Yoga Nidra – Feel Like 3 Hours of Sleep From 30 Minutes of Relaxation!

Yoga Nidra is a deep relaxation similar to a few hours of sleep. How is that possible? You will discover that in this blog!

Yoga Nidra has not been known for very long in the Netherlands, but has recently become very popular among practitioners and yoga studios. Not so strange, because it is a unique form of yoga that really stands apart from other practices. Why? We’ll explain that to you!

What is Nidra Yoga?

The word comes from Sanskrit and literally means: connection of sleep. This form of yoga is a deep relaxation of about half an hour, but comparable to several hours of deep sleep. A kind of power nap while you’re awake! During these sessions you will visit every body part and really go into depth. This would activate all your senses and at the same time you would draw your senses more and more inward. Many enthusiasts see it as a remedy for burnout, high blood pressure, headaches and a bad night’s sleep. According to them, it also helps you to experience the transition from wake to sleep more pleasantly. Sounds almost too good to be true!

Yin Yoga Nidra

Yin Yoga Nidra is a great combination of these two increasingly popular yoga styles. Such a session often starts with yin yoga, where you relax your body and mind. This is about peace and surrender. Each asana targets a specific part of the body to remove resistance in that area. You remain in this position for about three to five minutes. The class then often ends lying down, with a deeply relaxing Nidra Yoga session.

Benefits of Yoga Nidra

While practicing this form of yoga, hormone glands are said to be affected, causing them to secrete hormones that would help relax, improve the body’s self-healing ability, reduce pain and make you feel better about yourself. In addition, stress hormones such as Coritsol would be cleared. Normally this happens when you are dreaming at night, but during Yoga Nidra this process is accelerated. Because a session would help break down stress hormones at a rapid pace, it would affect many other complaints associated with stress, such as:

• Indecision
• Nerves and fears
• Breathing problems
• Bad night’s sleep
• Lethargy and lack of energy
• Negative and depressed feelings
• High bloodpressure
• Headaches and Migraines

Who is Yoga Nidra Meditation for?

Whether you are in your twenties or well over eighty: Yoga Nidra is for everyone. The nice thing about this form of yoga is that you don’t have to be flexible at all. Every experienced and inexperienced practitioner can do this form of yoga, because a session is mainly automatic and unconscious. Even if you do not suffer from any of the above complaints, Yoga Nidra can be a surprising addition to your daily activities. In this form of yoga you are guided through different experiences, instead of having just one focus, as with meditation. Your consciousness is always moving. In general, this form of yoga provides more energy, balance and inner peace. By doing such a session regularly, you would get the feeling of getting back into your flow and getting more in touch with your feelings.

Yoga Nidra Exercises

Here in the west, we mainly practice yoga by holding different poses or asanas. In Yoga Nidra there are almost no poses. In many cases, the Yoga Nidra asana is just lying down. Nevertheless Nidra yoga exercises are a powerful tool. All you need is a yoga mat and maybe a yoga pillow or yoga bolster for comfort. There aren’t many things that are so simple, but still could have such a big effect on your overall health.

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Yoga Nidra Sleep Meditation

Even though you don’t really sleep during such a session, sleep and Yoga Nidra are closely related. Yoga Nidra can do a lot for a good night’s sleep. This form of yoga is said to stimulate the natural day and night rhythm and ensure a better quality of sleep.

During such a session you would end up in a state between sleep and wakefulness. In this you could release certain tensions without falling asleep. You make a kind of journey through your body, which helps you to relax so much that you can feel as refreshed as if you have slept. You could enjoy the physical benefits for hours after the session. At night we would also fall asleep more easily, sleep more deeply and sleep longer. This is due to the reduction of stress hormones and the increase of fine substances such as endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin. That is why many practitioners opt for a game of yoga Nidra before going to sleep. Can you blame them?

Yoga Nidra Experiences

We are curious how you use this form of yoga in your life! Many practitioners who start practicing Yoga Nidra, do it happily a few times a week and cannot live without it. Some even call it their secret weapon! And we can imagine that, because everyone could use some balance, focus, and happiness, right? Share your Yoga Nidra experiences in the comments below! We are very curious.

More About Yoga

Do you want to alternate Yoga Nidra with something more active? Then read our blog about Ashtanga Yoga, where you train your strength and endurance! Do you want to add something extra to your yoga session? Then our blog about Yoga Belt Exercises is for you. To get the most out of your asanas, discover our blog about Yoga Block Exercises. Have you always been curious about the Difference Between Yoga and Pilates? There are more than you think! All your knowledge about yoga starts with Spiru!

Which form of yoga do you prefer to practice?