It is no secret that we live at a stressful time. From personal crises to culture clashes, it’s a wonder more of us don’t check out and walk away from it all. But that’s the resilience of the human spirit. We press on no matter what. But couldn’t we do it with a little less stress? Perhaps. I have a suggestion: releasing stress through yoga nidra.
I know doctors tend to recommend a change in diet, exercise, and lifestyle. All those things are good and necessary. But what if they don’t help relieve your stress? What if you improve your sleep routine, take some time for yourself every day, and do all the other things they recommend to no avail? I am back to my original suggestion: yoga nidra.
No ‘Right’ Way for Everyone
I am smart enough to know that there isn’t a single ‘right’ way for everyone to deal with stress. So just like not every stressed-out person can find inner peace through diet and exercise, not everyone who tries yoga nidra will succeed. But the practice is still at least worth trying if you are stressed out and unable to deal with it in any other way.
Scott Moore is a yoga nidra expert and international yoga educator. He explains that yoga nidra is a guided meditation practice that leads a person to a deep state of relaxation while remaining fully conscious. The word ‘nidra’ actually means ‘sleep’. At the height of a yoga nidra session, you’re somewhere between being fully awake and fully asleep.
Yoga nidra is all about self-awareness. You start in a comfortable position, usually lying down, and then proceed with the help of a guide. Your guide can be with you in the same room or available through a video or app. Regardless, the guide leads you through various stages including breath awareness, body scans, and visualization. The ultimate goal is to reach a heightened sense of relaxation and profound rest.
How It Helps With Stress
The mere goal of achieving a state of enhanced relaxation can do wonders for relieving stress. But there is more to it than that. For example, how you reach that state of relaxation matters.
Moore says that yoga nidra engages the parasympathetic nervous system. In simple English, your brain shifts from a ‘fight or flight response’ – which is its natural state – to a ‘rest and digest’ state. The result is a lower heart rate, reduced blood pressure, and the release of physical tension.
In addition to nervous system response, yoga nidra also reduces stress hormones. In a relaxed state, your body produces less cortisol – the hormone most associated with stress response.
Mental, Emotional, and Physical Benefits
From a mental standpoint, yoga nidra helps quiet the mind. It makes you more aware of your own thought patterns so that you can stop the mental chatter. You become self-aware; you no longer need to worry or overthink things.
Emotionally, yoga nidra creates a safe space for you to observe and process your own emotions. With enough practice, you can learn to control your emotions so that they do not lead you to stressful situations.
Finally, yoga nidra encourages muscle relaxation through systemic body scanning and visualization. As relaxation increases, your body is encouraged to produce more serotonin and melatonin. You might even begin sleeping better as a result.
There are lots of ways to reduce stress. Yoga nidra is a good one. If you are stressed out and don’t know how to deal with it, take a look at yoga nidra. It could be your superhero.
