That’s what makes this practice ideal for nighttime meditation.Īs you progress through the four stages of brain wave activity, your physical and mental well-being can improve as stressful thoughts and tension start to fade away. It’s that magical time just before you fall asleep when the body is in deep relaxation while the mind is still reasonably lucid. The ultimate goal is to achieve a hypnagogic state, which falls between wakefulness and sleep. What happens in yoga nidra? It works by gently guiding you through four main stages of brain wave activity: beta, alpha, theta and delta. How does yoga nidra work to achieve a hypnagogic state? This allows you to unwind into various, beneficial brain wave states resulting in deep rest. What’s the secret sauce to this method of self-care? And why do people look to yoga nidra for sleep benefits? What separates this form of meditation from standard yoga classes is that it balances the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems (the “flight or fight” and “rest and digest” parts of the nervous system). Breath awareness and mindfulness are also key aspects to achieving the deep relaxation response that yoga nidra offers. Based on the guided meditation you select, you’re prompted to begin sensing your body for areas of tension.

To practice yoga nidra, you begin by lying face-up on the floor in yoga corpse pose, otherwise known as Savasana. Renowned author, guru, and yoga teacher Swami Satyananda Saraswati perfectly answers the “What is yoga nidra?” question by referring to it as “reaching the border between waking and sleeping states.” Also known as yogic sleep, this meditation practice prompts the body to relax deeply while the mind remains inwardly alert. What are the other science-based benefits of yoga nidra?.How does yoga nidra work to achieve a hypnagogic state?.This state of heightened awareness, coupled with the equipoise of mind that Yoga Nidra promotes, ultimately helps elevate us the higher levels of spirituality where inner wisdom and compassion express themselves effortlessly.

This allows the conscious mind to penetrate into the subconscious realms and simply witness the modifications of the mind with awareness and equanimity so that all attachment and aversion to what IS disappears. As the practice of Yoga Nidra deepens through repetition, you will find that the deeper benefits of Yoga Nidra occur when one remains fully awake throughout the practice.

This deep sleep is natural and perfectly normal in the beginning stages or when energy levels are low, and can be used therapeutically for those that only wish to treat insomnia and other sleep disorders. Though Yoga Nidra is ultimately a technique that focuses on maintaining mindfulness and awareness, in the beginning stages most people fall asleep during the sessions and experience a deep and profound sleep that helps heal both the body and mind.

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