20 min Progressive Relaxation Recording

Today’s episode is in honor of ***slowing down to be more productive.*** Some background. Yoga Nidra is also known as *progressive conscious relaxation* and/or *iRest* (trademarked by Dr. Richard Miller for the Veterans Administration so it would be more “accepted” by a government health agency). To this day, I recommend this style of progressive conscious relaxation to nearly everyone I see in the clinic. When to use Progressive Conscious Relaxation/Yoga Nidra? I recommend doing a 20-40 minute session 1-2x/week to reregulate your nervous system. Use progressive conscious relaxation/yoga nidra to manage stress, reduce overwhelm, bring more clarity and focus to a tired or foggy brain, manage pain (acute or persistent), when you can’t or don’t want to take medication (like perinatal and post-partum, and traveling), and as a short nap (that doesn’t leave you feeling groggy). If you don’t like my voice in this recording, you can find free 20-40 minute Yoga Nidra recordings on YouTube, Headspace app, or Insight Timer app. All you need is a safe place to lie down or sit comfortably. You can do this in a parked car, outside, indoors, before bed, in a hammock, or in a work breakroom. For those who are Licensed Acupuncturists, you can incorporate it into your Acupuncture session. And Yoga teachers, you can incorporate it into your savasana/corpse pose completing the yoga asana session. !!Caution : Proceed with Discernment!! While many things in the Wellness industry are touted as “for everyone” or “safe for everyone because it’s *natural,”* every modality has its limits. In fact, I recommend progressive conscious relaxation/Yoga Nidra more than meditation. I’ve seen more adverse events with meditation than with progressive conscious relaxation/Yoga Nidra over the past 20 years. Who should avoid or proceed with additional support? The following people should make sure they are in contact with and have access to a therapist, religious/spiritual teacher they trust, teacher, or guide to help integrate what might arise after progressive conscious relaxation/Yoga Nidra session. \* People with mental health diagnosis \* Highly sensitive and/or perceptive people \* Active PTSD \* Actively recovering from addiction \* People who easily move between this world and others A Note for Beginners The first few times you do this, you might just lie/sit there and not notice anything different. That’s OK. Even though you might not feel like you rested, I’ve watched and witnessed people’s dispositions, mental health, brain fog, and energy change after regular practice (weekly for many weeks). After practicing regularly 1-2x/week for 3-4 weeks, you’ll begin to notice changes in your overall nervous system (how you perceive and react to stress or pain). Let me know how it goes down below in the comments or via email. From my heart to yours, H. Learn more about Yoga Nidra Exploring the uses of yoga nidra: An integrative review - Musto - 2023 - Journal of Nursing Scholarship Yoga Nidra for hypertension: A systematic review and meta-analysis Effects of Yoga Nidra on Stress, Anxiety, and Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Yoga Nidra for cardiovascular health: a systematic review and meta-analysis of between- and within-group effects Yoga Nidra and Pain: A between-, within-Group Meta-Analysis and Dose Response Meta-Regression This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit yinspired.substack.com