This past weekend, I had the pleasure of attending my first nidra yoga class. This type of yoga is gaining popularity as it is often recommended to adults who have sleep problems. It is one of several forms of mindfulness meditation.
Going into the class, I was already feeling tired — Saturday night my sister hosted a tent party in her backyard. My husband and I had a great time and it was nice to kick back. But frankly, I did not sleep great that night and was looking forward to a nice and relaxing yoga class Sunday.
Nidra Yoga is a guided meditation that helps to relax you at every state of being — on the physical, energy, mental, emotional, and spiritual level. These are your 5 koshas. For those of us who have any stress or anxiety, this can be incredibly helpful. My instructor from Sunday, Michelle Stortz, states that “through the use of breath, awareness, body scanning, healing music and natural imagery” it opens the door to becoming aware of each of your koshas without changing anything. The goal is to set up your own inner sanctuary — to find a state of peace and content.
In the fast-paced world that we live in, having the chance to slow things down to restore the body and spirit is a necessity. And it’s safe to say that we don’t give ourselves the time to do so. In studies, nidra yoga has helped adults overcome insomnia, heart disease, and other stress related illnesses.
Meditation and yoga is certainly something that I will recommend to families whose child has some anxieties around sleep — it helps them to relax after a busy day at school, and helps to clear their mind before making the journey into sleep.
Nidra yoga can be a great option if this is something that your child struggles with. Many audios for nidra yoga can be found online. Find one that your child would like, and that does not take more than 15 minutes. You can do this along with your child to create an example for them to follow.
How did I fare Sunday? Let’s just say that I didn’t quite make it through the whole meditation!
