What is deep relaxation in yoga?
Deep relaxation (yoga nidra) relaxes your body and mind, and will help you to recharge your batteries.Doing and hour of yoga nidrayoga (yoga sleep) 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 can deep relaxation help me?
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: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.
How do I achieve relaxation?
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. Shell 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 (shav asana). 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 (RCOG 2006).
To get the most from a yoga nidra session:
- Choose somewhere that's peaceful and quiet.
- If you wish, play soft, calming music, or burn lightly scented incense.
- Make sure the room youre in isnt stuffy or hot.
- Turn off the TV, your mobile and any other devices that might disturb you.
- Wear loose, comfortable clothing.
- Lie on a rug or a yoga mat.
- Use pillows and cushions to make yourself comfortable and support your bump.
- Cover yourself with a blanket, 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 from your mind and body. Feel a wave of relaxation as you move from one part of your body to the other. Once youre used to it, you may be able to scan and focus on your body several times over, without becoming distracted.
When youve 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.
I find it hard to relax. What techniques can I try?
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. Dont 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.
When should I do my relaxation exercises?
You may find it easier if you choose a time when your energy levels are low. Its best to do relaxation exercises three hours or four hours after a main meal, or a couple of hours after a snack. It takes between 15 minutes and 20 minutes to do one session of yoga nidra at first. As you practise, you may be able to increase the length of each session to about 40 minutes or 60 minutes.
Last reviewed: October 2013
References
Babbar S, Parks-Savage AC, Chauhan SP. 2012. Yoga during pregnancy: a review. Am J Perinatol 459-464Marc I, Toureche N, Ernst E, et al. 2011. Mind-body interventions during pregnancy for preventing or treating women's anxiety. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. (7): CD007559 onlinelibrary.wiley.com [pdf file, accessed September 2013]
RCOG. 2006. Exercise in Pregnancy. Statement no 4. London: Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. www.rcog.org.uk [pdf file, accessed September 2013]
Smith CA, Levett KM, Collins CT, et al. 2011. Relaxation techniques for pain management in labour. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (12): CD009514. onlinelibrary.wiley.com [pdf file, accessed September 2013]
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