Yoga nidra is an essential part of any yoga therapy toolkit. Also known as ‘yogic sleep,’ yoga nidra is essentially a guided relaxation practice, combining body awareness with mental imagery. One of the key values of yoga nidra for health populations is that it is highly modifiable, and can therefore be made accessible to almost anyone.

Yoga nidra not only imparts a profound state of relaxation for many, but it also helps to cultivate focus and flexible attention, both of which are often lacking in those suffering from mental health issues. For those with physical difficulties, the practice can be offered lying down, seated or even standing, with creative modifications available to suit all needs.

In addition to both physical and mental benefits, yoga nidra also tends to bring the mind into a receptive state, in which it becomes possible to access and explore more subtle layers of being. This is particularly exciting from a yoga therapy perspective, as it enables yoga therapists to work with less tangible aspects of a client's presentation, thereby tapping into a truly multidimensional approach to health and wellbeing.

Here, founder of The Minded Institute, Heather Mason explores how yoga nidra might be modified to suit various health populations, in addition to sharing an interesting new research paper.