Meditation Vs Yoga Nidra
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Meditation has been around for thousands of years. Yoga Nidra is an ancient practice too. And while both meditation and yoga Nidra has been around for centuries, they continue to gain more and more popularity.

If you are not familiar with these practices or practice only one of them, you may find meditation and yoga Nidra to be quite similar.

While the two practices are comparable in some aspects, yoga Nidra and meditation are not the same. Continue reading to learn more about yoga Nidra and what makes it different from meditation.

Meditation Vs Yoga Nidra – What Are The Differences?

Meditation, unlike yoga Nidra, doesn’t have a clear-cut definition. It is a practice that involves focusing the mind on a specific object, sound, activity, or thought. This practice is about training awareness of the present moment, clearing the mind, and slowing down your thoughts.

Meditation is a part of different religious traditions. There are also many different types of meditation, including mindfulness meditation, visualization meditation, chanting meditation, etc.

What Is Yoga Nidra?

Yoga Nidra, also known as yogic sleep, is a type of guided meditation that puts the person into a state of conscious sleep. Yoga Nidra is practiced laying down which allows both the body and the mind to relax.
The recording you listen to during the session of yoga Nidra guides you through states of waking and sleeping, making you fall into a state of deep relaxation and awareness.

How Do You Do Yoga Nidra?

When it comes to the actual practice of yoga Nidra, many people find it to be easier than meditation for two reasons. First, because it is fully guided. Second, because you are doing it lying down.

Here’s how you do yoga Nidra step-by-step.

1. First off, find a guided yoga Nidra session that you like. The recording should be clear and soothing to the ear.
2. Prepare your space. You should be lying down for yoga Nidra. So, prepare a mattress or a mat, a blanket, or anything you feel comfortable lying on. To make your space cozier, you can light a candle, dim the lights, use an oil diffuser, etc.
3. Wear comfortable clothes. You should be feeling fully comfortable to be able to practice yogic sleep.
4. Lie down and stretch out your arms by your sides. You shouldn’t be moving your body when doing yoga Nidra. So, get as comfortable as possible.
5. Close your eyes but don’t squeeze them shut.
6. Take a few deep breaths and try to relax.
7. Listen closely to the instructions of the guided session you are doing. The recording will tell you to rotate your consciousness and focus on different body parts.
8. When doing yoga Nidra remind yourself to remain awake. Become aware of your entire body.
9. When it is time to return to ordinary consciousness start moving your fingers, take deep breaths, and open your eyes.
10. When you are ready, return to a sitting position instead of standing right up. Stretch or do some yoga poses until you are fully awake and out of yogic sleep.

Benefits Of Yoga Nidra
Yoga Nidra has many benefits. Here are some of the key benefits of this practice.

• Better sleep. One of the main reasons why more people start practicing yoga Nidra is that it improves sleep quality. Regular yoga Nidra practices will help you fall asleep faster and not keep waking up at night. By learning how to relax your body and mind, you will be able to improve your sleep schedule with the help of yoga Nidra.

• Reduced anxiety and stress. Helping you get rid of negative thoughts and emotions, yoga Nidra is another effective tool you can use to reduce stress and anxiety. Teaching calmness and promoting deep relaxation, regular yoga Nidra practices are an efficient way to avoid depression.

• Relieved chronic pain. Yoga Nidra sessions give your body time to heal. Reducing inflammation in the body, yoga Nidra can be a complementary practice for treating chronic pain.

• Boosted self-esteem. When practicing yoga Nidra, it is important to set intentions. Setting intentions and practicing yoga Nidra will improve your self-esteem and confidence as well as help promote personal growth.

• Improved memory and learning ability. Yoga Nidra is one of the best ways to clear the mind and create mental space. Thus, it is good for enhancing cognitive performance and improving memory. We recommend you practice yoga Nidra if you have trouble concentrating. By reducing stress and anxiety, this practice helps the brain function a lot better.

How Is Yoga Nidra Different From Mediation?
There are a few key differences between yoga Nidra and meditation. One of the most obvious differences between the two practices is that you do yoga Nidra laying down while the best position for meditation is sitting down. Though you can also practice meditation by sitting and even walking.

The second major difference is that yoga Nidra is a fully guided practice while meditation doesn’t always need to be guided. You choose whether you want to do guided or unguided meditation.

Lastly, yoga Nidra is basically ‘conscious sleep’ while meditating is all about being awake and aware.
Despite the general differences meditation and yoga Nidra have, they can be beneficial for your mental and physical health in a few similar ways.

Both practices can be helpful in reducing stress, anxiety, and negative emotions. Meditation and yoga Nidra also help improve memory and achieve mindfulness.

Additionally, as we have noted earlier in this article, yoga Nidra is an amazing practice to help you tackle various sleep issues. Meditation too helps you relax your mind and body and makes you sleep better.

Can You Do Yoga Nidra After Meditation?
You can practice yoga Nidra at any time of the day. You can do it in the morning and after asanas. Practice yoga Nidra before sleep if you have trouble falling asleep or keep waking up at night.

You can also practice yoga Nidra after meditation. If yoga Nidra doesn’t make you too sleepy, you can even do it before meditation. Yoga Nidra puts you into a deep state of relaxation which can be helpful for meditating.