Yoga nidra is often referred to as yogic sleep due to the fact that it promotes a state of consciousness that is somewhere between being fully awake and sleeping. As a sleep meditation teacher, (Yoga Nidra facilitator) I help people take advantage of what Yoga Nidra offers in order to improve their sleep.
Why? Because I know this fundamental truth: we are only as good as the quality of our sleep.
You want to be the best you can be. You want to excel at home, at work, and in any environment in which you find yourself. But the truth is that your ability to excel is impacted by the amount of restful sleep you get. So if you are not getting enough restful sleep, your ability to excel is hindered.
Why Good Sleep Matters
My role as a sleep meditation teacher gives me the opportunity to work with all sorts of people in the States as well as the UK, Europe, Asia, and Canada. One thing I've noticed is that it's easy to find reasons to justify a lack of sleep. But there is no escaping the fact that both the body and mind need rest. And they need plenty of it if a person is to operate at peak performance.
According to the Sleep Foundation, here's what quality sleep can do for you:
Improve your mood by helping you deal with stress better.
Improve your heart health by regulating your blood pressure.
Improve blood sugar regulation, reducing the risks of certain diseases, like diabetes.
Improve mental function, including memory and cognition.
Give your immune system a significant boost.
Help you better manage stress in your day-to-day life.
Improve physical recovery after exercise and/or athletics.
Help you maintain a healthy weight by regulating both appetite and metabolism.
The human body is a fantastic creation capable of doing amazing things. Ditto for the mind. But both mind and body need time to refuel, repair, and rest. All three are the primary benefits of good, quality sleep.
Finding Your Rhythm With Sleep Meditation
The Sleep Foundation's Dr. Abhinav Singh refers to sleep as "a rhythm.” As a musician, I love that comparison. Not only do I agree with this good doctor's assessment, but I also know that finding your own rhythm is one of the keys to consistent restful sleep. And that's one of the things that Yoga Nidra or sleep meditation is all about.
One principle of to facilitate sleep meditation is rhythmic breathing. Sleep meditation practitioners can learn to control their own breathing to help reduce stress and anxiety. This is one of the things that helps them reach a more relaxed state. The rhythm of one's breathing sets the stage for meditation practices that lead to the state Yoga Nidra seeks to find.
Turning to sleep meditation to help find that rhythm can help create a daily sleep-wake cycle that encourages a person to excel. If that's what you're after, I hope you will consider sleep meditation. And as a sleep meditation teacher, I can help.
Tips for Improving Your Sleep
In addition to sleep meditation and yoga nidra, there are other things you can do to improve your nightly sleep. Without getting into detail, they include things like:
Maintaining a regular sleep schedule
Creating a relaxing environment for sleep
Being careful about caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine
Getting regular exercise
Avoiding excessive screen time before bed
Apart from coming to your house and setting up your perfect sleep environment, I cannot help you with all these things but what I can help you with sleep meditation. That is my area of expertise and one I would be happy to share with you. Remember this: you are only as good as the quality of your sleep.