A Spotlight on Yoga Nidra (Yogic Sleep) | Lydia Martin
- Lydia Martin
- Apr 21
- 3 min read
What is Yoga Nidra (yogic sleep) and why should you try it?
You may have seen Yoga Nidra mentioned online or in classes and be curious about what this form of yoga is all about. In this blog, our resident yoga and meditation teacher Lydia Martin explains what Yoga Nidra is, what the benefits are and everything you need to know before you start.
What is Yoga Nidra?
Yoga Nidra is a method of deep relaxation that is often referred to as ‘yogic sleep’. It’s a guided meditation that allows you to ‘consciously relax’ the body on a physical, mental and emotional level.
Nidra means sleep in Sanskrit, and the term is generally thought to refer to ‘sleep with inner awareness’, or that magical state between sleep and wakefulness. The practice asks you to draw your awareness inward, away from the world, to create a third state that is separate from sleep and wakefulness.
The benefits of Yoga Nidra
Yoga Nidra has some physical and subtle benefits. It activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which triggers a relaxation response within the body. Yoga Nidra has been known to help:
Reduce muscle tension
Manage stress
Improve sleep cycles
Increase clarity of thought
People achieve their goals
Boost confidence.
It’s also been reported to help with some health conditions such as regulating blood sugar, relieving hypertension, helping with some auto-immune conditions and heart conditions. I haven’t trained in these specific areas, so I won’t cover them in detail here, but if you are looking for advice there I am happy to put you in touch with some experts.
What to expect during Yoga Nidra?
There’s no movement involved in Yoga Nidra, it is most commonly practiced laying down but can also be practiced seated. As long as you are in a comfortable position that helps to facilitate relaxation. You’ll often be asked to set an intention and will then be guided through a body scan meditation to start to get into that yogic sleep like state. As you are guided out and reawakened from your sleep, the guide may play instruments.
It’s advisable to wear warm comfy clothes when practicing and ideally to bring an additional layer or blanket as your body temperature often drops so this will ensure you are comfortable enough to consciously relax rather than worrying about temperature.
Sometimes you may find you fall asleep or drift away during the meditation. Do not worry, there is no wrong way of practicing Yoga Nidra! You’ll get whatever you need from it at any particular time.
Often you’ll be asked to work with an intention in your Yoga Nidra session, which is often referred to as a ‘sankalpa’. A sankalpa refers to a deeper, heartfelt intention, often relating to longer term goals or transformation. It’ll be uniquely personal to you. Don’t be too attached to your intention, find something that feels right for you at that moment.
My journey with Yoga Nidra
When I was first introduced to Yoga Nidra I just could not relax. I was such a tense and stressed person that I found I couldn’t be present. This was a common problem for me – mind racing, jaw clenched, shoulders hunched.
I also used to find intention setting or working with a sankalpa worrying. I would overthink, panic and end up going through a list of things I wanted to achieve to find the absolutely perfect intention, by which time, we were halfway through the session.
The biggest lesson for me was to throw the rule book out the window and just allow myself to be. When I stopped worrying if I would fall asleep, stopped running through my to do list or finding the perfect words to articulate my intention in case someone asked, I started to unravel the magic of this practice.
I hope you are inspired to start your journey with Yoga Nidra. Please let me know how you get along and share your insights with me @yogi_lyd.
If you'd like any more information about offering Yoga Nidra to your organisation, community space or membership, please get in touch.
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