Yoga Nidra 101 – What It Is And How It Can Benefit You
Yoga Nidra is the state of relaxation of the body and mind, induced by a simple guided practice. People may mistake it as an ‘asana’ or exercise, but it is a psychic state, which the body enters to get rid of stress, anxiety, negativity, and all worldly issues for some time. According to the experts, one hour of Yoga Nidra can give you the same benefits as four hours of deep sleep. It helps detoxify the body, as it enters a state of subconscious relaxation, where the mind is open to the inner thoughts and feelings, giving you the scope to clear inner toxicity. However, it is not that you can practice Yoga Nidra only when your mind is troubled. You can do it anytime you please to give your mind its much-needed rest for growth and healing.
Before we get into the details of what psychic sleep is and how much it benefits the body, you should know what it isn’t and get your mind cleared of all misconceptions related to it. So here goes:
The Myths Around Yoga Nidra Versus the Reality
Myth 1: It is just deep sleep
Although the body is relaxed with a similar experience of deep sleep, yoga Nidra is much more than that. It helps us disconnect from the outside world to reach a dreamless state, where we can channelize our negative thoughts in a positive, productive manner. One becomes more aware of oneself and one’s inner thoughts, which later helps in making decisions and leading your life in a stress-free manner.
Myth 2: It is Similar to a High
Although you may have a similar experience, in the beginning, Yoga Nidra is not equivalent to the high you get after consuming an intoxicating substance. It moves your consciousness into a deeper and more productive state, where you can think clearly without any baggage. And psychic sleep does not give you false hopes or assumptions about your life. Rather, it brings you closer to reality.
Myth 3: You do not need sleep if you practice Yoga Nidra
The two are widely different from each other, even if the terms are similar. Sleep is essential to promote brain health, as well as skin health and other organs of the body. Psychic sleep cannot replace that altogether. So, you need both to lead a healthy and positive life. Besides, Yoga Nidra helps us explore our consciousness positively and calmly and ensures clarity of thoughts.
Myth 4: It Helps Divert your Mind from Negativity
No, it does not. Yoga Nidra increases your mind’s capability to process negative thoughts, like anxiety, stress, depression, anger, sadness, and more, and absorb them completely. Escapism is not encouraged in Yoga Nidra. If you divert your mind from all negative thoughts and feelings, you are not solving the problem but postponing it to come and trouble your mind later. In a state of complete relaxation, your mind is more capable of letting all thoughts (negative and positive) flow through it and get processed and absorbed, thus giving you enormous power over the external happenings. Thoughts are like clouds, and they pass. But if you let your thoughts pass freely through your mind without interrupting its sense of equilibrium, the negativity gets neutralized. That is exactly what Yoga Nidra does. However, you need to practice it properly to get the desired benefits.
Myth 5: It is the Same as Hypnosis
On the other hand, it is better than hypnosis. While with hypnosis, someone else controls your mind and thoughts, and you just follow the instructions, Yoga Nidra gives you full control over your mind. Here, you are the captain of your ship, and your mind follows your orders. You are not just a practitioner but also your own teacher.
Myth 6: It is Peaceful and Full of Bliss
Is life always full of blissful thoughts? No, right? Yoga Nidra is also not. Not all thoughts are positive or stress-free, just like life. As psychic sleep gives you the power to open up to everything that is in your mind, you may feel a little disturbed at first. It will take some time before your mind is fully equipped to process all toxic feelings and neutralize them. So, yes, it is not entirely peaceful but quite beneficial. One thing you should note is, you need not escape from negativity. It is as much a part of your life as happiness. What you need to do is, do not let that negativity affect all your life’s decisions. And Yoga Nidra helps in that.
By now, hopefully, you better understand what Yoga Nidra is and is not. So, now let us explain its benefits to you in detail.
The Inherent Benefits of Practicing Yoga Nidra
By busting the myths above to reveal the truth about psychic sleep, you may already have noted some of its benefits. The following expands on those benefits to give you a clear idea of why you should practice yoga Nidra.
It Reduces Insomnia and Related Issues
An hour of Yoga Nidra regularly can get rid of insomnia and other sleep-related issues. Lack of sleep not only affects your productivity but gives rise to other physiological and psychological problems as well. It may affect your digestive system, rendering it less powerful and also lowers the strength of your immune system. If you practice Yoga Nidra before going to bed every night, your mind will already be in a relaxed state, thus ensuring better sleep.
It Reduces Stress and Anxiety
Chronic stress, anxiety, depression, uncontrollable rage, all affect our nervous system, as well as other parts of the body. The world is already dealing with such problems regularly and it needs no more. Yoga Nidra can help relax the mind by processing all such thoughts and emotions productively. If you think that you can manage stress on your own without any additional practice, you should reconsider. Chronic stress increases the level of cortisol (stress hormone) in the blood, which may lead to untimely fatigue, sleep issues, and even heart attacks. On the other hand, non-abrasive methods like Yoga Nidra can help restore peace without any baggage.
It Helps with PTSD
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, also known as PTSD, affects the lives of 7-8% of people in the US. In other words, these people may experience PTSD at some time in their lives. Yoga Nidra can help reduce trauma and the issues that arise from it to a great extent. No wonder it was recommended to soldiers returning from the war in Iraq and Afghanistan.
How to practice Yoga Nidra
Now, the most crucial part – How to achieve this state of relaxation? It is simple. Follow the steps mentioned below:
Step 1: Lie down on your back and keep your limbs straight. Do not curl up or tighten your body and make sure you are on a smooth surface. You can keep a pillow under your head for support.
Step 2: Close your eyes and choose a clear intention. Think about what you intend to achieve through the practice.
Step 3: Take deep and long breaths. Try to rotate your awareness throughout your body, slowly and steadily. Feel the awareness of every part of your body. It will be like giving a separate identity to each part, as if all of them are different individuals, following the commands of your mind.
Step 4: Think of your body as wholesome existence. Repeat the process until you can feel each part of your body and the space around it, without actually moving.
Step 5: Feel the thoughts passing in and out of your mind at their own pace, without letting them affect the equilibrium you’ve created.
Step 6: Think about your clear intention again.
Step 7: Prepare your mind to reach its normal consciousness now.
Step 8: Move your fingers slowly, take deep breaths and slowly open your eyes. Your Yogic Nidra is complete.
You can also follow the steps mentioned in this video to get a better idea of how to practice psychic sleep.
Wrapping it up
Yoga Nidra is mainly recommended to people having acute sleep disorders, chronic stress, or anxiety. However, even the healthier lot can start practicing it regularly to prevent such issues in the future. We do not know what troubles may befall us, right? So, why not live healthily and stay prepared for what may come?
