
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.

Studies confirm that the pineal gland hormone, melatonin, is a powerful agent in helping prevent illness, retard premature aging, reduce stress, induce more restful sleep, boost the immune system, and promote healing.

Benefits of Yoga Nidra meditation practice:Physical improves the quality of your sleep and the amount of your sleep reduces your chronic pain suffering soothes your autonomic nervous systemMental enhances your mental focus and attention span improves your creativity and whole brain functioningEmotional gives you more ease and peace of mind in daily life helps create new neural pathways in your brain leading to healthy habits & routinesModern science now confirms what yogis discovered thousands of years ago: that focusing on the Third Eye reactivates hormones located in the pineal gland in center of the brain. You are guided through a series of breathing exercises and simple instructions. Yoga Nidra is practiced in a comfortable lying down position. The app is a complete offline Yoga Nidra Guided meditation. Yoga Nidra is a yogic way of relaxation and mindfulness.
