Yoga Nidra is often called “psychic sleep” or “deep relaxation with inner awareness”
Yoga Nidra is a structured practice to induce deep physical, mental, and emotional relaxation. The term comes from two Sanskrit words: “yoga,” meaning “yuj” or union of conscious awareness, and “nidra,” meaning sleep. While practising Yoga Nidra, the body appears asleep, but the mind remains alert at a deeper level of awareness. This is why it’s often called “psychic sleep” or “deep relaxation with inner awareness.” In this state, between sleep and wakefulness, one naturally connects with the subconscious and unconscious mind.
Previous studies have shown that meditation-based interventions, such as Yoga Nidra can significantly impact stress and well-being among different individuals. Building on these findings, an 11-minute Yoga Nidra meditation is designed at ‘ojasmind.com’ to fit into busy daily schedules for those with limited time for breaks. Something that has been adapted directly from the results of a Scientific study.
Yoga Nidra for Anxiety management and Healing sleep disorders
There are sections in this article where I’ve explored the results taken from many scientific researches carried out to monitor and prove the effectiveness of Yoga Nidra in helping the practitioner gain a better state of mindfulness and in anxiety management.
Clinical studies have demonstrated that Yoga Nidra meditation is linked to beneficial physiological changes, such as improvements in haematological variables, red blood cell counts, blood glucose levels, and hormone balance. Additionally, some neuroimaging studies have shown that Yoga Nidra influences endogenous dopamine release and cerebral blood flow, providing further evidence that its effects on the central nervous system are measurable and objective.
Reducing stress and improving well-being and sleep quality doesn’t always require costly programs with large resources. Even a short Yoga Nidra session can effectively disrupt the mind’s unproductive autopilot mode, helping individuals become more aware and present in the moment, where reality truly occurs—the here and now.
The practice has also been shown to reduce mild depression and anxiety, as measured by psychometric tests. The positive impact of Yoga Nidra can be due to its ability to reduce hyperarousal. Excessive worrying is a key factor in sleep disorders, regular practice demonstrates Yoga Nidra to specifically help with worry-related sleep disturbances.
Ancient Scriptures and Modern Yoga Nidra
In Patanjali’s Raja Yoga, there is a state called pratyahara, where the mind and awareness withdraw from the senses. Yoga Nidra is a form of pratyahara that helps guide the practitioner toward deeper levels of concentration and ultimately, samadhi (higher consciousness).
Modern Yoga Nidra is attributed to Swami Satyananda Saraswati, the founder of the Bihar School of Yoga. However, its exact origins remain somewhat uncertain, though the concept has continued to evolve steadily. A yoga practitioner may experience Yoga Nidra during the deep sleep state called “prajna” (wisdom).
Indeed, meditation-based interventions and their administration cannot be the same for everyone or every situation. This is why, customized meditation practices are adapted to suit those who may be inclined to try them, allowing more people to experience positive effects. This could help individuals relax and focus on personal growth and fulfilment, whether at home, work or on-the-go. Over time, these adaptations—whether through seminars, workshops, or brief meditation sessions like the one offered at ‘ojasmind.com’—could foster a lasting mindful mindset.
Yoga Nidra for Mindfulness therapy
This technique can be used in many ways: for deep relaxation, stress relief, therapy, helping people learn better, balancing the unconscious mind, unlocking inner potential, and as a form of meditation. When done properly, this practice becomes very powerful and can be used in many ways to develop memory, increase knowledge and creativity, or transform one’s behavioural and thought patterns. Scientific studies have found a significant effect in increasing mindfulness among the meditation group who regularly did Yoga Nidra for 30 days. This suggests that Yoga Nidra, as a form of mindfulness meditation, indeed enhances mindfulness.
You can also learn more about ongoing research on Yoga Nidra- its clinical effectiveness and many benefits, online via genuine scientific study platforms. It is a simple and scientifically proven method to help anyone fully relax mentally, emotionally, and physically.
References drawn from, but not limited to;
1. Satyananda Saraswati, S. (2016). Yoga Nidra (4th ed.). Munger: Yoga Publications Trust
2. Moszeik, E.N., von Oertzen, T. & Renner, KH. Effectiveness of a short Yoga Nidra meditation on stress, sleep, and well-being in a large and diverse sample. Curr Psychol 41 (2022).
3. Pandi-Perumal, S.R., Spence, D.W., Srivastava, N. et al. The Origin and Clinical Relevance of Yoga Nidra. Sleep Vigilance6 (2022).
