Impact of Yoga Nidra During Pregnancy (Part-2)

Yoga nidra or deep relaxation helps you to recharge your batteries by relaxing your body and mind.
Doing an hour of yoga nidra is believed to be as refreshing as having four hours’ sleep. Though this is hard to prove, many women do find yoga nidra a useful way to relax.

How Is Yoga Nidra Beneficial During Pregnancy?

There are no studies that specifically look into yoga nidra, but there’s some evidence and a general belief that yoga may help you to:

• Become more aware of your body
• Cope with tiredness and lack of sleep
• Relax and reduce stress and anxiety
• Get clarity of mind and thought
• Cope with labour pain
• Ease nausea

All of this will help you to stay positive throughout your pregnancy. After your baby is born, you can practise yoga nidra when your baby sleeps, either to de-stress yourself, or to overcome other worries.

When Should Practise Yoga Nidra –

You may find it easier if you choose a time when your energy levels are low.

It’s best to practise yoga nidra three or four hours after a main meal, or a couple of hours after a snack. However, experts recommend that pregnant women can have an easily digested snack, such as a banana before a class.It takes between 15 minutes and 20 minutes to do one session of yoga nidra at first. Your yoga instructor will be able to guide you through this. As you practise, you may be able to increase the length of each session to about 40 minutes or 60 minutes.

How Do Perform Yoga Nidra –

Yoga nidra is an easy relaxation technique, but practice makes perfect. Speak to a qualified pregnancy yoga teacher, who can teach you how to perform yoga nidra. She’ll also help you to choose a comfortable position that is safe for your stage of pregnancy.Traditionally, practising yoga nidra involves lying on your back, in the pose of the corpse (shavasana). After you are 16 weeks pregnant, however,

it’s safest to lie on your side, preferably your left-hand side.When you lie on your back, your growing baby may press on your main blood vessels. This can make you feel faint or dizzy, and it may reduce the flow of blood to your baby.

To get the most from a yoga nidra session:

• Choose somewhere that’s peaceful and quiet. Turn off the TV, your mobile and any other devices that might disturb you.
• If you wish, play soft, calming music, or burn lightly scented smoke-free candles.
• Make sure the room you’re in isn’t stuffy or hot.
• Wear loose, comfortable clothing suited to the season.
• Lie on a rug or a yoga mat. Use pillows and cushions to make yourself comfortable and support your bump. You can also use large, comfortable bolsters to prop yourself up.
• Cover yourself with a light blanket or sheet, as your body temperature drops during relaxation.

Close your eyes and slowly relax each part of your body bit by bit, from each toe, up to the crown of your head. Once this is done, follow the reverse path, from the top of your head, to your toes. Breathe in and out, deeply and smoothly through your nose, as you shift your focus from one part of your body to the other. On your in-breath, fill your mind with positive thoughts, such as, “I am peaceful”, “I am happy”, or “I am welcoming my baby into this world”. Try to ignore all negative thoughts and worries. Make your mind aware of your resting body while you relax. While exhaling, believe that you are throwing out all negativity, tensions and fears from your mind and body. Feel a wave of relaxation as you move from one part of your body to the other. Once you’re used to it, you may be able to scan and focus on your body several times over, without becoming distracted. When you’ve finished your session, hold your relaxed state for about five minutes, and open your eyes slowly. Get up from the floor slowly with gentle movements, so you don’t disturb the calmness you are feeling within.

What techniques should try-

Your instructor will work with you and help you choose a technique that works best for you.

In the beginning, you may find it hard to dismiss thoughts and worries from your mind. You may struggle to stay awake and focus on your body, or you may even fall asleep. Don’t worry about getting it right every time. Just relax and slowly teach your mind to concentrate. To help you to clear your mind, try to focus on a single point, while keeping your eyes closed. It could be the centre of your forehead, or the area between your eyebrows. Eventually, you may become so relaxed that you’re able to clear your mind of thoughts, images and emotions.

Dr. Sujata Panda
PhD in Yoga, DNYS, N.D.,
Gold medallist,
Founder of Su-Ham Foundation
Owner of Viroga Virtual Clinic