Unlocking Relaxation: Yoga Nidra's Impact on Brain Activity Revealed

A study involving researchers from IIT-Delhi has discovered that yoga nidra, or 'yogic sleep,' can help reduce mind-wandering and promote present-moment awareness. Using fMRI scans, the team compared the brain activity of experienced and novice meditators and found significant reductions in the default mode network connectivity in experienced practitioners.

A recent study conducted by a team of researchers, including those from IIT-Delhi, has found that yoga nidra, or 'yogic sleep,' can induce a state of relaxation by affecting neural activity in the brain.

The researchers used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to study the brain activity of 61 participants, consisting of 30 experienced meditators and 31 novices, while they practiced yoga nidra. The focus was on the default mode network, which is known to be active during introspection and mind-wandering.

The study results showed a significant reduction in default mode network connectivity among experienced meditators compared to novices, indicating a heightened present-moment awareness. These findings suggest potential applications in mental health treatment, particularly in stress management and cognitive therapy.

(With inputs from agencies.)