A full day of work and a busy schedule brings loads of stress and exhaustion. It definitely needs deep relaxation. We all deal with two types of stress, i.e. physical stress and mental stress. Don’t take fatigue as an easy problem, it’s not as easy as it shows. As per The National Safety Council’s Fatigue Reports, 13% of workplace injuries are caused by fatigue. It is undoubtedly a dangerous byproduct of a disturbed schedule. It is much important to manage it. Let me tell you, How?
But firstly, can you all answer a question? What measures do you take to get away from unnecessary stress and fatigue? 90% of people say by taking a deep sleep or a short nap. Yes, there is no doubt that sleeping or napping will reduce stress but on the contrary, it is also true that it is not a permanent solution. Even, it is not a good option for mitigating mental exhaustion. Sleep can cure your physical stress at some level but when it comes to mental stress, nothing can beat “YOGA”.
Combining the practice of Yoga and the relaxation of a short nap, “Yog Nidra” or “Yoga Nidra” is the one thing which you need to improve the problem of unwanted stress and regular fatigue.
Yoga Nidra is also called Spiritual Sleep or Enlightened Sleep. It is such a state between sleeping and awakening. It is a practice where you go into a mental state of concentration for a short period of time, and your full focus is on all the parts of the body. In other words, it means to stay in a conscious state while sleeping. If someone would feel that how it is possible to wake up in sleep, then their answer is that we live in our own consciousness, which is also sleeping. But this sleep is not of ignorance. This sleep is a path of gaining. Experiencing sleep by being aware is Yoga Nidra.
With the practice of Yoga Nidra Meditation, your mind, body, mind, nerves, senses, etc. relax and you feel peace and relaxation. But how to do Yoga Nidra Meditation? What is the correct way to do this? Let us know in this article about some important facts related to Yoga Nidra. We believe that this post is going to prove to be very informative for you.
Mahabharata, the longest epic in the world also mentions Yog Nidra. You all might be aware of Arjuna, one of the five Pandavas and a great warrior. Do you know; among his uncountable skills, there is one which gives him a name, “Gudakesha”. “Guda” is another word for “Sleep” in Hindi. Arjuna conquered sleep that’s why he is known by this name.
Chapter 10, Verse 20 of The Bhagavad Gita says,
अहमात्मा गुडाकेश सर्वभूताशयस्थितः।
अहमादिश्च मध्यं च भूतानामन्त एव च।।
Meaning: Shri Krishna said to Arjuna, “O, the conquerer of Sleep, Arjuna; I am in all, in past, present and future. I am also present in the soul of every being.”
What does it mean to conquer sleep?
To conquer sleep means that you are not bounded by the sleep cycle. Arjuna takes sleep of around 10-15 minutes in a day which feels like complete sleep for all. He gets the same relaxation that one gets after a long deep sleep. In this way, he is able to practice his skills and manages to remain calm and composed even in the worst situations. This quality of Arjuna makes him a great warrior and further helps in winning Mahabharata War.
In other words, to conquer sleep means to get a complete relaxed sleep even after napping for a short period of time.
Arjuna is able to do so with his practice of Yog Nidra.
From this, we also get to know that “Yog Nidra” is a way of conquering sleep. If you are feeling exhausted and do not have much time to relax, then yog nidra can help you and that too in a few minutes. It brings freshness and energy inside you. Giving just a few minutes to yoga nidra practice, you can get the comfort and same feeling of getting hours of sleep. Yog Nidra not only provides you with physical relaxation but with the practice of it, your mind, body, mind, nerves, and even senses get relaxed and you feel peace and comfort.
How to do Yog Nidra?
- Lie down on a yoga mat in Shavasana or Corpse Pose.
- Close your eyes and take a deep breath to relax.
- Transfer your attention to body parts. Start with the right foot, hold for a few seconds and then move upper to the right knee, right thigh, hip, and then right leg.
- Practice the same for the left leg.
- In the same way, move your attention to all parts of the body one by one like the genital area, stomach, navel, chest, shoulder, arm, throat, face and then at last to the top of the head.
- Take a deep breath and feel the sensation inside the body.
- Relax for a few minutes.
- Slowly move your attention to your surroundings.
- Turn to the right side and lie in that position for a few minutes.
- Do the same for the left side.
- Relax and eliminate thoughts from your mind.
- Whenever you feel open your eyes slowly.
Benefits of Yog Nidra
- Yog Nidra strengthens memory power. It reduces physical and mental tiredness as well which in turn works in increasing the focus and memory of the mind. Also, it is the finest practice in curing many psychological disorders.
- Yog Nidra is highly beneficial when it comes to curing Heart Diseases, Headaches and Stress.
- The regular practice of yog nidra balances the hormones in the body offering you optimum health.
- Yog Nidra is also proven beneficial in curing Diabetes and Blood Pressure.
- Yog Nidra is the way to overcome a disturbed sleep cycle.
- Yog Nidra is best in improving blood circulation of the body by providing the right amount of oxygen.
- Yog Nidra can be done with the purpose to relieve joint pain.
- Yog Nidra increases the energy level of the body.
- Yog Nidra relaxes the body and mind.
- Yog Nidra is the right way to relax muscles after doing an exercise or a workout.
Note: The blog is written with the purpose of making you aware of Yoga Nidra or Yog Nidra. If you want to start the practice, it is advised to first take a class by a well-known school or a professional teacher.
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