Bedtime Yoga Nidra

Drift into a peaceful night’s sleep with this Bedtime Yoga Nidra. Through gentle breathwork, body awareness, and night-sky visualization, this 25-minute practice invites you to relax fully, release tension, and connect to a deep sense of calm.

Perfect for unwinding after a long day or to help you drift off to sleep.

Transcript

Hello and welcome to this Yoga Nidra for a peaceful night's sleep.

You can begin by finding a comfortable position.

You might choose to lie in Shavasana or any other position that feels supportive and restful for you today.

Potentially a position that you can feel yourself drifting off to sleep in.

Take your time to create this supportive space.

If you want to bring in any blankets or pillows to make yourself extra cosy in your Nidranas,

Feel free to do so now.

And whilst you're settling in,

I'll just briefly go over what we'll do through this practice this evening.

This Yoga Nidra will be around 25 minutes long and does include some silent moments.

So if you drift off to sleep and you come back and you can't hear me talking,

Know that that is okay.

Just continue to flow with your experience.

Towards the end of the Nidra,

I will invite you to visualize yourself in nature looking up at the night sky.

And that place might be something that comes to you now or you might let it develop towards the end of the Nidra.

As I guide you through the practice,

If anything I say doesn't resonate,

Know that that is okay.

Ignore the words in themselves and allow yourself to simply experience this practice.

Yoga Nidra is not something you do,

But rather something you receive.

So be open to whatever this looks like for you today,

Knowing that there is no failure in Yoga Nidra.

We'll start with our practice by just becoming aware of the breath.

Start to notice the journey that the breath takes.

Maybe breathing in and out through the nose if that's comfortable.

And you might start to notice the breath entering into the stomach.

Just gentle rise and fall.

As you inhale,

Feeling a gentle expansion.

As you exhale,

Allowing the body to soften.

Start to draw your awareness to the parts of the body you can feel in contact with the surface beneath you.

Feeling yourself held and supported in this space.

Shifting from doing to simply being and experiencing.

You might notice how you feel here.

Any physical sensations,

Any tension your body is holding on to.

Maybe noticing any emotions.

Just seeing if you can observe all of this without any judgement,

But with compassion and curiosity.

Then drawing the awareness back to your breath.

Observing its natural rhythm again.

Allowing it to be effortless,

Flowing.

No need to change it or control it.

Your body is breathing for you.

You are softening.

You are beginning to rest.

And we're now going to take a rotation of awareness around the body.

As I name each body part,

Simply bring your awareness there.

If it feels comfortable,

You could imagine the moonlight shining down on you.

As you bring your awareness to each part of the body,

Allow it to fill with this nourishing light from the sky above.

Starting with the top of the head.

The forehead.

The right eye.

The left eye.

The nose.

The tongue.

The lips.

The right cheek.

The left cheek.

The whole face.

The right ear.

The left ear.

The back of the head.

The neck.

And bringing your awareness to your left shoulder.

The left upper arm.

The left elbow.

The left forearm.

The back of the left hand.

The palm of the left hand.

The thumb.

Index finger.

Middle finger.

Fourth.

And little finger.

All five fingers.

The whole left hand.

The whole left arm.

Glowing in that moonlight.

Relaxed and at ease.

Maybe observing any sensations in that left arm.

Noticing if there's any difference between the right and the left side.

And then bringing the awareness to that right shoulder.

The right upper arm.

The right elbow.

Forearm.

The back of the right hand.

The palm of the right hand.

The thumb.

Index finger.

Middle finger.

Fourth.

And little finger.

All five fingers.

The whole right hand.

The whole right arm.

Glowing and relaxed.

Observing any sensations in that right arm.

Maybe becoming aware of both arms together.

Observing how that feels.

And then I invite you to draw your awareness to the base of your throat.

To your collarbones.

Your heart center.

Your solar plexus.

And then to your pelvis.

To the left hip.

The left thigh.

The knee.

Lower leg.

The left ankle.

The sole of the left foot.

The top of the left foot.

The toes.

The whole left leg.

Relaxed.

Glowing in that moonlight.

Observing any sensations in this left leg.

Any difference between the left and the right.

And then drawing the awareness over to that right hip.

The right thigh.

The right knee.

Lower leg.

Ankle.

The sole of the right foot.

The top of the right foot.

The toes.

The whole right leg.

The whole right leg relaxed and at ease.

Glowing.

Observing any sensations in that right leg.

And maybe observing both legs together.

Resting and relaxed.

Taking your awareness now to your tailbone.

The lower back.

The middle of the back.

The shoulder blades.

The whole back resting and supported.

The back of the neck.

The back of the head.

And the top of the head.

The whole body.

The whole body illuminated and glowing.

From the crown of your head to the tips of your toes.

Glowing in this nourishing light from the moon.

Begin to bring your focus back to your breath.

And as your body rests here,

I invite you to begin bringing your awareness back to your breath.

Noticing that natural rhythm.

Begin to notice the parts of the body touching the surface beneath you.

How does it feel there when you breathe?

Can you feel any movements?

They might be very subtle and small.

You might be able to feel that inhalation in certain parts of the body.

And a softening down as you exhale.

Or maybe you don't feel anything at all.

And that's also a valid sensation.

Allowing the whole back of your body to be resting down to the surface beneath you.

Being held and supported.

Now bring your awareness to the front of the body.

Maybe feeling,

Sensing or imagining this lightness and expansion out into the world.

With each inhalation you are creating space and opening up.

And then as you exhale you soften into that space.

Inhaling,

Maybe allowing the belly to expand ever so slightly.

And as you exhale the belly softens back down,

Embracing you like a gentle hook.

Taking some comfortable breaths here at your own pace.

You might want to invite in a rhythm or a count to that breath.

Maybe inhaling for a count of four.

Exhaling for five or six.

Or choosing any other rhythm that works for you today.

But resting in your rhythm.

And feel free to stay with this rhythm.

Or you can return back to your natural breath.

Allowing your body to just breathe for you.

Now I invite you to begin visualising yourself in a serene place in nature.

Under a clear night sky.

It might be a place that holds a special meaning to you.

Or simply a place that feels peaceful and calm.

There is no right or wrong.

Allow this place to just simply come into your mind's eye.

It might be a lush forest clearing.

A quiet mountainside.

A secluded beach.

Or even your back garden.

But picture yourself there in nature.

Taking time to connect to your senses.

What can you see?

Are there any trees?

Any water?

Anything that stands out to you?

Can you notice any sounds?

Anything you can smell?

You might feel the cool air carrying the gentle scent of the earth,

The trees or the sea.

Then start to feel the earth beneath you,

Solid and supportive.

Visualise yourself either lying down or sitting comfortably in this space.

Gazing up at the night sky.

Up a view the sky is clear and the first stars are beginning to appear.

One by one these stars come into sight,

Starting to twinkle,

Growing brighter as the night deepens.

You're gazing up at this night sky filled with countless stars,

Each one sparkling like a distant diamond.

And you notice that the sky stretches endlessly above you,

This vast canvas of constellations,

Galaxies and even the soft glow of the Milky Way.

Beginning to visualise the moon rising,

Casting its gentle light across the landscape.

Its silver glow bathing everything in a soft ethereal light,

Making the world around you shimmer with tranquility.

You might notice this moonlight reflecting off the surface surrounding you,

Maybe off the water or the leaves of the trees.

And as you're looking up into the vastness of the night sky,

You might visualise a shooting star streaking across.

A brief flash of light,

A reminder of the fleeting beauty of each moment.

And allow yourself to make a wish or set a silent intention with the shooting star,

Knowing that the energy of the universe is supporting you.

Feel the calmness of the night enveloping you like a soft blanket of peace.

And allow yourself to feel completely at ease,

Resting in the knowledge that you are part of something much larger than yourself.

That there is endless possibilities ahead of you.

Allow the stars,

The moon,

The trees,

The nature around you to be a reminder of your connection to the natural world,

Your place in this universe.

As you breathe in,

You might feel the cool,

Fresh air of the night fill in your lungs.

And as you exhale,

You let go of any lingering tension or worries,

Releasing them into the night.

Each breath here is bringing you deeper into the moment,

Grounding you here and now.

Rest here,

Soaking in this peaceful moment.

Let the night sky and the moonlight infuse you with a deep sense of calmness and well-being.

Allow yourself to rest,

Allowing yourself to drift.

When you're ready,

We're going to begin to release this visualization,

Letting the images of the moon and the night sky gradually fade into the background.

But knowing that they are always there for you to return to when you seek peace,

Clarity and rest.

You might start to slowly become aware of your breathing again,

Noticing the gentle rise and fall of each inhale and exhale.

And here you might find yourself naturally drifting off to sleep.

If so,

Simply allow yourself to float into this peaceful space.

Or if you prefer,

You can roll over onto one side,

Savouring this sense of tranquility and deep relaxation.

Whatever you feel right now is exactly as it should be.

Allow yourself to hold onto this rest and continue with it without expectation.

With each exhale,

Allow your body to soften even more,

Letting go a bit deeper,

Softening,

Releasing,

Floating.

Our Yoga Nidra practice is now complete.

Rest well and sleep peacefully.

Thank you.