Yoga nidra For Deep Rest and Renewal in Midlife
As midlife women, we juggle a lot, careers, family, relationships, ageing parents and the ever changing dynamics of our bodies and minds. Midlife can seem like an endless to do list, at times a juggling act to manage the demands of this busy and ever changing landscape. It can be easy to lose touch with the most important piece of the puzzle. You!
Inability to sleep with thoughts running through your mind, even though you feel exhausted. Stress can feel like a constant undercurrent, leaving you feeling tired and lacking energy. You know you need time for yourself, but the thought of adding in self care feels overwhelming and just one more thing to do.
In my forties I felt all of the above. Putting everyones needs above my own, feeling like taking care of myself meant I was neglecting others. The fact is, its not usually until we are running on empty and unable to help others that we realise a change is needed.
Somewhere in the midst of all this chaos and busyness I discovered Yoga Nidra. It has turned out to be one of the most transformative practices that helped me recharge my battery and take care of myself mind, body and soul. So much so that I have taken several yoga nidra teacher trainings to help me understand this transformative practice and a desire to share this incredible tool with others.
What Is Yoga Nidra?
Yoga Nidra is deeply restorative, it meets you where you are and gently carryies you toward calm, balance, and vitality
Yoga Nidra is often referred to as “yogic sleep,” it is a guided relaxation technique practiced lying down in a comfortable position. Unlike traditional sleep, Yoga Nidra guides you through the different layers of consciousness, balancing your nervous system and allowing your body to enter a state of profound rest.
Why Midlife Women Need Deep Rest
During midlife, dynamics are changing. Our responsibilities often collide with hormonal shifts, this can leave us feeling overwhelmed, irritable, and disconnected. Stress isn’t just mental, it affects us emotionally and it manifests physically in disrupted sleep, fatigue, and tension in the body.
Yoga Nidra offers a lifeline. It activates the parasympathetic nervous system (your rest and digest mode), reduces cortisol levels and creates space for genuine restoration. Even a 20-minute session can feel like hours of deep sleep, leaving you recharged and ready to face the world.
Yoga nidra allows you to press pause on your day, to take time for you to breathe, release, and recharge.
Yoga Nidra provides
Deep Physical Relaxation
During a session, your muscles soften, your breath slows, and your body lets go of tension it’s been holding onto for days, months, or even years.
Mental Clarity
Guided visualization helps quiet the noise in your mind. Instead of spiraling through worry or overthinking, you’re guided into a state of calm awareness.
Better Sleep
By calming your nervous system, Yoga Nidra helps you fall asleep faster and enjoy deeper, more restorative rest. If you have suffered from disturbed sleep, this is your way to better nights.
Emotional Balance
Midlife often brings emotional ups and downs, but Yoga Nidra gently nurtures emotional resilience. It’s a space to feel, process, and release, all while being held in complete safety.
Intention setting
One of the most magical aspects of Yoga Nidra is its ability to align you with your intentions. At the beginning of each session, you set a Sankalpa, this is a heartfelt desire or intention.
This isn’t a wish or fleeting thought. It’s a powerful affirmation that reflects your deepest longing, such as
- I am calm and at peace.
- I honor my needs and prioritize my well-being.
- I act from a place of compassion and love
The practice of Yoga Nidra plants this intention in your subconscious mind, where it can grow and manifest in your waking life. Over time, your Sankalpa becomes a guiding light, shaping your actions, thoughts, and energy. You will know when its time to work with a new Sankalpa.
Ready to start your Yoga Nidra journey?
The good news is you don’t need any experience with yoga to benefit from Yoga Nidra. All you need is a quiet space, a comfortable surface to lie on, and a willingness to pause.
How To Enjoy Your Yoga Nidra Journey
Create a calm environment—dim the lights, grab a blanket, and make sure you’re warm and comfortable.
As a beginner it’s a good idea to follow a guided Yoga Nidra practice.
Even 10 minutes can make a difference. As you become more familiar with the practice, you can extend your sessions.
Like any self-care practice, Yoga Nidra works best when it’s consistent. Aim for one session a week or more if time allows.
A Monthly Challenge For You
This month, I invite you to join me in a Deep Rest Ritual Challenge. Commit to practicing Yoga Nidra once a week and notice how it transforms your energy, stress levels, and sense of peace. Join me in my Yoga for Louise Community where I will share tips on developing and sustaining a regular yoga nidra practice. Check it out here Yoga with Louise Community
Give yourself permission to stop the constant struggle to find time for self care. Commit to making time to stop, find stillness and just be and see how you start a ripple effect in other areas of your life. Yoga Nidra is more than rest, it’s a reconnection to your deepest self. It all starts with you.
Try one of my Yoga Nidra Recordings on You Tube, choose Earth Element Yoga Nidra to feel grounded and calm or Air Element Yoga Nidra to release limiting beliefs. You Tube has many Yoga Nidra recordings to choose from. I also recommend the meditation app Insight Timer Insight Timer as a great resource to support your yoga nidra journey
If you are ready to dive a little deeper and learn more about Yoga Nidra I recommend reading Radiant Rest by Tracee Stanley
Starting a regular yoga nidra practice is an empowering way to navigate the transformative phase of midlife and find your calm in the chaos.
