CAN'T SLEEP? TRY YOGA NIDRA

TAKE A DEEP BREATH

INHALE PEACE

EXHALE HAPPINESS

- A.D. Posey

Our modern world blurs the boundaries between day and night; between the diurnal and the nocturnal. A staggering and growing number of sleep deprived and caffeine infused individuals is resulting in hormonal imbalances, compromised immune systems, and executive functioning fatigue. 

While sleep research continues to expand and attract the attention of neuroscientists, it is still very much in its developing stages. The research, however, strongly supports that restorative sleep is vital for energy and health. 

Complicating the picture and quite concerning is the direct link between restorative sleep and anxiety.  Going to bed with a head full of mindless mental chatter is not likely to produce a good night's sleep. We've all been there. Shutting off and blocking out the mental noise feel like daunting tasks, making it harder to finally get to sleep, and even harder to remain asleep. 

As restorative sleep decreases,

 feelings of anxiety increase. 

Sleep disturbance is a common health complaint, affecting approximately 10-25% of the general population and pharmaceutical sleep aids remain the first line of treatment for insomnia and other related sleep issues. Although they can be effective, they also have the potential for abuse and cross-reactivity with other medications, as well as a plethora of side-effects. 

How wonderful would it be if there were a natural, brain-restoring method of enhancing sleep that is scientifically supported and easily performed, such as within the comfort of your bed, living room, or even office? There is! Enter the scene —> Yoga Nidra. 

While there is no substitute for a great night's sleep in which you wake up feeling energized and rejuvenated, there is a particular meditation and yoga combo that closely aligns with the benefits of restorative sleep, referred to as Yoga Nidra, or yogic sleep. This type of yoga practice helps place the body into a deep state of relaxation, by transitioning you from beta brain waves to a relaxed alpha state of mind. 

SLEEP & BRAIN WAVES

Your brain operates 24/7 without taking a break. While you're sleeping, there is a coordinated, systematized, and highly productive factory occurring deep within your brain and body whose entire function is to keep you healthy, energized, and alive.  

Sleep is also essential in learning and memory consolidation. Too many days in a row of erratic, sleepless nights and you will report feeling less energized and productive, resulting in a profound and cumulative state of fatigue,  both in body and brain (thinking, problem solving and focusing). The latter challenges belong to the set of skills collectively known as executive functioning. Sleep deprivation negatively impacts your executive functioning skills. 

Brain waves of the various brain frequencies are measured by an electroencephalogram (EEG) test. These waves correspond with Greek letters and are gamma, beta, alpha, theta and delta. Let's take a closer look at these brain waves —> 

GAMMA: Fastest in action and are produced when your brain is intensely focused or attempting to solve a challenging problem.  

BETA: Fast in action and alert, beta waves are produced when your brain is actively engaged in a mental activity and are dominant in the daytime. 

ALPHA: Slower, indicating a reduced arousal in the brain, when you are  physically and mentally relaxed. 

THETA:  Reduced consciousness and mostly observed when daydreaming, meditating, and praying; also observed when in light sleep stage.   

DELTA:  Slowest in frequency, they occur when deeply asleep. 

During sleep and throughout the night, your body and brain are cycling  through rapid eye movement (REM) and non-rapid eye movement  (NREM) sleep. Most are familiar with the "dream" component of REM in that it is in this state that there is more dreaming and body movement, as well as a faster pulse and breathing. Stages 1 through 4 are NREM, and include light and deep sleep cycles, with the deepest being the DELTA waves. All five stages are necessary for restorative sleep to occur. 

NEUROTRANSMITTERS

Neurotransmitters, the brain's chemical messengers or "words", are the language of the brain. They communicate between neurons, also known as nerve cells. Here are some examples of the ones that help us feel better, energized, and/or calm. 

Serotonin: the “feel good” hormone 

GABA: the central nervous system “calming” amino acid

 

Dopamine: the "reward" hormone 

 

Melatonin: the "sleep" hormone

Let's take a deeper look at GABA; short for gamma-aminobutyric acid. The importance of GABA is due to its role as a natural brain relaxant. Using magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging, researchers at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) found that practicing yoga may elevate GABA levels. 

While BUSM's study concentrated on more of the physical aspect of yoga, which can be viewed as a moving meditation (connecting breath with movement), other researchers have found that Yoga Nidra delivers similar results, with a deeper emphasis on promoting sleep. Whereas earlier models of brain circuitry examining the wake-sleep cycles focused heavily on dopamine, we are now finding the foundation of the wake-sleep regulatory system may be attributed to GABA, which then brings the conversation back to yoga's role in relaxation and sleep; with the latter being more specialized in the practice of Yoga Nidra. 

YOGA NIDRA

Yoga Nidra is a type of guided meditation and relaxation method. As stated earlier, it is also known and referred to as "yogic sleep." It induces physical, mental and emotional relaxation while maintaining awareness at deeper levels of consciousness. A regular Yoga Nidra practice has been shown to increase levels of the aforementioned neurotransmitters. 

Traditionally practiced while lying down, it can also be practiced in a seated position, such as a comfortable recliner. Choose the position most comfortable for you. 

If new to Yoga Nidra, perhaps starting with a commitment to a 15-20 minute session, several times per week, may be ideal. In fact, Moszeik, Oertzen and Renner (2020) conducted a study in which they examined an abbreviated form (11 minutes) of Yoga Nidra meditation whose purpose was to evaluate its ability to bring about the relaxation response (without prior meditation experience), within a  busy life-style, understanding the time-restriction reality of many people's lives today. They were interested in knowing whether a short session of just 11 minutes daily for 30 days would derive beneficial results. Follow-up findings (six weeks later) supported its efficacy as participants reported lowered stress, improved sleep, and higher levels of well-being by integrating a short dose of Yoga Nidra into their schedule. 

WHAT HAPPENS DURING YOGA NIDRA?

Whether you are participating on-line (or through an app) or attending a Yoga Nidra class at your local studio, you will be asked to get into a resting position for the duration of the session and the instructor will verbally lead you through guided meditation instructions. Class sessions are typically 30-45 minutes. Bolsters and blankets can also be used if these will help you feel more comfortable. 

You will be guided to internally focus, asking yourself questions such as what you truly want from life, and this will be followed by the invitation to "set an intention."  

Intention setting, or sankalpa (in Sanskrit) is the combination of the words san and kalpa.  San means to connect with your highest truth and Kalpa means vow. Intention drives energy. 

Where intention goes, 

energy flows. 

You will then be guided to focus your awareness on breath, sensations within the body, emotions, feelings, and thoughts;  all the while observing these inner processes, but not becoming absorbed by them. This becomes easier with each subsequent practice. As you feel your nervous system calming, you will, in all likelihood, start to experience the benefits of better and deeper sleep.  

Yoga Nidra helps to promote deep rest and rejuvenation by slowing down brain patterns allowing your body to deeply relax and enter into a sleep-like state while maintaining awareness.

Whether practiced privately or within a group setting, in-studio or on-line, the benefits are plentiful. Yoga Nidra can be practiced by anyone, regardless of flexibility, fitness level, age, or prior experience with meditation or yoga. 

ADDITIONAL BENEFITS OF YOGA NIDRA

1.    Reduces symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression.

2.    Improves immune system. 

3.    Improves executive functioning, especially attention span and focus.

4.    Increases energy. 

5.   Expands creativity. 

REFERENCEs

Boston University. "Yoga May Elevate Brain GABA Levels, Suggesting Possible Treatment For Depression." ScienceDaily,  22 May 2007

Moszeik, E.N., von Oertzen, T. & Renner, KH. Effectiveness of a short Yoga Nidra meditation on stress, sleep, and well-being in a large and diverse sample. Curr Psychol41, 5272–5286 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-020-01042-2

Saper CB, Fuller PM. Wake-sleep circuitry: an overview. Curr Opin Neurobiol. 2017 Jun;44:186-192. doi: 10.1016/j.conb.2017.03.021. Epub 2017 May 31. PMID: 28577468; PMCID: PMC5531075.

PROCEED AS IF SUCCESS IS INEVITABLE

The information presented in this blog is intended for general knowledge and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment. As with most things in life, there isn't a magic pill or "cure-all" but there are strategies to help regain control of your life.

If you enjoyed this article and would like to read more, then let's connect:

 FACEBOOK: Marie Therese Rogers

 Atlantic Behavioral Health Professionals

 Life in Focus

 LINKEDIN:  Marie T. Rogers, Ph.D. 

 INSTAGRAM: Mariethereserogers

TO ORDER:

AMAZON

BARNES & NOBLE

BookBaby