Yoga Nidra: Guided Yogic Sleep for Deep Rest

Yoga basics 3 illustrations Updated 2 Nov 2026

Yoga nidra is a guided relaxation done lying down, in which you move your attention through the body and breath while staying in the state between waking and sleep. The name means yogic sleep. Many people use it to rest deeply during the day, to fall asleep more easily at night, and to calm an anxious mind.

This page explains what yoga nidra is, the usual steps of a session, a short script you can read or record, its benefits, and how it compares with meditation and the newer label NSDR.

Meaning: Nidra: sleep. Yoga nidra: yogic sleep
Position: Lying in shavasana, supported
Length: 10 to 45 minutes
Level: All levels
Best for: Rest, sleep, stress and anxiety
Also called: NSDR, non sleep deep rest

What is yoga nidra?

In yoga nidra you lie still and follow a voice, a recording or your own memory of the steps. The body relaxes as if going to sleep, but attention stays lightly awake. Teachers describe this as a state where deep rest and awareness exist together. The practice draws on older tantric relaxation methods and was shaped into its modern form in India in the twentieth century. It is different from yoga nidrasana, which is an advanced folding pose with a similar name.

Yoga nidra in pictures

Yoga nidra position lying on the back with a pillow under the knees and a blanket — Level
All levels
Hold
10 to 45 minutes
Works on
Deep rest
Set up for comfort: support beneath the knees and head, and a light cover, since you cool down as you relax.
**Teacher's cue:** Make yourself so comfortable that you will not want to move.

Body scan during yoga nidra, a figure lying still with relaxed open hands — Level
All levels
Hold
5 to 10 minutes
Works on
Attention
The body scan moves attention quickly from part to part: right thumb, index finger, middle finger, and so on around the body.
**Teacher's cue:** Just name each part in your mind; no need to move it.

Using yoga nidra for sleep while lying in bed under a blanket at night — Level
All levels
Hold
10 to 20 minutes
Works on
Sleep
Yoga nidra for sleep can be done in bed. If you fall asleep, that is fine; the practice did its job.
**Teacher's cue:** Let each breath be slower and heavier than the last.

Yoga nidra steps: how to do yoga nidra

Preparation: lie in shavasana with props and settle for a minute.
Intention (sankalpa): repeat a short positive sentence three times, such as I am calm and steady.
Body scan: move attention rapidly through each body part.
Breath awareness: count breaths backward from 27 to 1.
Opposite feelings: recall heaviness then lightness, warmth then coolness.
Images: picture simple scenes named one after another.
Intention again: repeat your sankalpa.
Return: move fingers and toes, roll to the side and sit up slowly.

A short yoga nidra script for beginners

Read this slowly into your phone and play it back, pausing a few seconds between lines.

Lie down and let the body be heavy. Notice the floor holding you. Make a simple wish for yourself and say it silently three times. Now bring attention to the right hand: thumb, first finger, second finger, third finger, little finger, palm, back of the hand, wrist, forearm, elbow, upper arm, shoulder. Now the left hand, in the same order. Feel the right leg, the left leg, the back, the belly, the chest, the face. Feel the whole body at once. Now count your breaths backward from eleven to one. Feel the body heavy. Feel the body light. Repeat your wish. Slowly move your fingers and toes, and when you are ready, roll to one side.

This shorter yoga nidra for beginners takes about ten minutes. Full sessions add more detail and last 20 to 45 minutes.

Yoga nidra benefits

Small studies suggest yoga nidra may improve sleep quality, reduce stress and anxiety symptoms and lower perceived fatigue. Some trials in women with menstrual difficulties and in people with insomnia report encouraging results. Benefits of yoga nidra people describe include feeling as rested as after a nap, an easier time falling asleep, and less tension in the body. It is a support for wellbeing, not a treatment for sleep or anxiety disorders, which need a doctor.

Yoga nidra for sleep and anxiety

For yoga nidra for sleep and anxiety, practise once in the afternoon or early evening for 20 minutes, and use a shorter yoga nidra guided meditation for sleep in bed if you wake at night. Combine it with slow breathing such as bhramari and the routine on yoga for sleep. If anxiety is severe or you have had trauma, a guided practice with a trained teacher may suit you better than recordings.

NSDR, yoga nidra and meditation

NSDR yoga nidra refers to non sleep deep rest, a modern label for short, secular versions of the same practice. Compared with seated yoga meditation, nidra asks for less effort: you lie down and follow instructions, which makes it easier for tired or restless people. Many practitioners use both.

Practise on an empty stomach, move slowly into each position and stop at any sharp pain. If you have an injury, a health condition or are pregnant, check with a doctor or an experienced teacher first.