There are different poses of yoga that provides good and effective results to the body. There is another style of yoga that can make you feel relaxed. It is a 45 minute session that would make you feel like that you have indulged in a peaceful three-hour nap.
If you are someone who is looking forward to the best and easiest method of yoga to get rid of stress from your life in the best way then you should definitely try to opt for yoga nidra. This would help you in getting the ultimate result where you never have to worry at all.
About yoga nidra
Yoga therapist says that yoga nidra is like a meditation but it is not. There are lots of key differences and also overlaps as well. Your main goal is to move into a deep state of conscious awareness sleep that proves to be a form of deeper state of relaxation along with awareness.
This is practice is very structured where it is guided like some meditation practices. This yoga helps in going past the unconscious to the conscious. This type of meditation helps in making it possible in getting the theta state. This is the state that helps in getting to the delta state. So, this is the place of the deepest sleep cycle that is possible from yoga nidra.
What are the benefits of yoga nidra?
Performing yoga nidra helps in working with the autonomic nervous system. It is important to understand that the autonomic nervous system helps in regulating the processes of the body that happens to take place without much conscious effort such as breathing, heartbeat, digestion, and blood flow. You need to know that this system also includes both sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.
When we perform meditation, it helps a lot in calming the sympathetic nervous system. Both the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system gets balanced overall for digestion, immunity, and stress management. The pineal gland is activated in this deeper relaxation that leads to the release of the hormone melatonin. It should be mentioned that melatonin proves to be a very powerful antioxidant that helps in managing blood pressure, immune function, cortisol levels and induce restful sleep.
A study was conducted recently where it was found that while both yoga nidra and meditation were effective in reducing stress and anxiety. But yoga nidra proved to be more effective when it comes to reducing anxiety. Yoga nidra also helps to reduce both physiological and cognitive symptoms of anxiety.
10 steps of a yoga nidra practice
There are 10 steps of yoga nidra practice which are as follows:
1. Connect to your heart’s deepest desire
Make sure to focus on a lifelong goal or something that happens to relate to your health. You need to build the best effort to visualize reaching this goal and then try to feel the joy that comes with accomplishing it in the best way.
2. Set an intention
You should try to look forward to thinking as to why you are practicing. You need to get centered and also try to put some self-care on the schedule. You do not have to worry about the reason and make sure to keep it at the forefront of the yoga nidra practice.
3. Find your inner resource
Here you need to tap into a safe space within the body. This would make you feel secured when you practice in the best way.
4. Scan your body
You might be asked in focusing on certain parts or sensations during a body scan throughout the body. The goal of this is to help in reducing tension so that you can relax in the perfect manner.
5. Do become aware of your breath
You should try to pay good attention to how air is flowing in and out of your body. It is also important to make sure of taking good note of how it comes in your nostrils and how your abdomen rises and falls. By doing so, it would help a lot in slowing down and breathing evenly.
6. Welcome your feelings
No matter even if you had a rough day, do try to embrace it. Make sure not to ignore the tough stuff, but you should try to recognize it as well.
7. Witness your thoughts
As mentioned in the step six, you have to make sure of observing your thoughts in the moment without trying or to block them out. If you have any negative thoughts about yourself surface, then you need to make sure of thinking about the positive side of things in order to ease tension.
8. Experience joy
If you happen to start feeling blissed out, do try to embrace it and then let it wrap around your body.
9. Observe your “self”
You need to make sure of being aware of your personality and how you might be feeling. It means your sense of “I-ness.” You then need to consider yourself an observing witness. This would help you in waking up more aware and in tune with your feelings.
10. Reflect on your practice
Once you finish it, you need to think about how you feel and also about what you were able to tap into during your session. You also need to make sure of thinking about as to how you can bring the peace. Never try to rush out of your practice. Make sure to take a few minutes to transition back into the waking state of life.
Summary
Yoga nidra can prove to be quite beneficial that can make you get the ultimate benefits and provide you with deep sleep. You should make sure that you consult with your doctor before you start yoga to stay on a much safer side.
