Yoga Nidra (NSDR): What It Is, Benefits and a Step-by-Step Script

What is yoga nidra?

Yoga nidra means “yogic sleep”. Despite the name, it doesn’t involve any yoga poses. You lie still, usually on your back, and follow spoken instructions that guide your attention through a set sequence: settling, an intention, a body scan, breath awareness, noticing sensations and images, then slowly returning.

The aim is to rest deeply while staying aware. Many people describe it as the most relaxed they feel all day, and it’s easy to do because the voice does the work. You don’t need to “clear your mind” or sit cross-legged.

Yoga nidra vs NSDR vs meditation

NSDR, short for non-sleep deep rest, is a name popularised online for yoga nidra-style practices without the spiritual language. In practice, they’re very similar. If you prefer seated practices, see mindfulness for beginners.

What the research shows

Research on yoga nidra is growing but still small. The main findings so far:

• Insomnia: in a randomised trial in India of people with chronic insomnia, yoga nidra improved sleep quality, total sleep time and time spent in deeper stages of sleep, measured both by questionnaires and sleep studies. Saliva cortisol also fell.
• Stress and wellbeing: a 2025 randomised trial gave adults an online 11-minute or longer yoga nidra audio to practise daily for 2 months. Compared with a waitlist, it produced small improvements in wellbeing, and regular practice was linked with lower cortisol.
• Overall: a 2026 review of the sleep studies found promising effects on sleep and insomnia scores, but only five studies in total, so the authors called for larger trials.

The honest summary: yoga nidra is low cost, low risk and promising for sleep and stress, but it isn’t proven to the standard of treatments like CBT for insomnia. Think of it as a useful tool alongside good sleep habits. See insomnia and how to relieve stress.

What does yoga nidra feel like?

People commonly describe:

• heaviness or warmth in the body
• a floating or “drifting” feeling, between awake and asleep
• losing track of the instructions for a while, then coming back
• feeling refreshed, calm or a little groggy afterwards
• sometimes, emotions or memories coming up

All of these are normal. There’s no way to do it wrong. If you drift off, just pick up the instructions again when you notice.

A 20-minute yoga nidra script you can follow

Read this through once, then try it from memory, or record yourself reading it slowly and play it back. Pause for a few breaths between each step.

1. Settle (2 minutes). Lie on your back with a pillow under your head and knees. Let your arms rest slightly away from your body, palms up. Cover yourself with a blanket. Close your eyes. Notice the points where your body touches the floor or bed.
2. Breathe (2 minutes). Take three slow breaths, longer out than in. Then let your breath be natural. Silently say to yourself, “I am awake and resting.”
3. Set an intention (1 minute). Choose a short, positive phrase in the present tense, such as “I am calm” or “I rest easily”. Repeat it three times in your mind.
4. Body scan (7 minutes). Move your attention slowly through your body, just naming each part: right thumb, index finger, middle finger, ring finger, little finger, palm, back of the hand, wrist, forearm, elbow, upper arm, shoulder, armpit, right side of the waist, hip, thigh, knee, shin, ankle, heel, sole, each toe. Repeat on the left side. Then the back of the body, from heels to the back of the head. Then the front: forehead, eyebrows, eyes, cheeks, nose, lips, jaw, throat, chest, belly. Finally, the whole body at once.
5. Breath counting (3 minutes). Count your breaths backwards from 27 to 1: “breathing in, 27; breathing out, 27; breathing in, 26…” If you lose count, start again from 27. It doesn’t matter if you never reach 1.
6. Opposites (2 minutes). Notice a feeling of heaviness, as if your body is sinking. Then lightness, as if it’s floating. Then warmth. Then coolness. Just imagine each for a few breaths.
7. Rest (2 minutes). Let go of all instructions. Simply rest, aware of the space behind your closed eyes.
8. Return (1 minute). Repeat your intention three times. Notice the sounds around you. Wiggle your fingers and toes, roll onto your side, and when you’re ready, slowly sit up. If it’s bedtime, you can skip this step and simply drift off.

Prefer audio? Search for free “yoga nidra” or “NSDR” recordings from reputable teachers or apps, and choose one with a voice you find calming.

Best time to do yoga nidra

Yoga nidra for sleep

Yoga nidra suits sleep well because it combines several things that help: lying still in the dark, slowing your breathing, and giving a busy mind something gentle to focus on. To make it part of a bedtime routine:

• Do it in bed with the lights off, at the same time each night.
• Put your phone on aeroplane mode if you’re using a recording, and set it to stop automatically.
• Combine it with the basics: a regular wake time, a cool dark room and less caffeine after midday. See how to sleep better and how to fall asleep fast.
• If worries keep you awake, write them down first. See anxiety at night.

Many people pair a relaxation practice with a warm evening drink. Our Magnesium Glycinate Sleep Complex is a caffeine-free berry bedtime drink with L-theanine, and magnesium contributes to normal psychological function. Our Reishi Mushroom Adaptogenic Complex is a cosy cacao drink for an evening routine.

Tips for beginners

• Start short. 10 to 15 minutes is plenty at first.
• Get comfortable and warm. Your body cools as you relax, so use a blanket.
• Don’t try too hard. Just follow the instructions; relaxation comes by itself.
• Practise regularly. The trials used daily practice over weeks.
• Try different voices. If one recording doesn’t suit you, another might.
• Pair it with breathing. See box breathing and nervous system regulation.

Who should take care

Yoga nidra is gentle and safe for most people. Take care, or speak to your GP or therapist first, if you have experienced trauma, PTSD, severe depression or psychosis, as deep relaxation and body focus can occasionally bring up distressing feelings. You can always open your eyes and stop. Don’t practise while driving or operating machinery. If poor sleep or anxiety is affecting your daily life, see your GP; adults in England can refer themselves to NHS Talking Therapies. See how to deal with anxiety.

Related guides

• Vagus nerve exercises that have real evidence.
• Progressive muscle relaxation, a more active way to relax the body.
• For a gentle moving alternative, see somatic exercises for sleep and stress.
• Want something shorter for bedtime? Try our 10-minute sleep meditation.
• If you’d like a shorter practice you can guide yourself, see how to do a body scan.
• For more on slow breathing before bed, see breathwork: benefits, types and how to start.
• If you can actually drop off, a 20-minute power nap is another way to recharge in the afternoon.
• Yoga is one of 12 evidence-based habits in our guide to lowering cortisol levels.
• If you are looking for a calming present, see our wellbeing gifts UK guide for ideas grouped by sleep, calm and self-care.