What Is Yoga Nidra?

Hello somewhat-stressed human, this is your yoga teacher calling, and you need some downtime. And yoga nidra is one of the best ways to get downtime. This practice is a nervous system reset, a healing tonic, and one of the most impactful yoga practices on your stress levels and anxiety.

What is yoga nidra?

In simple terms, yoga nidra is the mother of all power naps, the royal treatment for your exhausted brain cells. Known as yogic sleep or Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR), it’s a magical practice that lets you experience the rejuvenating benefits of deep sleep while remaining fully conscious.

The benefits

By allowing your body to completely relax, you’re also allowing your body the opportunity to repair, unwind from stress, and work effectively. This wonder-practice has been shown to:

• Reduce stress levels
• Improve sleep quality
• Enhance creativity
• Downregulate your nervous system
• Promote improved digestion, circulation, and respiration

How to practice yoga nidra

Anyone can practice this restorative tonic. It just involves resting, probably on your back in a comfortable position, and being guided through a relaxation from anywhere between 10 minutes and 60-plus.

Step 1: Find a cozy spot and snuggle in. Make sure you’re phone’s off, you wont be disturbed, and the lighting in the room is on the lower side.

Step 2: Lie on your back (or in any way that’s most restful to you). Use bolsters, blankets, eye pillows—anything to help you be warm, relaxed, and completely comfortable. This is a good excuse to use that weighted blanket you bought impulsively from an Instagram advert.

Step 3: Follow a guided meditation or use a yoga nidra recording. This is one of our member favourites, but we’ve plenty in our member library to help you make this a regular habit.

Step 4: Embrace the journey, let your mind wander, and allow your body to sink into a state of profound relaxation—think of yourself as a sleepy kitten, nothing else to be doing, nowhere else to be going.

The takeaway

Yoga nidra is a love language you can whisper to yourself. It’s about giving your mind the permission to switch off and your body the chance to reboot, regardless of how hard you’ve worked lately.

Practice this regularly, and I promise it’ll be a total game-changer in how you approach, engage with, and process reality. It might sound like hyperbole, but this practice can profoundly impact relationships, your work, and your health.

Practice and let me know how you get on, I love hearing your stories. If you’d like more inspiration like this, resources, and classes, come join The Yoga Revolution’s inner circle for free. We’re here to help you live more joyfully.