Yoga nidra is an easy, fail-proof alternative to meditation – Insider – INSIDER
Posted: February 3, 2021 at 10:54 pm
I only made it to number 16 when counting down from 18 before my focus faded and a dream state settled in.
I caught myself and tried again: 18, 17, 16 ... and off my mind meandered once more. Not to grocery lists or work assignments, but to the type of strange and colorful story threads the mind can only conjure on the edge of sleep.
Could it be working?
I wasn't undergoing anesthesia or hypnosis, but rather a practice called "yoga nidra," a refreshingly accessible alternative to meditation also known as yogic sleep. Philadelphia-based yoga instructor Jake Panasevich told me it's like "verbal acupuncture," and yoga teacher Autumn Adams wrote her husband has dubbed it "advanced napping."
Read more: A sleep expert explains why you're having such vivid dreams during the coronavirus pandemic
Whatever you call it, the practice is linked with loads of mental and physical benefits, and may be especially appealing during the pandemic, as it's a fail-proof way to destress, improve sleep, and ease pain without leaving home.
"It's the easiest thing in the world," yoga nidra teacher Hilary Jackendoff told me, "and it does all of things you hope meditation will provide you with," even, as I someone who neither does yoga nor meditates experienced, on the first try.
Yoga nidra simply involves lying down (or in yoga terms, in shavasana) and letting an instructor live, online, or via a recording guide you through mental exercises designed to move you "from a state of thinking and doing to a state of being and feeling," Panasevich said.
In my case, the exercises, led virtually by Jackendoff who graciously gave me a complementary 45-minute session, included paying attention to the sounds around me (especially those between the car horns and radiator clanking), a body scan, the countdown, and perhaps other techniques that escaped my conscious recollection.
Unlike many forms of meditation, which encourage you to attune your focus to your belly rising and falling, for instance, or to the soles of your feet connecting with the earth yoga nidra invites you to lose focus and sink into deep mental, physical, and emotional relaxation.
"In deep sleep, there's no awareness. We don't know how much money we have or who our partner is," Jackendoff told me. "In yoga nidra, we're moving to that deep state of sleep, and that's a very freeing experience."
It's also freeing to know you can't really do it wrong. You can do it for five minutes or an hour, daily or whenever you need a reset.If you remain mindful and don't fall into the zone between sleeping and waking, "there are tons of benefits to be gained," Jackendoff said. If the opposite happens and you fall asleep, that's a good thing as well.
These days, "we are fundamentally exhausted and if people are tired, they need to sleep," said Jackendoff, adding that when she offered in-person yoga nidra classes, it wasn't uncommon for people to snore.
Often, though, people don't go to the either extreme and rather "slide between different states of awareness," she said.
That was true for me. At the start, my mind was quite awake, wondering for instance how I'd write about my yoga nidra experience if I couldn't remember it. Since in fact I don't recall it all, I may have fallen asleep at some point. But I do know the body scan drew me into that semi-conscious sweet spot, and left me feeling zen hours after the session closed.
Research has linked yoga nidra with reduced stress and anxiety, with one study, for instance, showing its anxiety-reduction benefits among college professors were superior to those of seated meditation.
Another showed it improved heart rate variability, essentially teaching the body to turn off the fight-or-flight stress response and settle into the "rest and digest" response of the parasympathetic nervous system.
Read more: 12 ways to cope with coronavirus anxiety, according to psychologists
The list goes on: It seems to help improve sleep by prepping your brain to fall into it, make up for lost sleep by maximizing time in the brain's most restorative state, prompt creativity and deeper self-discovery, heal trauma, reduce chronic pain, and may even help control blood sugar in people with diabetes.
But for Panasevich, who's largely substituted his meditation practice with yoga nidra during the pandemic, one of the biggest perks is simply the chance to lie down and be told what to do.
"Our whole culture is based on focus and getting more done, and 'you're not doing enough,'" he said. "For me, it's permission to deliberately disengage."
Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. It indicates a way to close an interaction, or dismiss a notification.
See the article here:
Yoga nidra is an easy, fail-proof alternative to meditation - Insider - INSIDER
- 7 types of meditation: What type is best for you? - February 13th, 2021
- How to Meditate with Anxiety - Mindful - February 13th, 2021
- A Beginner's Guide to Meditation | Learn the Basics of How ... - February 13th, 2021
- 12 must-know meditation tips for beginners - February 13th, 2021
- 11 Best Meditation Apps 2021 - Free Meditation Apps for ... - February 13th, 2021
- New Jersey | Vipassana Meditation Center Dhamma Dhar - February 13th, 2021
- Loving-Kindness Meditation | Practice | Greater Good in Action - February 13th, 2021
- Meditation | UMD Health Center - February 13th, 2021
- Movement, Meditation & White Space: Health Coach Says Give These A Try When Facing Pandemic-Related Stress - CBS Denver - February 13th, 2021
- Qigong Meditation: For Beginners, Techniques, Benefits, and More - Healthline - February 13th, 2021
- MasterClass Announces Class on Mindfulness and Meditation - Yahoo Finance - February 13th, 2021
- Doctor's Order: There is power in meditation - Daily Herald - February 13th, 2021
- Smart Health: I Tried MindTravel's Silent Walking Meditation and It Reignited My Zeal for Mindfulness - Everyday Health - February 13th, 2021
- Columbia wellness studio hosts night of art and meditation - ColaDaily.com - February 13th, 2021
- Shark self care: Meditation | The Current - The Current - The Student-Run Newspaper of Nova Southeastern University. - February 13th, 2021
- This Netflix meditation series calmed my anxiety and kicked off my family's meditation journey - Motherly Inc. - February 13th, 2021
- Amazing Benefits of Morning Meditation - Gildshire Magazines - February 13th, 2021
- Nomadland: Read The Screenplay For Chlo Zhaos Meditation On The American West - Deadline - February 13th, 2021
- The art of sitting still: Tri-state residents embrace meditation practices amid pandemic - telegraphherald.com - February 13th, 2021
- Meditations for Hitting the Pandemic Wall | Seriously? - North Coast Journal - February 13th, 2021
- Meditation Market 2021 | Covid-19 Impact Analysis and Industry Forecast Report Till 2027 | Simply Better Apps, Smiling Mind, Inner Explorer KSU | The... - February 13th, 2021
- Find peace in troubled times with Northwich meditation centre - Northwich Guardian - February 13th, 2021
- LaKeith Stanfield on 'Judas and the Black Messiah': I should've done some meditation, and some therapy, to prepare for something like this' - Yahoo... - February 13th, 2021
- 10 different types of meditationand which one is right for you - Gwinnettdailypost.com - February 3rd, 2021
- The Best Meditation Apps to Download Right Now - HarpersBAZAAR.com - February 3rd, 2021
- Meditation Market In-depth Research Covering Share Analysis, Industry Overview and Forecast | Key Players Simply Better, Apps Smiling, Mind Inner... - February 3rd, 2021
- How to Start a Meditation Practice if You Hate Meditating - WebMD - WebMD - February 3rd, 2021
- Five meditation apps that can help your child to relax - The Indian Express - February 3rd, 2021
- 5 Best Meditation and Yoga Gear You Can Buy From Uneedum - Kev's Best - February 3rd, 2021
- Meditation, the highest sadana - The Hindu - February 3rd, 2021
- Taking the Edge Off Best Meditation Apps for 2021 - Parentology - February 3rd, 2021
- Ask an Expert Relax and de-stress with meditation - Cache Valley Daily - February 3rd, 2021
- Hunter McGrady on How She's Taking Care of Her Mental Health During the Pandemic - POPSUGAR - February 3rd, 2021
- Review: 'The Dig' Is a Gentle, Hazy Meditation on the Fragility of Life and the Ways It Lingers On - ourcommunitynow.com - February 3rd, 2021
- Starbucks Is Offering Rewards Members Free Meditations To Pair With Their Coffee Break - Delish - February 3rd, 2021
- I Couldn't Stay Still and Focused, So I Started Meditating on the Move Here's How - POPSUGAR - February 3rd, 2021
- Wellbeing webinar: improved brain function via meditation - Epigram - February 3rd, 2021
- Kevin Hart And His Comedian Friends Want You To Meditate With Them - TheThings - February 3rd, 2021
- Student org promotes peace and mindfulness through meditation - The News Record - February 3rd, 2021
- Starbucks Offers Rewards Members Free Meditations To Go With Their Coffee | 106.7 Lite fm - iHeartRadio - February 3rd, 2021
- Cindy Crawford on Turning 55, Upping Her Meditation Game and the Under-Eye Product She Stores in the Fridge - NewBeauty Magazine - February 3rd, 2021
- Meditation Chime Sales Market Projections, Growth Rate, Challenges, Opportunities and Forecast by 2026 | Woodstock Chimes, TM Thamelmart For Beautiful... - February 3rd, 2021
- Kevin Hart Invades Headspace And Your Meditation Will Never Be The Same - Forbes - January 25th, 2021
- From Harry Styles to Kevin Hart: New Content Studios Are Selling Meditation and Sleep With Stars' Help - Hollywood Reporter - January 25th, 2021
- Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson has his own way of meditatinghere's what he does - CNBC - January 25th, 2021
- A Chance Meeting In Bali Sparked This Celebrity-Favorite Meditation Brand - Forbes - January 25th, 2021
- Just breathe: How meditation is helping the world keep calm and carry on through lockdown - The Sunday Post - January 25th, 2021
- Healthier Together: meditation for stress relief - fox13now.com - fox13now.com - January 25th, 2021
- Samantha Akkineni enjoys bliss post her meditation session; Tells fans to make it a part of their life - PINKVILLA - January 25th, 2021
- Filling Our Hearts with Love Through Meditation - TAPinto.net - January 25th, 2021
- The science behind meditation - COVER - COVER - COVER - January 25th, 2021
- Sven Tennis Day 9 Hard Lockdown at the Australian Open Meditation, Spin Class and the Power Shot Maker - 10sBalls - January 25th, 2021
- New Deep Learning Discovery Paves Way for AI Interpretation of Brainwave Data - PR Newswire India - January 25th, 2021
- Orgasmic meditation - What is orgasmic meditation? - cosmopolitan.com - January 25th, 2021
- Meditation Market With COVID 19 Impact Analysis| Leading Players In-depth Analysis Research Report Foresight to 2027 KSU | The Sentinel Newspaper -... - January 25th, 2021
- A beginner's guide to meditation - RTE.ie - January 25th, 2021
- Whats The Buzz NY - Mark Stephens Author , Hypnosis and Meditation Master - BlogTalkRadio - January 25th, 2021
- How Headspace is helping users cope using meditation amid COVID-19 - Yahoo Finance - January 25th, 2021
- Global Meditation Singing Bowl Professional Survey 2020 by Manufacturers, Regions, Types and Applications, Forecast to 2026 - KSU | The Sentinel... - January 25th, 2021
- 'Promising Young Woman' crackles and burns as a meditation on revenge and grief - North Texas Daily - January 25th, 2021
- How Will Global Yoga And Meditation Accessories Market React from 2021 Onwards? NeighborWebSJ - NeighborWebSJ - January 25th, 2021
- Mindfulness Meditation Application Market by Manufacturers, Regions, Type and Application, Forecast To 2026 Breethe, Stop, Breathe& Think,... - January 25th, 2021
- Global Meditation Singing Bowl Market Size, Share and Revenue Strategy 2026 NeighborWebSJ - NeighborWebSJ - January 25th, 2021
- Designing a Meditation Room That Supports Your Mind, Body, and Soul - California Herald - January 25th, 2021
- An Unexpected Meditation on Aging and Human Connection in THE MOLE AGENT on POV, Monday, January 25 at 9:30 pm - WOUB - January 25th, 2021
- Global Yoga And Meditation Accessories Market 2020: Trends, Market Share, Industry Size, Growth, Opportunities Analysis and Forecast to 2026 Murphy's... - January 25th, 2021
- Make it through 2021 with one of these top-rated meditation apps - New York Post - January 19th, 2021
- Covid-19 accelerated the worlds embrace of meditation apps - Quartz - January 19th, 2021
- 10 Best Places for Guided Meditation Online in 2021 - Healthline - January 19th, 2021
- What meditation app is best for you? - Quartz - January 19th, 2021
- Focus on mental wellness in 2021 with these five meditation apps | TheHill - The Hill - January 19th, 2021
- How Headspace and Calm led the boom in meditation apps - Quartz - January 19th, 2021
- Musical Meditation and Celebration of Tu B'Shevat - jewishboston.com - January 19th, 2021
- Meditation for the Masses | The 21st Show - WILL News - Illinois Public Media - January 19th, 2021
- Im a Meditation Teacher, and This Is How I Use 5 Minutes To Let Go of Something Each Day - Well+Good - January 19th, 2021
- Why Wellness and Meditation Apps Need More Diverse Voices (Literally) - Well+Good - January 19th, 2021
- Muse S review: meditation and sleep wearable is no dream come true - Wareable - January 19th, 2021
- Sounds of silence & some noise make for the perfect meditation at "Angelic Roots" - WDJT - January 19th, 2021
- I started hosting daily meditation sessions on YouTube: How an assistant professor at U of T is helping himself (and his subscribers) get through... - January 19th, 2021
- I Recommend Meditation: The Headspace Series On Netflix Will Help - knue.com - January 19th, 2021