Discover the restorative power of deep rest with yoga nidra
When you have persistent or chronic fatigue, life can feel tough. Waking up tired and not knowing if you can get through the day is stressful. You may worry that if you overdo things today, you will pay for it tomorrow and before you know it, you find yourself feeling anxious a lot of the time.
People keep telling you - like you didn’t already know - that rest is essential to your recovery, but it’s so much harder than people seem to realise. When you are trying to rest, watching TV or reading a magazine, there’s a constant niggle at the back of your mind and that stops you from really resting.
It’s quite understandable to feel this way and I know as I have been there. But and it’s a BIG but, it doesn’t help your recovery.
This is why a practice of deep rest is so important and yoga nidra can help with this. With practice, yoga nidra could help you to more fully relax, feel less anxious and more positive about becoming the old you again.
I love yoga nidra for so many reasons; it requires no effort at all but it helps me to find a peaceful and safe space within me, which really helps me to feel more calm, alert and energised.
I think it is a wonderful practice to have in your chronic fatigue recovery tool box and with the help of this blog post, you’re going to discover 5 ways a yoga nidra practice could transform your life - and could be exactly the thing you’ve been waiting for.
What is yoga nidra?
I believe yoga nidra to be a practice of deep rest. It’s been translated as yogic sleep, but it is so much more.
I think yoga nidra is a wonderful support to someone who is chronically tired, stressed or anxious as absolutely no effort is required. You just need to find a comfortable place to lie down, keep yourself warm, close you eyes and receive a yoga nidra meditation practice, It is as simple as that.
How does it help?
Because you are lying down and have nothing else to do but focus on your breathing, the 7 stages of yoga nidra can help you to feel calm and you can move into a deeply restful state of altered consciousness where you are awake, aware of who and where you are but deeply relaxed. This is the state that can put your body into the deeply relaxed para sympathetic state (also known as rest and digest) where your body can stimulate its own self healing processes.
When you are out of the fight or flight state, your body’s internal systems like your digestive and nervous systems can function properly and it can help you to feel better . This is why this practice is so good if you have chronic fatigue, where may of your internal body systems aren’t working properly, resulting in problems like fatigue, digestive issues, problems with concentration etc.
It’s been scientifically studied to show that it works
To help with sleep problem, stress, anxiety, depression and pain
Yoga nidra, specifically the iRest school of yoga nidra has been scientifically studied and used by Richard Miller, an American psychologist and yoga and meditation practitioner to help soldiers suffering from PTSD and people experiencing sleep problems, stress, anxiety, depression and chronic pain.
Discover the 5 ways yoga nidra could change your life.
Finding an oasis of peace and calm.
Yoga nidra, specifically the irest school, has been scientifically validated and has shown that it can be helpful for people experiencing anxiety, depression, and chronic pain, symptoms people with CFS commonly experience.
Yoga nidra encourages us to use our breathe, which naturally calms our body and mind, relaxes the muscles and helps us to put our worries and thoughts to one side. This helps us to let go of tension and the brain receives the message you are safe. Once you know you are safe, your body can move into the relaxed rest and digest state and you may find yourself feeling calm and relaxed.
2. Getting that elusive ‘good night sleep’
Sleep disturbances can be a very unwelcome of chronic fatigue – broken sleep or not sleeping or struggling to get to sleep. Yoga nidra has been shown in scientific studies to help people experiencing sleep disorders, by helping your body to feel relaxed and safe. It is used by some people to help you to fall gently asleep, so a great practice to use before going to bed.
3. That all important energy boost
I find that a short yoga nidra practice, which helps me to become calm can help me to feel more energised by the end of the practice. It’s like having a short nap, but you don’t fall asleep (although you sometime s do and it is OK), which can perk you up if you’ve been feeling lethargic or struggling to find the energy to get things done.
4. Thinking more clearly
By feeling less stressed and worried about things, can help you to think more clearly and be able to concentrate better. I sometimes find that it is an amazing practice to do if I need to solve a problem or concentrate on a piece of work. You can sometimes find the answers that are starring you in the face if you weren’t too stressed or anxious to see it.
5. Taking care of you
Yoga nidra is the ultimate in self care for the reasons above. But it can also help us to be more compassionate to yourself, your circumstances and the world about you. I think it is possible to see things differently when we are in the state of deep rest and this can be hugely therapeutic for our body and mind. It can help us to feel more compassionate to ourselves and to others.
It can help you to recognise what you do have in life and to recognise that the fatigue or label of tired all the time or CFS is not YOU.
I know that you can may hate or distrust your body, as you feel it has let you down and is stopping you live the life you want, so this practice can help you to to feel more at peace and may help to change your perspective of yourself.
Saying yes to peace, calm and more energy
I do hope this blog has inspired you to perhaps move out of your comfort zone and try something new. There’s no need to worry that you won’t be able ‘to do’ Yoga nidra, as it requires no effort and is really accessible to most people. I say give it a go and experience its may benefits.
Yoga nidra has made such a big difference to my health and wellbeing. It is my go to practice when In need to decompress, relax or think more clearly.
It is possible to naturally boost your wellbeing and start your recovery journey. Have you been inspired to give it a try?
Your top takeaways
Yoga nidra has been scientifically shown to be helpful for people experiencing anxiety, depression, and chronic pain, symptoms people with CFS commonly experience.
Research has shown that Yoga nidra can help people with sleeping issues.
Yoga nidra is accessible to most people it requires no effort at all -it is practiced lying down.
Yoga nidra can help your body and mind to feel calmer and relaxed, reducing feelings of stress.
Yoga nidra can raises your awareness of you and help you to feel a greater sense of compassion to yourself and others.
Have you been inspired but feel you need some support?
As someone who used yoga nidra, meditation alongside food and herbal medicine to support my recovery, I am in a unique position to understand what you may be feeling. I am committed to supporting your recovery by providing you with a safe space where you will not feel like you are being judged but will be treated with care and empathy.
I help people on a one to one basis, so if you’d like to discuss how working together could help you to kick start your journey back from persistent tiredness, do get in touch.
I offer a free 30 minute discovery call for us to chat about the help you are looking for and how I may be able to help you to feel like yourself again.
The content of this blog is provided for educational and information purposes only and does not constitute personal advice. It is recommended that prior to making any diet, supplement or other lifestyle changes (including exercise regimes), you first discuss these with your doctor or health care practitioner.