Yoga Nidra
Also known as: Yogic sleep, NSDR
Sanskrit: योग निद्रा, from yoga ('union') and nidra ('sleep').
Yoga Nidra, or 'yogic sleep,' is a structured, guided relaxation practice performed lying down, moving attention systematically through the body and breath to reach a state between waking and sleeping. It is used for deep rest, stress reduction, and, in some traditions, subtle-body exploration.
Despite the name, the goal of Yoga Nidra is not to fall asleep but to remain quietly aware while the body rests as deeply as it does in sleep. A typical session follows a set sequence: a resolve (sankalpa), a rotation of awareness through the body, breath awareness, and often visualization, before a gentle return to full waking alertness.
The practice follows a structured sequence, a resolve set at the beginning and end, systematic rotation of awareness through body parts, breath awareness, and often visualization, guiding the practitioner toward a state between waking and sleeping while remaining quietly aware throughout. Research using EEG has found Yoga Nidra practitioners can maintain measurable alpha and theta brainwave activity, associated with relaxed wakefulness, even as the body shows signs of deep physical rest, distinguishing it from simply falling asleep during the practice.
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Related Terms
Pranayama
Pranayama is the yogic practice of consciously regulating the breath, using specific ratios of inhalation, retention, and exhalation to influence the nervous system, mind, and vital energy (prana). It is the fourth limb of Patanjali's eight-limbed yoga and a foundation of most yoga and meditation traditions.
Meditation
Meditation is a family of practices that train attention and awareness, typically by focusing on a single object such as the breath, a mantra, or bodily sensation, or by cultivating an open, receptive awareness of whatever arises. Traditions vary widely, from concentration practices to open monitoring and loving-kindness meditation.