This Powerful Yogic Practice Can Help You Fall Asleep in 5 Minutes
Warning: Don’t do this while driving or operating heavy machinery, or on a roller coaster ride
I have been meditating on and off for over 10 years and in the past 2 years, I have made it a daily habit to meditate for at least 15 minutes a day.
Ideally, I should have achieved an eternal state of bliss by now, like how you feel while sitting on a white sandy beach, sipping a glass of champagne in your all-inclusive holiday package.
Sadly, that’s not how it works.
I too have my moments of frustrations, overthinking, annoyance, and anxiety, however, practicing mindfulness has made me more efficient in dealing with any negative emotions without having an explosive reaction.
For as long as I can remember, I have had difficulty falling asleep, regardless of my emotional state.
It’s like my mind is trained to go into an overdrive, as soon as I get cozy in bed. I find myself in a labyrinth of all kinds of thoughts. Both substantial and mundane.
Why did they kill that character in the XYZ TV show?
What should I have for breakfast?
Am I going in the right direction in my life?
What should I write about next?
Why did I crack that embarrassing joke?
Oh, I shouldn’t have said that to her.
And blah blah blah.
It’s like my mind decides to enter a crowd during a musical concert, right when I’m about to sleep.
But,
This was until I found this unique yogic practice — Yoga Nidra aka Yogic sleep.
“Yoga Nidra is a guided meditation rooted in ancient yogic traditions that follow a systematic relaxation process, putting us in a very relaxed state that is somewhere between being awake and asleep.” -Shelby Harris, PsyD, director of sleep health at Sleepopolis.
Initially, I began with just 10 minutes of Yoga Nidra meditation, but I started noticing a difference in my sleep pattern within a few days.
After a month of doing Yoga Nidra every day, I noticed…
— I was not tossing and turning into bed, to fall asleep,
— I woke up well rested and fresh, even with my 1 year old who sometimes wakes up at 3 AM and wants me to play with her,
— My mind felt deeply relaxed and my body felt lighter after the meditation,
— I could focus on my tasks in a better way and overall I experienced better energy levels throughout the day.
If you’re currently dealing with sleep issues or insomnia, You HAVE to try this. Even if you’re not a fan of meditation. This will feel different, I promise.
And here comes the best part,
Like other meditation practices, you don’t have to sit erect or keep your spine straight to do Yoga Nidra.
Right before you go to sleep, you can lie down on your bed in Shavasana (dead man’s pose and also my favorite Yoga pose)
Just take some deep breaths, in and out.
Put on your headphones and look out for a guided Yoga Nidra meditation on YouTube or any other meditation app.
Close your eyes. And focus.
If any thought pops up, notice it without any judgment and mentally swipe it away as you swipe through reels or TikTok videos.
Notice how your body feels afterward and go to sleep.
Once you get the hang of this practice, it can lead to deep relaxation of your mind and body.
It can effectively silence the constant chatter of the mind and help you sleep faster.
Now I understand, that some of you might come back and say, “Oh I tried it and it didn’t work for me.”
I’ll suggest you to give it some time. Just like any Yogic practice, Yoga Nidra also takes time to show its benefits.
Try it for at least 21 days.
If it works for you, Great! You have now cured your insomnia.
And if it doesn’t. Come back and comment on this story.
I’d love to know why it didn’t work for you and perhaps give some insights.
Yoga Nidra moves us through each layer of our being — physical, mental, energetic, intuitive, and spiritual — allowing us to experience the inner peace that yoga teaches us is always part of each one of us.
While Yoga Nidra is a powerful practice that can lead to emotional, mental, and physical healing when practiced regularly, those who’ve experienced any severe mental traumas or suffer from mental health conditions like schizophrenia must do it under medical supervision.
Below are some of my favorite Yoga Nidra meditations:
10-minute Yoga Nidra meditation by Ally Boothroyd
20-minute Yoga Nidra meditation by Lizzy Hill
30-minute Yoga Nidra meditation by Ally Boothroyd
If you liked this story, do leave a comment and some claps if you like.
I’d love to hear about your experience with Yoga Nidra.
