Contrary to the name, yoga nidra is not yoga, is not a physical practice, but a journey through the layers of the mind to reach the subconscious and undo unwanted patterns and plant the seeds of healing. This is done laying down in a comfortable position for the entirety of the session, this is about relaxation and and stillness.
Each time you practice yoga nidra you’re stilling the waves of the mind through
entry into a conscious deep sleep state. How?
You start with sensing the body and breathing in specific ways in order to trigger
the relaxation response. The relaxation response balances the sympathetic and
parasympathetic nervous systems, and balances the left and right brain. In the
process, your brain shifts from beta, an awakened state with lots of brain activity, to
alpha, a more relaxed state. In alpha, the mood-regulating hormone serotonin gets
released, and this calms you down.
People who spend little time in an alpha brain-wave state have more anxiety than
those who spend more time in alpha. Think of a car: if you want to stop and turn off
the engine, you first need to downshift. Shifting your brain into an alpha state starts
its process of “powering down,” or coming into a rest state with slower, restorative
brain-wave activity.
From alpha, you go into a deep alpha and high theta brain-wave state, the dream
state, REM sleep. In theta, your thoughts slow down to 4 to 8 thoughts per second.
This is where super learning happens. Kids and artists experience a lot more theta
activity in their brains. Emotional integration and release also happen here, and
structures in the brain change.
It’s here that some people sometimes have random thoughts or see images. A
person in theta may see colours or visions or hear the voice of a person talking yet
at the same time not hear this voice. It’s where you being to enter the gap of
nothingness.
After theta, you are guided to delta, where your thoughts are only 1 to 3.9 thoughts
per second. This is the most restorative state, in which your organs regenerate and
the stress hormone cortisol is removed from your system.
When you’re put under anaesthesia, you’re put into a delta brain-wave state. People
in comas are also in a delta brain-wave state, which gives their bodies a chance to
restore their systems. In our culture, very few people are going into the deep states
of sleep like theta and delta on a regular basis, and as a consequence, our bodies
are not powering down and getting the chance to restore themselves. Depressed
people go to beta and alpha states, but rarely go to theta and delta.
From delta, the guided yoga nidra experience takes you down into an even deeper
brain-wave state—one that can’t be reached through conventional sleep. In this
fourth state of consciousness, below delta, your brain is thoughtless. This state is
sort of like a complete loss of consciousness, but you are awake. This state is one of
such a deep surrender, where your consciousness is so far away from the physical
body, that living here every day would be difficult. Not everyone who practices
yoga nidra touches this state, but the more you practice, the more you’ll receive
glimpses of it.
After you touch into the fourth state of consciousness, you are guided back to a
waking state. Again, you couldn’t live in this fourth state, but as a result of touching
into it, you bring a little of its peace back with you to your waking, everyday brain
state. You also are able to rewire your thoughts and emotions because your
subconscious mind in this fourth state is fertile, more open to intentions and
affirmations, than it is when you are in your waking state. As a consequence, in your
everyday life, you begin to rest more and more in the space between emotions and
thoughts, and this resting in this space gives rise to a sense of freedom, where you
are not triggered so much by the stuff in your life.
Plus, in yoga nidra meditation, you are often asked to bring your attention to the
space between your eyebrows—a spot known as the third eye. Behind this spot lies
the pineal gland, and this gland is stimulated when you bring your attention there.
Studies confirm that the pineal-gland hormone, melatonin, is a powerful agent for
reducing stress, inducing more restful sleep, and boosting the immune system,
which helps prevent illness, promote healing, and slow premature aging.
What are some of the benefits of Yoga Nidra?
Stress reduction
Lessens anxiety and PTSD
Improves sleep quality and combats insomnia
Treats chronic pain
Enhances cognitive function
Improves self-awareness and presence
Cleanses and balances the chakras
In the fast-paced world we live in, finding time to truly relax and reconnect with ourselves can feel like an impossible task. Yoga Nidra, or “yogic sleep,” offers a transformative solution to this dilemma. Yoga Nidra is a meditative practice that leads to deep relaxation and is frequently called “yogic sleep.” Despite the name, it’s not about sleeping in the traditional sense but instead entering a state of conscious relaxation between wakefulness and sleep. In this state, the body and mind can access the deeper layers of relaxation, helping you achieve a sense of inner peace, mental clarity, and emotional balance. It is a state of being between sleep and consciousness that’s conducive to deep emotional and physical healing, rewiring your brain, and self-exploration.
According to experts, Yoga Nidra for forty-five minutes is equal to three hours of sleep. So if you’re feeling under-rested and have a long day ahead, Yoga Nidra can help you stay alert and active.
So why not try it, what have you got to loose?
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