By Dawn Schaefer-Stumpf — Last Updated: February 11, 2025

“I’m exhausted.” “I can’t sleep.” “I’m overwhelmed.” “I feel like…well, I don’t feel like myself!” These are phrases I hear daily. In today’s fast-paced world, experiencing stress, anxiety, depression, and body aches is as common as crossing the street. Overwhelmed, many people are turning to alternative healing practices like Yoga Nidra, an ancient meditation technique that offers profound benefits for mental, emotional, and physical well-being. Often called “yogic sleep,” Yoga Nidra is growing in popularity among yoga practitioners and therapists for its ability to heal.

The Healing Potential of Yoga Nidra: My Personal and Professional Experience

When I first encountered Yoga Nidra, I had a healthy dose of skepticism. “How can simply lying down and listening lead to healing?” It didn’t take long for the practice to show its benefits. A couple of years ago, I struggled to sit in Sukhasana (cross-legged position) due to surgery from an old dance injury. I was embarrassed to have one knee shooting nearly straight up, and I felt literally stuck! While I continued diligently with physical therapy, I added the practice of Yoga Nidra. After the first one, I sat up to find that my hip had opened, allowing my knee to move four inches closer to the floor. Over time, my hip became more flexible, far faster than if I’d relied solely on PT.

Professionally, I’ve seen similar transformative results in my clients. Some have found stress relief, while others experienced healing from trauma. One such client comes to mind. “Charlie,” a 42-year-old mother navigating the emotional strain of a divorce while raising a child on the autism spectrum, came to me feeling lost and depleted. Overwhelmed and not sleeping, Charlie was in a tough place. I introduced Yoga Nidra as a tool for healing, recording a couple of short practices for her to use between sessions. She emailed the day after her first session to say she had actually gotten a night’s sleep. Within two weeks, she experienced significant improvements in stress levels, emotional resilience, and an overall sense of well-being. Charlie reported improved sleep, reduced anxiety, and a deeper connection with her child. This transformation underscores Yoga Nidra’s ability to help people cope with life’s overwhelming challenges by shifting the nervous system from “fight or flight” mode (sympathetic) to a restful “rest-and-digest” state (parasympathetic).

How It Works: Yoga Nidra and the Layers of the Self

Yoga Nidra is effective because it addresses the whole person through the koshas, a concept from traditional yogic philosophy. The koshas are five interconnected layers of the self:

Annamaya Kosha: the physical body – awareness of bodily sensations

Pranamaya Kosha: the energy body – breath regulation

Manomaya Kosha: the mental body – observations of thoughts without attachment

Vijnanamaya Kosha: the wisdom body – connection with inner wisdom

Anandamaya Kosha: the bliss body – experiences of peace

Yoga Nidra works through all these layers, promoting relaxation and healing at every level of our being. My PT was simply focused on the physical body (Annamaya Kosha). By engaging with all five koshas, Yoga Nidra provides a holistic approach to healing.

Research and Modern Applications of Yoga Nidra

Yoga Nidra’s benefits are supported by modern-day research. Dr. Richard Miller’s iRest® (Integrative Restoration) method has shown that Yoga Nidra can help reduce symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, depression, and chronic pain. Dr. Miller, a clinical psychologist and researcher, believes Yoga Nidra allows individuals to access the unconscious mind, releasing trauma and deeply held stress.

Studies show that Yoga Nidra can lower cortisol (the stress hormone) while increasing serotonin and dopamine, neurotransmitters linked to happiness and well-being. Many therapists and psychologists now incorporate Yoga Nidra into treatment plans for anxiety, depression, trauma, and sleep disorders, helping clients to tap into the body’s natural healing capacity and develop mindfulness.

An Invitation: Yoga Nidra Is a Practice for Everyone

Rooted in ancient yogic philosophy and backed by modern research, Yoga Nidra is a powerful practice for overcoming stress, emotional turmoil, and physical exhaustion. While it is highly beneficial in therapeutic settings, it’s a practice that anyone can embrace to enhance their overall well-being. In a world where stress and fatigue are common, Yoga Nidra relaxes the body, calms the mind, and heals the spirit. It is a holistic approach to emotional and physical healing that offers a transformative pathway to greater happiness, health, and inner peace.

Are you interested in a little more peace and greater happiness for yourself or your yoga students? Are you a therapist or psychologist seeking a new modality to offer your clients? I invite you to join us for one of our Yin Yoga and Yoga Nidra classes, or perhaps you’re ready to dive deeper by registering for the Yoga Nidra training at Green Lotus Yoga and Healing Center.

Dawn Schaefer Stumpf, BS, MS, E-RYT 500, RYT 500, YACEP, C-IAYT

Dawn (she/her) began practicing yoga more than 30 years ago at Saint Olaf College where it couldn’t be called yoga. How times have changed! She earned her 200- and first 500-hour certifications at Green Lotus. She believes in the power of cultivating joy and lives by the mantra, lokah samastah sukhino bhavantu, which translates as, “May all beings be happy and free and may the thoughts, words, and actions of my own life contribute in some way.” Her advanced training includes Yoga Therapy, and she is a certified LifeForce Yoga for Anxiety and Depression instructor and Yoga Calm for Children instructor. Dawn teaches yoga history, philosophy, and pranayama in Green Lotus’s 240-hour teacher-training program.

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