Yoga Nidra (or yogic sleep) is a powerful technique in which you are guided to relax into an almost sleep like state while remaining conscious. It is is the easiest and most effective way to create a bridge between conscious awareness and your subconscious mind. The practice of yoga nidra is derived from the tantras and was revived by Swami Sivananda in the 1970’s. While this knowledge comes from an ancient wisdom tradition dating back thousands of years it is more relevant than ever in todays modern world.

What to expect in the class:

We will start with some gentle movement to get energy flowing freely in your body. You will then be asked to lie down (supported by pillows and a blanket if you wish) and you will be systematically guided through the practice of yoga nidra. Your awareness will be invited to turn inwards and you may find yourself in the state between sleep and wakefulness, where you body is completely relaxed and your consciousness is functioning at a deeper level. You may find you drift off to sleep for parts of it, that is entirely ok (you still absorb the practice on a subconscious and unconscious level and will experience benefits) however if possible try to stay awake!

The science behind Yoga Nidra

There are many reported benefits to yoga Nidra including:

• Promotes relaxation by activating the parasympathetic nervous system and increasing the amount of alpha-waves in the brain.  Studies have shown that the brain shifts from beta, an awakened state with lots of brain activity, to alpha during the practice of yoga nidra.

• Relives pain by stimulating the pituitary gland to reduce hormones (endorphins and encephalins) these are natural analgesics whose potency far exceeds any synthetically produced drugs 

• It is deeply restorative, physically, mentally and emotionally and energising. 1 hour of Yoga Nidra is said to be the equivalent of 4 hours deep restful sleep. Many people have found that by practicing yoga nidra daily over an extended period of time they have needed less sleep and felt much more alert and energised.

Therapeutic Applications of Yoga Nidra

Yoga Nidra has been successfully used:

• to promote a general feeling of wellbeing
• as a preventative treatment for healthy active people to relieve stress and prevent disease
• to assist people to manage stress, anxiety, depression and neurotic behaviours.
• in rehabilitation and geriatric cases where chronic pain, loss of motivation and depression pose resistance to conventional treatments
• In treating and recovering from addiction (alcohol, tobacco, drugs, sex are often a response to elevated levels of stress).
• As part of a treatment plan to manage many conditions including: cystic fibrosis, diabetes, heart disease, chronic pain, auto immune disease, cancer, menstrual irregularities and even asthma.

Yoga Nidra Research:

The benefits of yoga Nidra, particularly phycological ones, can be difficult to define let alone study, however there have been numerous scientific research projects that demonstrate the success of using yoga nidra in a variety of settings including:

• In a study by the Presbyterian University College Hospital in Pittsburgh (USA) patients reported 81% effective pain relief after 6 weeks yoga Nidra therapy.

• Menninger Foundation Kansas (USA) similarly reported 80% reduction in pain after yoga Nidra therapy in their study subjects

• A large diverse group who practiced Yoga Nidra for just 11 minutes daily for 30 days reported substantial increases satisfaction with life, sleep quality and mindfulness and to substantial decreases regarding stress  (Moszeik, E.N., von Oertzen, T. & Renner, 2020)

• -Yoga Nidra has been widely used to treat PTSD (posttraumatic stress disorder) for veterans in the US with positive results (Stankovic 2011)

• -A study on a group of mental heal clinicians who did one 20 minute yoga practice each week for 8 weeks reported significantly lowered perceived stress at the end of the study (Kyla L. Ferguson 2016 ) .