Yoga Nidrasana (Yoga Sleep Pose) is a deep forward bend at the advanced level. In practice, the stretching in Yoga Nidrasana causes muscles to contract and relax. Advanced practitioners enjoy the stillness of this pose with ujjayi breathing. It focuses on the physical strengthening and flexibility of the hips, lower back, spine, and inner thighs. Some of the preparatory poses that can be practiced to achieve this pose are Naukasana, Sethu Bandhasana(Bridge Pose), Halasana(Plough Pose), and Sarvangasana. Yoga Nidrasana stimulates the svadisthana chakra, which governs creativity.
Steps to do Yogic Sleep Pose / Yoga Nidrasana
- Come into the Anandabalasana(Happy Baby Pose), after that breathe in along.
- Keep your knees close to the chest and hold the hands to the feet.
- Now, cross one of your ankles over the other, that is, make a cross and make some space on the knees.
- From here, keep both of your ankles in the direction of the head, use both hands to help the left knee fall behind your left shoulder and the right knee behind your right shoulder.
- Now, push your feet from the top of your head towards the floor.
- Keep your heel in such a way that your head can support it.
- Then bring both hands to your lower back and try to hold them together. In this position, you can look up and stay as long as you can.
Tips for beginners
- Yoga Nidrasana is an advanced asana and hence preparation for this asana has to be done by making the body flexible with a practice of 2 or 3 months.
- Yogic Sleep Pose can be done with a pillow or also with wall support.
- For initial practice, this can also be done with one leg.
Benefits
- Improves blood circulation of your body and stimulates the CNS.
- Stretches chest, lungs, shoulders, throat, upper and lower back.
- Stimulates abdominal organs and improves digestion.
- Strengthens and stretches the bones of the spine, ligaments in the neck region.
- Tones adrenal glands, pancreas, kidney and lungs.
- Provides relief from menopause and menstrual cramping.
Watch out for
- A person suffering from severe back pain should not do this asana.
- If you are a patient of lumbar disc herniation, do not do this asana.
- Do not do this asana if you are a patient of high BP or asthma.
Variations
- Since this asana is an advanced asana, there is no variation particularly for yogic sleep pose.
- Follow up poses for this asana can be Chakrasana(Wheel Pose), Halasana(Plough Pose), Yoga Mudrasana(Psychic Union Pose) or any spinal twists.
