Nano Nidra: Yoga Nidra For Anxiety

A 7-minute reset for when your mind is caught up in anxious thoughts. Use this at the start of your day as a morning anchor, a midday recalibration, or an end-of-day release — whenever anxiety is pulling you out of the present moment.

This short practice guides you through key elements of a traditional Yoga Nidra sequence — body scan, breath awareness, and intention (Sankalpa).

If you're familiar with Yoga Nidra, this is an effective way to reinforce your intention through repetition. The suggested intention statement is: "In this moment, all is well".

Works as a standalone intention meditation or as a bridge between full Yoga Nidra sessions — a brief return to your sankalpa.

Ready for the full Yoga Nidra experience? My course — Yoga Nidra: Your Sleep Solution — is one of Insight Timer's leading courses and a natural next step in this practice.

Production by Adam Metcalfe of Headroomusic.

Transcript

Hello and namaste, Make yourself comfortable lying down or seated. Let your gaze soften or close your eyes if that feels right. How do you feel right now? What thoughts are coming and going? No need to change anything, Simply notice with gentle curiosity your current state of being. And when you're ready, Take a few slow, Deliberate breaths in and out of the nose if that's comfortable, Take your time. Feel how the breath moves through the body. With each exhale, Feel yourself softening a little. And know that the mind too can soften and release into a place of more ease, Finding a little more space between the thoughts. And let the breathing return to its natural rhythm now as we introduce intention or sankalpa. Receive these words and let them settle. In this moment, All is well. No analysis, No how or what if or when, Simply receive, In this moment, All is well. If you're working with your own personal sankalpa, You may bring forward those words instead. Repeat your intention silently. Whatever words you chose, Release them for now. We'll return to them later. Bring your awareness now into your physical body. Begin with your hands. Feel them exactly as they are right now. The weight of the hands. The warmth or coolness of the palms. And now your feet, Feel the soles of the feet, Toes, The heels. Feel the earth supporting you. Sweep your awareness slowly upward through the legs, Relaxed and supported. The lower back, The belly, The chest expanding and releasing with each breath. The shoulders, Is there tension here? Simply notice. And now the face, Forehead smooth, Eyes soft, Jaw unclenched. And now travel back down through the throat, The chest and come to rest in the lower abdomen below the navel. The body's center of quiet. Feel the breath here, The natural rise and fall, No effort required. Simply this rhythm, Steady and certain. In this stillness, You're very present, Not really sleepy, More a radiant stillness within the body, While the mind remains quietly aware, Perhaps aware of a sense of inner well-being. And from this place of quiet inner well-being, Return now to your intention. Perhaps the words, In this moment, All is well. Plant each word of your intention slowly and precisely into every layer of the body and the mind. And release your words of intention now with trust, With gratitude. Notice how you feel grateful for this time you took to reconnect, Refresh and recalibrate. Carry whatever peace or calm you found here back into the rest of your day or your evening. A quiet resource that is always available to you. In this moment, All is well. Your nano-nidra is complete. And when you're ready, Open your eyes. Thank you for meditating with me.