As life gets more hectic, people are looking for ways to step back and relax. Yoga is one option. But for some people, it involves too much of a time commitment. Perhaps they don’t know about something known as 10-minute yoga nidra.
We all have busy schedules, right? It can be tough on most days just to take 30 minutes for a quiet lunch. How on earth could we schedule in time for yoga nidra? If you can spare 10 minutes – perhaps during your morning or afternoon coffee break – you can glean some of the benefits yoga nidra offers.
Yoga Nidra’s Basic Principles
Internationally known yoga nidra expert, Scott Moore, explains that the practice is a meditative practice designed to encourage a state of consciousness that is somewhere between waking and sleeping. He says it is often referred to as ‘yogic sleep’. Yoga nidra is often practiced with a guide, but it can be practiced alone.
As for 10-minute yoga nidra, it is simply a condensed form of traditional practice. Its goal is to help the practitioner relax and distress. Like its more traditional counterpart, 10-minute yoga nidra can be a guided experience led by an instructor.
Key Aspects of 10-Minute Yoga Nidra
Moore says that ten-minute yoga nidra is built on some of the same key aspects of the more traditional practice. Those aspects are as follows:
- Relaxation – Relaxation techniques designed to promote a deeper relaxation of both body and mind help reduce stress and anxiety.
- Body Scanning – Body scanning is the practice of systematically relaxing different parts of the body. It can take some getting used to.
- Controlled Breathing – Breathing techniques designed to enhance relaxation help things along. It also can make practitioners more aware of their surroundings.
- Short Duration – It should be obvious that 10-minute yoga nidra offers a short duration built in. The idea is to maximize the benefits of the practice in a brief amount of time.
If you believe in the benefits of a 10-minute power nap in the middle of the day, consider 10-minute yoga nidra. It is based on the same principle. You might even find that a brief yoga nidra experience works better for you than a power nap.
Potential Daily Benefits
The primary motivation for practicing 10-minute yoga nidra is to relax and de-stress. But are there other benefits to it? Absolutely. Although every person has a different experience, it’s not uncommon to hear practitioners report:
- Physical Relaxation – In addition to releasing the mind from anxiety and stress, the practice seems to promote physical relaxation. Yoga nidra helps to release built-up tension that can make a person physically uncomfortable.
- Improved Emotional Regulation – Practitioners frequently report better emotional regulation. They are less likely to feel depressed, threatened, etc.
- Better Self-Awareness – A big part of yoga nidra is becoming more self-aware. This encourages self-reflection and a deeper connection with one’s inner self.
I have heard reports of 10-minute yoga nidra practitioners sleeping better and experiencing enhanced cognitive function. Both make perfect sense. When a person can reduce his daily stress and anxiety, a lot of things change. As it turns out, that is the whole point.
Most of us would give anything to be able to relax more and stress less. For some, the best stress reliever is a warm blanket and a good book. For others, it’s a golf game or a fishing trip. Still others prefer eastern meditative practices like yoga. If yoga interests you, you might look into 10-minute yoga nidra. While effective, it is also easy to fit into your busy schedule.
