My Journey with a yoga nidra 30 minutes Practice
Honestly, my head seemed like a browser that had 100 tabs all the time. Among the deadlines of the workplace, the persistent ringing of the phone, and the overall clamor of the modern world, it seemed that it was impossible to find a place where you can truly relax. I was tired, having insomnia and, my anxiety was in control. I had done it all: hard exercises, going through social media feeds without a purpose, but none of it was actually able to make me quit.
After that, I learned about Yoga Nidra 30 minutes. It was too good to be true: a serious meditation activity that was to restore me deeply, as I literally simply lay down. Despairing and being a sceptic, I made a commitment to a 30 minutes session daily, over a period of one month. The next thing did not merely bring a minor change, but transformed my relationship with stress and sleep. It is my story, and I want to tell you about it because maybe you are feeling stretched thin and this is the key you need.
What on Earth is Yoga Nidra? (And No, It’s Not Fancy Sleep)
The initial image that came to my mind when I first heard the term yoga nidra was that of complex pretzels. I was so wrong. Yoga Nidra or yogaic sleep is an example of a guided meditation that takes you into a conscious deep sleep. The aim is not to sleep, but to hover in that ecstasy of being in a dream between waking up and sleeping. This is where your mind and your body have the ability to heal the most.
Imagine it in the following way: your body is put in the most comfortable position, which is usually lying on the back of your body with a blanket and a pillow. Instead, you press play on a guided audio, and a relaxing voice takes you on a methodical guided tour. It is a systematic way of changing your mindfulness in various body organs, focusing on the breath, and experimenting with sensations. The wizardry with the devoted 30 minutes yoga nidra practice is that it provides your nervous system with an exhaustive and entire rest. It is like throwing the switch of your whole body.
The Science Bit: 30 Minutes the Sweet Spot.
Now you may ask yourself, why thirty minutes? Couldn’t I just do ten? I had the same question. It happens that the length is the point in accessing the maximum physiological advantages. Existing scientific studies, among them a well known work of Swami Vivekananda Yoga Research Foundation have indicated that the regularity of 30 minutes Yoga Nidra practice can bring about quantifiable results.
As you practice, your brainwaves start to slow down and go out of the active beta waves of the waking consciousness down to the slow restorative alpha and theta waves. Theta waves are found in deep meditation as well as in light sleep, whereas alpha waves are related to deep relaxation and creativity. This is a transition that requires time in the brain.
A 30 minutes yoga nidra practice is the ideal length of time to sink deeply into each of these restorative states, and stay there long enough that the body starts its natural healing mechanisms, namely: slows the heart rate, lowers blood pressure and decreases cortisol, the major stress hormone. The fact that I would only need to spend the entire half-hour did make the difference between feeling somewhat relaxed and having a paradigm shift in the way I view my baseline anxiety.
My Pre-30-Minute-Reset Life.
Allow me to describe you a picture of my pre-condition. My head was a hamster of what I must and should do. At night, when I was tired but not very sleepy I would lie in bed and have to play talk over the things of the day again and worry about the next day.
I slept lightly and without repose. I became rude with my family members and experienced low-grade tension in my shoulders and jaw. I was aware that I could not carry on in this manner. I was taking coffee in order to wake up and wine in order to relax in an endless loop which was evidently not maintained.
The 30-Day Challenge: What I Did in Reality.
I concluded that there were no longer any excuses. I had made it a point to find a time each evening, about 8.30 PM. I would enter my bedroom where I would switch the lights off and put my phone on airplane mode. I would roll on my yoga mat with a bolster on my knees and a blanket on me- making a small cocoon of comfort.
I watched a couple of various guided 30-minute Yoga Nidra videos on YouTube and apps and a voice that I liked. The rules were quite straightforward: relax and listen to the voice. My wits were roving one day and another. The other days, I had to resist being fidgety. And, aye, I fell asleep. But the advice I continued to receive was the same; there is no bad way of doing this. Your only job is to show up. So I did, for 30 days straight.
The Incredible Shifts: What Got Better 30 Days Later.
The changes did not happen in a day but by the month end it was indisputable.
I Started Sleeping Like a Rock: This change was most dramatic. In week two, I noticed that I was sleeping better and was able to remain asleep at night. The 3 AM alarm calls alarm anxiety simply ceased. I was getting out of bed in a genuinely refreshed manner not seen in years.
My Anxiety Lost Its Grip: The worry-hum had started to die out. I experienced an expanded distance between me and my stressful thoughts. I noticed that I was able to respond calmly as opposed to responding with panic when a work crisis would arise.
I Became More Patient and Present: I was not so much irritable and became more involved in discussions. I recall myself being told by my partner, You appear… lighter. I was. The practice had taught me to go into the present, and that made life seem manageable and much more pleasant.
An Unexpected Boost in Creativity: Some three weeks down the line, I was scribbling down ideas related to a project that I had been putting off. It became like the practice had cleared my mental space so that I could make new and innovative connections.
An Easy Guide to Begin Your 30-Minute Yoga Nidra Practice Today.
It does not entail any special equipment or yoga background. All one requires is a room and a desire to lie down. This is what I want to say as a beginner guide:
Find Your Time: The beauty in an 30 minutes yoga nidra practice is that it is flexible. It is also popular among many people as the first thing of the morning to get the day off on the right foot, or in the early evening to relax. I found it perfect before bed.
Make Your Nest: sit on your back (supine pose) on a yoga mat, your bed, or the carpet. Apply pillows under your knees and head to the maximum comfort. This is to ensure that you are comfortable that you do not feel like moving.
Select Your Teacher: Go to YouTube, Spotify, or one of the meditation apps Insight Timer or Calm and search for 30-minute Yoga Nidra. Experiment with a variety of teachers until you discover a voice that is soothing to you.
Learn to Get Rid of Expectations: Your head will be in the cloud. You might fall asleep. It’s all part of the process. It is the magic in the purpose and the tenderity of turning back to the voice of the guide. There is no failing here.
The most commonly asked questions (FAQs)
Q: I have to be flexible or good at yoga in order to do Yoga Nidra?
A: Not at all! It is also among the most available practices. Your listening directs you wholly, and all you need physically is to be able to get yourself comfortable lying down.
Q: I continue falling asleep during my 30-minute session. Am I doing it wrong?
A: This is the most widespread sort of a problem, but it is not a problem! Sleeping is when your body is in dire need of the rest. You are still deriving a lot of benefit out of the practice. With time as you get restful, you might discover that you spend more time in that awake, conscious state.
Q: What is the difference between Yoga Nidra and meditation?
A: Traditional meditation and both are type of meditation, but traditional meditation usually involves sitting upright and actively training the concentration with either a mantra or by focusing on the breath. Yoga Nidra is a guided practice done in a reclining position, which is a passive method of the nervous system relaxation and reaching the subconscious levels of the psyche.
Q: Am I going to be able to gain out of a single session?
A: Absolutely. A 30-minute Yoga Nidra session would make you feel a lot calmer and more centered. However, consistency is the reward of any skill, as in the long run there are deep, long-lasting rewards such as a rewiring of your stress response.
Q: Does it take that long (30 minutes) to do it? Can I do a shorter one?
A: The short practices (10-20 minutes) are also marvelous to have a quick reset, but they are definitely better than nothing. The entire 30-minute Yoga Nidra practice however is scientifically and anecdotally proven to be the optimal time to go through the entire cycle of the brainwave states and evoke the profound response of relaxation in the body.