Yoga Nidra practice to improve sleep

Can Yoga Nidra replace sleep?

Yoga Nidra has many scientifically proven benefits relating to sleep. For example, it can improve the quality and help you drift off at night much faster. Many practitioners also claim they feel more well-rested after a Yoga Nidra session than a nap. But does this mean that you can replace sleep with Yoga Nidra?

Yoga Nidra cannot replace sleep as the practice does not access all the sleep stages as a whole night’s rest does. However, unlike a short nap, Yoga Nidra does not cause sleep inertia, so it’s beneficial to swap your afternoon snooze for a Nidra session. 

Let’s explore further the differences between Yoga Nidra, a whole night’s sleep, and a short nap.

Different types of sleep

A Yoga Nidra practice can replace a short nap during the day but not a long night’s rest as they are two different types of sleep. For your spiritual and physical body to get the rest it requires, you need several rounds of sleep cycles consisting of four individual stages. 

One sleep cycle takes around 90 minutes, and most people need to experience four to six sleep cycles per night. So this is why experts recommend you aim for 8 hours of sleep. 

It’s not that sleeping during the day is not as adequate as at night, as many shift workers successfully switch a night’s rest to a full day’s rest. However, a nap is not long enough to complete even one sleep cycle.

Do we all need the same amount of sleep?

The number of sleep cycles a person needs differs based on various factors. For example, your age and physical activity level can determine how much sleep you require. Namely, an athlete will require more sleep than an average person as their body requires much more recovery. 

How much sleep we we need?

Another factor that determines how much sleep you need is your lifestyle choices. For example, people with well-established spiritual practices, such as experienced meditators, may require less sleep than a regular person. 

As their minds are calm and clear, experienced meditators have a better quality of sleep than people with overactive minds. Highly stressed people often experience sleep disturbances as they go to bed with many thoughts, preventing them from getting a nourishing, deep rest. 

Similarly, if someone eats a raw or clean diet, their digestive system does not have to work as hard as someone who eats lots of processed foods. Thus, with less effort on their digestive systems, they preserve more energy and, as a result, don’t tire as quickly. 

Different stages of sleep

So what are the stages of sleep that we go through multiple times every night? According to science, there are four stages of sleep. Stages 1 to 3 are known as non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, while Stage 4 is rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. 

  • NREM stage 1 is the transition period between wakefulness and sleep. During this stage, your brain waves shift from Beta to Alpha waves.
  • During NREM stage 2, your breathing and heart rate slow down. The brain produces rapid, rhythmic activity bursts as you transition into Theta brain waves. 
  • In NREM stage 3, you experience deep, slow brain waves known as Delta. You experience a deep sleep that enables your body to repair physically. 
  • In REM stage 4, your voluntary muscles immobilize, your brain lights up with activity, and you start to dream. During this stage, your cells continue to repair and rebuild, and your brain cements information into memory.

Why can’t Yoga Nidra replace sleep?

Some people claim that one hour of Yoga Nidra is the equivalent to 4 hours of sleep; however, there is little scientific evidence to back this up. Although Yoga Nidra can take you into Alpha (NREM stage 1) and Theta (NREM stage 2) sleep states, there is little evidence that it reaches the Delta (stage 3 and 4) brainwave state. As a result, it’s most likely that you do not complete an entire sleep cycle in a Nidra practice.

However, if you’re considering taking an afternoon nap to replenish your energy, consider doing a Yoga Nidra session instead. This is especially true if you feel sluggish and groggy after taking a nap. This unpleasant feeling is known as ‘sleep inertia,’ a temporary period of sleepiness and poor cognitive performance when you first wake up. 

This sensation can take up to 90 minutes to dissipate, meaning you cannot just jump back into your day after a short nap. However, Yoga Nidra does not cause sleep inertia, even if you drift in and out of consciousness during the session. As a result, Yoga Nidra is more beneficial than an afternoon nap. Still, it can’t replace the necessary physical rest of a whole night’s sleep.

Is it ok to fall asleep during Yoga Nidra?

Many people find the best time to do Yoga Nidra is at night, so they listen to recordings in bed to help them fall asleep. As a result, they may drift off without completing the eight phases of Yoga Nidra. But is it ok to fall asleep before the session ends, or do you miss out on vital benefits?

As Yoga Nidra takes you into two or three sleep states, it’s natural to drift in and out of consciousness throughout the practice. Some Yoga Nidra teachers may claim that you should stay awake and keep your mind focused on the instructions and that if you fall asleep, the method is less effective. However, in my personal opinion, you shouldn’t force yourself to stay awake during Nidra, especially if you’re using the practice due to its benefits around sleep. 

Therefore, falling asleep during Yoga Nidra is fine if you are using it as an aid to fall asleep and improve your quality of forty winks. This is one of the differences between Yoga Nidra and meditation, as it’s essential to stay awake in seated meditation practices.  

You only fall asleep if you feel relaxed and as the purpose of Yoga Nidra is to enter a deep state of relaxation, surely falling asleep is a sign that it’s working? However, with that being said, if you sleep through the entire session, it might indicate that you need to get more sleep at night.

Final Thoughts

Opting for a Yoga Nidra session instead of a power nap can make you feel fresher and more well-rested. Still, we all need to complete several sleep cycles every 24 hours, and Yoga Nidra cannot compensate for this. Thus, you certainly shouldn’t replace an 8-hour sleep with a 1-hour Yoga Nidra session!