Yoga Nidra for Sleep
By: Jade MacMillan | RMT
Sleep, oh sleep!
We’ve all had such a love-hate relationship with sleep — it is something that we all need, but it might not come as easily as we would like. Personally, thinking about sleep used to stress me out. It started with not being able to stay asleep and waking up in a panic and stressed state. Eventually, I was unable to fall asleep and that lead to insomnia. My thoughts were forever racing and were constantly full of everything and anything all at once. I started to dread the “winding down before bed” part and would make myself more stressed just thinking about the sleepless night ahead. All of us at some point has experienced the sleepless ‘night brain’, due to anxiety or stress and to address this problem yoga nidra or ‘yoga sleeping’ is a great place to start.
I first practiced yoga nidra during yoga teacher training. At this point, I had just been dabbling in meditation and honestly, it wasn’t coming easily to me. I was struggling with sleep personally and I was told this practice could help. In class we got out yoga mats, blankets, bolsters and anything we needed to be comfortable. As the session started, we were guided to close our eyes, focus on our breath and let go…. Slowly coming back to reality I felt so relaxed. I practically melted into the floor! This was like no other yoga class that I’d experienced before! I decided to change my evening routine to incorporate a 30 minute yoga nidra practice every night for two weeks. What a difference that made! My sleep improved dramatically, my mood got better, I was more aware of my body, breath, thoughts and emotions — I regained control of my sleep.
Fast forward to today, I still practice yoga nidra when I feel I need a little extra help unwinding. Now my bedtime routine consists of meditation music and a light meditation before bed. I’m able to do this now because I have literally trained my body and mind to unwind and come to a place of relaxation and stillness. It takes a lot of effort to sit still and be quiet, but I promise it’s worth it.
What is yoga nidra?
Yoga nidra slows the brainwaves in your mind as you start to drift into that coveted dream-like state. The experience often starts with bringing awareness to the self and the breath to trigger a relaxation response in your body by bringing your sympathetic nervous system which is overstimulated with an overthinking mind. Practicing yoga nidra over time can help reduce over all stress, increase better sleep and even help improve your mood.
How to incorporate yoga nidra into your everyday life:
Yoga nidra is an easy at home practice to do. To get the most out of each practice, it’s suggested to NOT be in bed as you are more likely to fall asleep. Staying in a conscious relaxed state will be more beneficial than falling asleep. (But if you fall asleep there’s no need to worry! You and your body obviously need it.) I suggest trying different sessions with different people to see what exact style speaks to you the most. All you need is something to access the video or audio recording and a comfortable place to lay down. (My favourite app is “insight Timer” available in the app store but you can also check out the yoga nidra practice on Kinetic Living IGTV here.) Some other things to make it extra cozy: blankets, pillows, bolster, eye mask, oil diffuser, or whatever else you think will help you relax and be even more comfortable. About 1 hour before your ‘bedtime’ is the perfect window to practice yoga nidra, but it can be done at anytime. Give yourself a minimum of 30 minutes at least to be able to fully experience the relaxing effects. Try this for a minimum of 2 weeks to notice a difference
If you need some assistance quieting your thoughts, dealing with daily stresses, not being able to sleep or just want some time for yourself (self-care is important!), yoga nidra is a great resource!
-Jade MacMillan RMT
