When Sleep Is Not Enough: A Yoga Nidra For Tired Days

Some nights our sleep is light, restless, or interrupted. When that happens, the body and mind often carry fatigue into the day.

This 28-minute Yoga Nidra practice is designed to gently restore the nervous system and replenish your energy even if you didn’t sleep well.

Often called “yogic sleep,” Yoga Nidra guides you into a deeply restorative state between waking and sleeping. In this practice we move through a classical sequence.

Many people find that Yoga Nidra can feel as restorative as a nap while allowing the mind to remain aware.

This practice is especially supportive:
• after a poor night of sleep
• during times of stress or fatigue
• when you need restoration but don’t have time to nap

Come exactly as you are. Even if your mind wanders, the practice is working.

Let the Earth hold you while your body remembers how to restore itself.

Transcript

Welcome to your yoga nidra This practice will help you find restoration after a poor night's sleep Find a comfortable place to lie down Maybe add a blanket for warmth and comfort Allow the body to settle into stillness Let the legs extend naturally Arms resting at your side Or you can rest them on your belly and chest Now gently close your eyes Take a long, Slow inhale And let it out with a sigh This is your time to rest There's nowhere else to be Feel the weight of your body being held by the surface beneath you Support it In yoga nidra, We plant a simple intention A sankopa The sankopa for today's practice is I am rested and well Infused with the energy of the earth Repeat this silently to yourself three times Now begin turning your attention inward Losing their attachment to meaning Simply hear them come and hear them go Notice the temperature of air on your skin Allow that sensation to fade slightly into the background Rest in the darkness behind the eyes Let the eyes become quiet Like you are turning down the dial of the atma Coming into the center of you Bring awareness to your breath With its own natural rhythm As if it's rocking you to sleep Now as we move our attention through the body Let a sense of peace and restfulness fall on each body part as I name it Right hand thumb Index finger Middle finger Ring finger Little finger Back of the hand Wrist Now imagine a cool forest floor beneath you The earth is slowly sending energy upwards Like water in a stream Now imagine the roots of a tree Rising through the ground Picture each cell Becoming filled with light Rising from the earth below Rest here And let the body restore itself naturally Return to your sankopa And silently repeat I am rested and well Infused with the energy of the earth Begin to notice your breath again Become aware of yourself lying in the room that you're in Feel the movement of energy through your body Maybe a tingling in your hands Bring your attention to your feet Slowly begin to wiggle your toes Feeling wakefulness move through the body Know that this is a powerful practice Even in a short period of time Deep restoration has occurred When you're ready Open your eyes And carry this renewed energy into the rest of your day Thank you for practicing with me This yoga nidra is complete Thank you for listening