates of YN for sleep disorders. This study seeks to quantify the effect of YN on brainwaves, sleep onset, and the autonomic nervous system using electroencephalography(EEG), heart rate variability (HRV), and respiratory rate. (3)

Yoga Nidra for Anxiety and Stress Reduction

Many people struggle with anxiety in early recovery as the body and brain re-adjust and as new skill sets develop for everything that is changing. Reoccurrences are very common during this time because anxiety can be overwhelming as one “wakes up” to what recovery requires:  a completely new way of being and doing.  Recovery also often means that certain prescribed medications are no longer sensible options for managing emotional distress. Clinical trials have demonstrated that long-term use of anxiolytic medications (e.g., benzodiazepines) may cause,  dependence, and impair cognition and memory.

Several studies have shown that YN is an effective practice for reducing stress and anxiety.  In 2021 the American Pediatric Society declared the state of childhood mental health a national emergency, asserting that concerns had been steadily rising over the past decade, and that the coronavirus pandemic served to  exacerbate the challenges.  (4)  Just days after this declaration, a study published in ComplimentaryTherapies in Clinical Practice showed that YN was effective in significantly reducing overall stress experienced by school going adolescents.  Results also indicated that YN reduced stress in individual vital domains such as the stress of home life, school performance, teacher interaction, school uncertainty, and school and leisure conflict. (5)  The researchers concluded that because YN effectively reduced psychological stress in adolescents, it could prove beneficial if added to school curriculums.

An earlier study in 2018 with adolescents, ages 13-15, was also promising. Students received 30- minute YN sessions, 3 times a week, for one month.  At the end of the study period, outcome measures demonstrated that YN improved multiple dimensions of adolescent well-being including feelings of happiness, enthusiasm, quietude, feeling more inspired and alert, active, having increased clarity of thought, increased control over anger, and an increase in self-confidence. (6)

A pilot study at Johns Hopkins that looked at YN for improving quality of life in psychiatric nurses showed benefits in perceived stress, muscle tension, and self-care. (7)

One study I found particularly interesting involved college professors comparing the effects of YN versus seated meditation on perceived stress.  This study concluded that YN tended towards greater effectiveness in reducing anxiety than seated meditation.  From the results authors hypothesized that the Savasana posture (corpse pose) in YN  may be more effective in reducing anxiety levels because it can be held with less effort than a seated meditation posture.  Another explanation suggested that because mindfulness meditation can increase irritability and agitation in the short term, it did not deliver the robust findings shown with YN.  This interpretation is consistent with a common complaint I hear from those in early recovery regarding increased anxiety when employing mindfulness meditation.  This makes sense, considering everything that is happening to a person during this very vulnerable time.  In fact, some well respected meditation teachers have even submitted that a mindfulness meditation practice is best approached when one is not in a period of crisis or increased psychosocial stress.  One of the benefits of YN, especially for those in early recovery, is that it is not necessary to concentrate. YN is a guided experience where participants simply follow the prompts intended to elicit relaxation and all its corresponding benefits.  

Yoga Nidra for Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)

PMS is a blanket term that describes a cluster of symptoms brought on by a woman’s monthly menstrual cycle. These symptoms vary in intensity and duration.  The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists estimates that 85 percent of menstruating women experience at least one physical, emotional, or cognitive symptom of PMS.  

Women in early recovery are often more vulnerable to PMS because of neurotransmitter depletion from their substance use disorder. PMS can amplify painful emotions and physical symptoms already occurring as part of post acute withdrawal syndrome, which can contribute to a return to substance use.

There have been a handful of studies that have shown that YN reduces PMS-related anxiety and depression.(8,9)  The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Chhatrapati Sahuji Maharaj Medical University has also demonstrated that hormone imbalances were reduced significantly when participating in YN 35-40 minutes, 5 days per week, for 6 months. (10)  

Yoga Nidra for PTSD

The intersection of substance use disorders and trauma is indisputable. In The Realm of Hungry Ghosts, Gabor Mate, the renowned author and Hungarian-Canadian psychiatrist writes, “Not all addictions are rooted in abuse or trauma, but I do believe they can all be traced to painful experience. A hurt is at the center of all addictive behaviors. It is present in the gambler, the Internet addict, the compulsive shopper and the workaholic. The wound may not be as deep and the ache not as excruciating, and it may even be entirely hidden—but it’s there…the effects of early stress or adverse experiences directly shape both the psychology and the neurobiology of addiction in the brain.”

YN is an effective and empirically based treatment for PTSD that is currently being administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs around the country to treat combat veterans and those with military sexual trauma (MST). 

Combat veterans at a community mental health agency in San Francisco receiving YN for PTSD reported reduced rage, anxiety, and emotional reactivity, and increased feelings of relaxation, peace, self-awareness, and self-efficacy, despite challenges with mental focus, intrusive memories and other concerns. All participants reported they would have attended ongoing classes, if offered. (11)

Participants in a 10 week YN protocol for MST reported significant decreases in symptoms of PTSD as well as decreased body tension, improved quality of sleep, improved ability to handle intrusive thoughts, improved ability to manage stress, and improved feelings of joy. Participants in this study also enthusiastically endorsed the class and stating they would take it again and recommend it to others with sexual trauma. (12)

The iRest Program for Healing PTSD:  A Proven-Effective Approach to Using Yoga Nidra Meditation and Deep Relaxation Techniques to Overcome Trauma by Richard Miller PhD © 2015 

Closing Reflections

YN is an inexpensive, effective, and very accessible self-care practice that can be easily incorporated into one’s life.  A growing body of research substantiates YN's ability to alleviate insomnia, anxiety, lingering effects of traumatic experiences, and the physical and emotional discomfort associated with PMS when it is practiced consistently.  In the studies cited, the therapeutic effects of YN were observed when administered anywhere from 3-5 times per week for 30-45 minutes.  At least one study found that YN has the same autonomic nervous system (ANS) and heart rate variability (HRV) benefits whether practiced at the end of asana, or by itself. (13)  This is an important finding because many of us wouldn’t practice YN unless it was in the context of asana. 

Staying awake and aware, while also maintaining a state of deep relaxation, is not easily reached.  Simply put, YN involves a different kind of mastery than asana. (14)  This is self-evident, given the number of times I have fallen asleep during YN, especially where asana classes have been supplemented with YN at their conclusion. 

If you can’t make it to Metta on Sundays at 4,  search Yoga Nidra on your Spotify or Insight Timer accounts for a wide range of opportunities to practice.   I bookmark teachers whose voice, cadence, and design are in alignment with my intentions.  While I love the energy of in person YN, having YN available whenever I need it and in the privacy of my own home has been an important addition to my sitting meditation practice. 

~ Barbara Dugan MDiv, MLADC, RYT

Notes/Sources

(1) Swami Satyananda Sraswati 

(2) Natl Med J India. 2021 May-Jun;34(3):143-150. doi: 10.25259/NMJI_63_19.Yoga Nidra practice shows improvement in sleep in patients with chronic insomnia: A randomized controlled trial. Datta K(1), Tripathi M(1), Verma M(2), Masiwal D(2), Mallick HN(3).Author information:(1)Department of Neurology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi, India.(2)Department of Sports Medicine, Armed Forces Medical College, Pune, Maharashtra, India.(3)Department of Physiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi, India.

(3) Int J Yoga Therap. 2021 Jan 1;31(1):Article_20. doi: 10.17761/2021-D-20-00004. A Closer Look at Yoga Nidra: Sleep Lab Protocol. Sharpe E(1), Lacombe A(2), Butler MP(3), Hanes D(4), Bradley R(5). Author information:(1)National University of Natural Medicine, Portland, Ore.; and State University of New York at Canton, Canton, N.Y. (2)National University of Natural Medicine, Portland, Ore.; and U.S. Department of Agriculture, Produce Microbiology Research Unit, Berkeley, Calif.(3)Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Ore.(4)National University of Natural Medicine, Portland, Ore.(5)National University of Natural Medicine, Portland, Ore.; University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, Calif.; and Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia.

(4) American Academy of Pediatrics, October 19, 2021

(5) Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2021 Nov;45:101462. doi:10.1016/j.ctcp.2021.101462. Epub 2021 Jul 29.Effectiveness of Yoga Nidra in reducing stress in school going adolescents: An experimental study. D'souza OL(1), Jose AE(2), Suresh S(3), Baliga MS(4).Author information:(1)Department of Psychiatric Nursing, Father Muller College of Nursing, Mangalore, Karnataka, 575002, India. Electronic address: ovine.dsouza@gmail.com.(2)Department of Psychiatric Nursing, Father Muller College of Nursing, Mangalore, Karnataka, 575002, India.(3)Department of Community Medicine, Father Muller Medical College Hospital, Mangalore, Karnataka, 575002, India. (4)Father Muller Medical Research Centre, Mangalore, Karnataka, 575002, India. Electronic address: msbaliga@gmail.com.

(6) Int J Yoga. 2018 Sep-Dec;11(3):245-248. doi: 10.4103/ijoy.IJOY_39_17.Effect of Yoga-nidra on Adolescents Well-being: A Mixed Method Study. Vaishnav BS(1), Vaishnav SB(2), Vaishnav VS(3), Varma JR(4).Author information:(1)Department of Medicine, Pramukhswami Medical College, Karamsad, Gujarat, India.(2)Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Pramukhswami Medical College, Karamsad, Gujarat, India.(3)Department of Electronics, Sardar Patel University, Vallabh Vidyanagar, Gujarat, India.(4)Department of Psychiatry, Pramukhswami Medical College, Karamsad, Gujarat, India. CONTEXT: Adolescent well-being is a priority area for health-care interventions in the 21st century. Yoga-nidra is an ancient Indian method of enabling individuals to attain a positive state of deep physical, mental, and emotional relaxation. The practice produces a state of simultaneous relaxation and detachment resulting in inner awareness and release of stress on all planes of one's being.

(7 )Int J Yoga. 2018 Sep-Dec;11(3):245-248. doi: 10.4103/ijoy.IJOY_39_17. Effect of Yoga-nidra on Adolescents Well-being: A Mixed Method Study. Vaishnav BS(1), Vaishnav SB(2), Vaishnav VS(3), Varma JR(4). Author information:(1)Department of Medicine, Pramukhswami Medical College, Karamsad, Gujarat, India.(2)Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Pramukhswami Medical College, Karamsad, Gujarat, India.(3)Department of Electronics, Sardar Patel University, Vallabh Vidyanagar, Gujarat, India.(4)Department of Psychiatry, Pramukhswami Medical College, Karamsad, Gujarat, India. CONTEXT: Adolescent well-being is a priority area for health-care interventions in the 21st century. Yoga-nidra is an ancient Indian method of enabling individuals to attain a positive state of deep physical, mental, and emotional relaxation. The practice produces a state of simultaneous relaxation and detachment resulting in inner awareness and release of stress on all planes of one's being.

(8)  Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2017 Aug;28:4-8. doi: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2017.04.001. Epub 2017 Apr 4.Psychological effects of yoga nidra in women with menstrual disorders: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials.Kim SD(1).Author information: (1)Department of Nursing, College of Health Science, Kangwon National University: 346 Hwangjo-gil, Dogye-eup, Samcheok-si, Gangwon-do 245-907, Republic of Korea. Electronic address:nu11110@kangwon.ac.kr.DOI:10.1016/j.ctcp.2017.04.001

(9 ) Int J Yoga. 2012 Jan;5(1):52-6. doi: 10.4103/0973-6131.91715. Yoga Nidra as a complementary treatment of anxiety and depressive symptoms in patients with menstrual disorder. Rani K(1), Tiwari S, Singh U, Singh I, Srivastava N. Author information:(1)Department of Physiology, CSMMU, Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow, India.

(10) J Altern Complement Med. 2013 Dec;19(12):925-9. doi: 10.1089/acm.2010.0676. Epub 2013 May 6.Impact of Yoga Nidra on menstrual abnormalities in females of reproductive age.Rani M(1), Singh U, Agrawal GG, Natu SM, Kala S, Ghildiyal A, Srivastava N.Author information: (1)1 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chhatrapati Sahuji Maharaj Medical University , Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow, India .

(11)  Int J Yoga Therap. 2011;(21):23-37. Transforming trauma: a qualitative feasibility study of integrative restoration (iRest) yoga Nidra on combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder. Stankovic L(1).Author information:(1)John F. Kennedy University, Pleasant Hill, CA, USA. irest108@gmail.com

(12)  Int J Yoga Therap. 2014;24:53-62.Delivering Integrative Restoration-Yoga Nidra Meditation (iRest®) to Women with Sexual Trauma at a Veteran's Medical Center: A Pilot Study. Pence PG, Katz LS(1), Huffman C, Cojucar G.Author information:(1)9600 Veterans Drive SW, Tacoma, WA 98493.

(13)  J Altern Complement Med. 2012 Oct;18(10):953-8. doi:10.1089/acm.2011.0331. Epub 2012 Aug 6. Yoga Nidra relaxation increases heart rate variability and is unaffected by a prior bout of Hatha yoga. Markil N(1), Whitehurst M, Jacobs PL, Zoeller RF. Author information:(1)Department of Exercise Science and Health Promotion, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, USA.  The objective of this study was to compare the acute rate of HRV responses to YN relaxation alone vs. YN relaxation preceded by Hatha yoga.

(14)  Diedre Fay