The practice of mindful sleep known as ‘yoga nidra’ has long fascinated people with its promise to improve mental and physical health. Now, Indian researchers have explored these effects by scanning the brain with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) technology to better understand its significance. Researchers from IIT Delhi, AIIMS Delhi and Mahajan Imaging Delhi conducted this study exploring the underlying neural mechanisms of ‘yoga nidra’, which was published in the international journal Scientific Reports. The study shows how ‘yoga nidra’ practice brings deep relaxation and increased awareness. It also shows that individuals with more experience in yoga/meditation have more significant brain changes during ‘yoga nidra’ practice.
According to a release issued by the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, the study is titled: “Changes in functional connectivity in meditators and novices during yoga nidra practice,” It included two groups: 30 meditators (householders with an average of 3000 hours of experience in meditation and/or yogic practice) and 31 matched novice controls. The study found that the default mode network behaves differently (less connected) in experienced meditators compared to novices. This difference in brain communication patterns helps us understand how ‘yoga nidra’ modulates our brain functions, promoting a state of deep relaxation while remaining aware.
The study found a strong correlation between the amount of meditation and yoga practice done by the participants and the reduction in DMN connectivity during ‘yoga nidra’. In other words, the more hours the participants practiced meditation and yoga, the more changes were observed in their brain activity during ‘yoga nidra’. These results could potentially indicate that experienced meditators have reduced mind-wandering compared to novices, leading to changes in DMN connectivity.
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Researchers behind this study say that ‘Yoga Nidra’ (YN) practice, a meditation technique originating from the ancient Indian tradition, has gained global attention for its potential to improve psychological well-being and health. Despite the growing interest in its clinical applications, a comprehensive understanding of the underlying neural correlates of YN still remains largely unclear.
Literally translated as “yogic sleep practice”, ‘Yoga Nidra’ practice is usually done Shavasana“This is a corpse-like, still position, which distinguishes it from other traditional meditation practices that require a seated, upright posture, thus making it suitable for an MRI-based scanning approach,” the study authors said.
As the researchers involved in this project found, “Yoga Nidra practices use audio-guided instructions that systematically direct the participant’s awareness to different parts of the body, breathing, or mantras, with the aim of inducing a state of profound relaxation that mirrors the calmness experienced during deep sleep, but with conscious awareness as opposed to the self-controlled focus typically associated with focused meditation styles of meditation.”
The practitioner remains in a state of slight withdrawal of the five senses (pratyahara), with four of the senses being internal and only hearing still connected to the instructions. The extraordinary appeal of this technique arises not only from the deep relaxation and conscious awareness it provides, but also as a method of entering the most profound states of meditation (samadhi).
