What is The Best Time to Practice Yoga Nidra?
Yoga Nidra, or the sleep of yoga, needs to be practiced when one is awake and present.
What then is the best time to practice yoga, Nidra?
The best time to practice yoga Nidra is when you are feeling energetic. If you are tired, sleep-deprived, or practicing yoga Nidra around bedtime, you would be much more inclined to fall asleep.
Some suitable times to practice include:
- Mornings, after your asana practice,
- Or the end of your workday, before you have dinner.
It is essential to be on an empty stomach, so 2-3 hours after your last meal and to practice at a time when you will not be disturbed and can relax fully.
For those of us who are anywhere in our yoga journey, yoga Nidra gives us a tool for transformation by helping us reprogram our old thinking patterns and build new habits.
Therefore, even if your practice of yoga Nidra makes you fall asleep, being regular will still help you experience its benefits.
In this article, we talk about:
- The best way and how often to practice yoga Nidra
- The benefits of repetition in your practice,
- The best posture to be in during your sessions
- Whether it’s beneficial to practice it in the morning or before sleep
- and also if it can be used as a replacement for rest.
Let us start with how often to practice yoga, Nidra.
How often should I practice Yoga Nidra?
You can practice yoga Nidra as often as you wish. However, for it to have a lasting impact, a minimum of three times a week, for at least 12 – 15 minutes, is recommended. The more frequently and regularly you practice yoga Nidra, the more transformative its benefits will be.
That said, if you find it challenging to practice Yoga Nidra on a given day, rather than struggling with it, it might be better to leave it for that day and resume the next day.
Over time, if you consistently find it difficult to practice yoga Nidra, consider changing habits that could interfere with your energy levels.
For instance, you can reduce your caffeine consumption or do a slower and more restorative asana practice before your yoga Nidra session.
Students often ask whether they should do the same yoga Nidra practice every time or choose a different one. We address this next.
Should I do the same Yoga Nidra practice every time?
Doing the same yoga Nidra practice builds familiarity and helps to experience the entire session at higher levels of awareness.
When you know what to expect, there is additional trust, which enables you to let go and relax more deeply.
Choose a script that you can connect with; things to keep in mind are length of the practice, kind of practice – you might feel more inclined towards a guided journey that is either more spiritual or intellectual, the voice of the teacher, and its alignment with your intention.
Before moving on to a different yoga Nidra script, it might be good to experience the benefits of the one you are using.
What is the best posture to practice Yoga Nidra in?
Yoga Nidra is traditionally practiced lying down on your back in Savasana or corpse pose. However, if it feels better, you can practice yoga Nidra lying down on your side or even sitting. Another option is to place blankets underneath your knees to support your back if you are in savasana or between your thighs or knees if you are on your side.
You must be comfortable when practicing yoga Nidra.
If the body is not at rest, it will be difficult for the mind to focus on the practice.
If lying down does not feel good, you can sit on a chair, your back supported but straight, and your feet placed firmly on the ground.
Use as many props as you need to make sure you are warm and relaxed.
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Can you do Yoga Nidra in the morning?
Mornings are an excellent time to practice yoga Nidra because the body and mind are relaxed after waking up from sleep. The day has not yet begun, and there are fewer distractions, making it easier to practice. Also, if you have had an adequate sleep, there is a much lower probability of falling asleep while practicing.
If you plan to practice yoga Nidra in the morning, start with an asana practice.
Doing asanas before yoga Nidra will ensure that the body and mind are not passive.
While it helps for the body and mind to be rested, sluggishness will interfere with the ideal way for yoga Nidra to be practiced, which is with complete presence and wakefulness.
Can I do yoga Nidra before sleep?
To reap the real benefits of Yoga Nidra, which is inner transformation and spiritual awakening, it must be practiced when you can be fully awake. From that perspective, immediately before sleep might not be the best time to practice yoga Nidra.
On some occasions, you can do yoga Nidra before as an aid to sleep.
If you have sleep debts, which means you are carrying forward the baggage of not having had enough sleep, yoga Nidra might be helping us fall asleep as a tool for relaxation.
Until the body and mind learn to relax and sleep well, practicing yoga Nidra for that very purpose is excellent.
In the larger scheme of things, yoga Nidra helps us access the highest state of consciousness, also known as Samadhi – the ultimate aim of yoga.
A conscious practice, where there is awareness, is the route to this freedom.
This means that right before bedtime can give us relaxation but might not enable conscious relaxation that is effortless and spiritually uplifting.
But…
Can yoga Nidra Replace sleep?
Yoga Nidra is not a replacement for sleep. It is a state of conscious relaxation which is practiced while being awake. However, by virtue of it being a practice for deep relaxation, it can help you fall asleep.
Parting thoughts
The most helpful advice when it comes to yoga Nidra, and other yoga practices, is to not strive for perfection.
The intent behind yoga Nidra, which is to use for self-awareness, change, and spiritual advancement, is sufficient to advance in one’s practice.
If you are looking for a guided yoga Nidra practice, this video is a great track in the voice of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, an Indian yoga guru and spiritual leader and founder of the Art of Living Foundation.
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