A study on the impact on stress and anxiety through Yoga nidra

Abstract

The present study aims at finding out the effect of Yoga nidra on stress and anxiety on college going students. The study conducted at the Yoga clinic of Dev Sanskriti Vishwavidyalaya. Practice time was 30 min the duration was 6 months. 80 students were taken from P.G. Yoga classes for observing the effect as well as 30 was in control group. The result shows a significant change in the practice group, as Yoga nidra positively decrease the stress level of the male and female subjects. Several other studies prove Yoga nidra equally influences anxiety level significantly in both male and female subjects.

Full text

Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge
Vol. 7(3), July 2008, pp. 401-404
A study on the impact on stress and anxiety through Yoga nidra
Kamakhya Kumar
Department of Human Consciousness & Yogic Science, Dev Sanskriti Vishwavidyalaya Shantikunj, Haridwar 249411, Uttarakhand
E-mail: kamakhya_kumar@rediffmail.com
Received 24 March 2006; revised 9 October 2007
The study aims at finding out the effect of Yoga nidra on stress and anxiety on college going students. The study
conducted at the Yoga clinic of Dev Sanskriti Vishwavidyalaya. Practice time was 30 min the duration was 6 months. 80
students were taken from PG Yoga classes for observing the effect as well as 30 was in control group. The result shows a
significant change in the practice group as Yoga nidra positively decreased the stress level of the male and female subjects.
Several other studies prove Yoga nidra equally influences anxiety level significantly in both male and female subjects.
Keywords: Yoga nidra, Stress, Anxiety
IPC Int. Cl.
8
: A61P25/00
Stress (roughly the opposite of relaxation) is a
medical term for a wide range of strong external
stimuli, both physiological and psychological, which
can cause a physiological response called the general
adaptation syndrome
1
. It can be understood as tension
(psychology) a state of mental or emotional strain or
suspense. Today, life style such as cigarette smoking,
habitual hostility, and suspiciousness towards others,
a diet high in fat and low in fiber, and a sedentary way
of life leads to many psychological problems and
psychosomatic problems. Stress and anxiety have
become major killers in our developed world,
particularly the youth, the college going students are
loosing their confidence and getting the academic
stress. A disturbing trend in college student health is
reported the increase in student stress nationwide.
Good mental health is one of the greatest resources
for vitality, creativity and wealth, while poor health in
contrast significantly drains. When stress is perceived
negatively or becomes excessive, students experience
physical and psychological impairment. Hence, it is
necessary for the students of higher education to
induce a complete relaxation technique, through
which they can prevent themselves from a well
known disorder.
Yoga nidra is probably best-known technique to
induce complete physical mental and emotional
relaxation. Yoga nidra is a state of consciousness,
which is, neither sleep nor awaken, neither is it
concentration nor hypnotism. It can be defined, as an
altered state of consciousness. According to Maharshi
Markandey Yoga nidra is the state of deep relaxation
as Lord Visnu Himself uses this marvelous technique.
Utpanneti Tada Loke Sanityapybhidhiyate/
Yoganidram Yada Vishnurjagatyekarnavikrite//
Maharshi Markandey according to his
visualizations states in his text, Markandey Purana
that at the end of Kalpa when the entire universe was
in a deep relaxation Lord Vishnu was lying on the bed
of serpent in the state of yoga nidra.
Drastwa Tavsurau Chograu prasuptam Cha
Janardanam/
Tustav Yoganidram Tamekagrahridyasthitih//
Meaning: When Lord Brahma observed him in the
state of yoga nidra to make him awake He started
praying the lordess Yoga nidra which lives in the eye
of Lord Vishnu
2
.
The author of Hatha Yoga Pradipika, great yogi
Swatmarama, classifies Yoga nidra as the state of
turiya; means the all expansive and encompassing
‘fourth dimension’, in which Shakti neither contracts
nor expands, but is in union with Shiva or supreme
consciousness
3
.
Abhyaset Khecharim Tavadyavat Syadyoganidritah/
Sampraptyoganidrasya Kalo Nasti Kadachana//
Meaning: Khechari should be practiced until yogic
sleep occurs. For one, who has attained yogic sleep,
time become non-existent. Here, the term yoga nidra
has used as the state of Samadhi. Yogic sleep or yoga
nidra is the state in which conscious mind subsides
but awareness remains
4
.

INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL 7, NO. 3, JULY 2008
402
Yoga nidra is simplified version of Tantric Kriyas,
designed by Swami Satyananda, Bihar School of
Yoga, Munger in present form
5
.
Yoga nidra is
probably best known technique to induce complete
physical, mental and emotional relaxation. This was
proved through a series of study done at Cherring
Cross Medical School London that it is a technique in
which one can alter the states of consciousness from
beta to alpha and then to delta. Therefore, subject
enjoys the different state of consciousness,
knowingly. It is a pratyahara but also opens the door
for meditation
6
. Yoga nidra also brings simultaneous
relaxation by inducing alpha brainwave in both
hemispheres of brain and alter the states of
consciousness. It has been further proven that it is the
safest, weakest and surest methods to bring about alter
state of consciousness in human beings. Therefore, it
is panacea or Ram ban for the management of
psychosomatic illness. Recognizing the problem is
half the battle. Without knowing what stress is, and
how it may strain our health, we will not be able to
recognise it. Awareness is of primary importance of
we are to learn to manage stress effectively. Our body
is often the first place to reveal signs of a problem.
Unfortunately, our upbringing often trains us to be
stoic and in our anxiety not to appear weak, we often
deny signs of stress
7
. In yoga nidra, it is not necessary
to concentrate. One should just keep the mind moving
from point to point and be aware of every experience.
Yoga nidra means sleep with a trace of awareness.
Various studies have been done in different part of
world for observing the effect of Yoga nidra as in an
important study it has been observed that Yoga nidra
significantly lowered levels of serum cholesterol in
cardiac patients
8
. One of the study states that, the
future role of Yoga nidra in coronary care and
management regimes appears to be a major one. The
value of the practice of yogic relaxation in prevention
of cardiovascular disease has been fairly well
recognised and accepted
9
.
Another study demonstrates
that the drop in blood pressure induced by daily Yoga
nidra practice has a far reaching effect, extending
throughout the day, and is not merely a transient
effect coincident with the practice session
10
.
Another
study found that a reduction in blood pressure and
anxiety levels in hypertensive patients continued for
12 months after Yoga nidra training
11
.
Technique of Yoga nidra has preventive, promotive
and curative value. It prevents stress and stress-related
disorders by inducing deep physical, emotional and
mental relaxation, by training the mind to remain
calm and quiet and by rooting out the repressed
desires and thoughts from the deeper realms of the
mind. As a promotive science, Yoga nidra awakens
the inherent creativity and promotes the learning and
memory abilities of the practitioner. Researches also
indicate that yoga nidra can be used as a therapeutic
technique to cure psychological disorders like anxiety,
hostility, insomnia, etc. and psychosomatic diseases
like asthma, coronary heart disease, cancer,
hypertension, etc. In the present modern lifestyle,
where psychological and psychosomatic problems are
on the rise, the technique of yoga nidra may serve as
a real boon for mankind
12
. One of the studies, there
was psi missing with the preliminary test session. At
the time it was felt that this was due to the students
doing too many preliminary tests, so that they were
too rushed and confused by the time the experimental
test occurred. Therefore, this year the students did less
preliminary testing, so the class was less rushed and
they were more at ease with the procedure. This
resulted in improved overall scoring. The relaxation
session gives a consistent score over both years. The
meditation session compares favorably with the score
from the previous year, which was in the psi-hitting
range but not significantly so, as does the Yoga nidra,
which compares very favorably with the psi-missing
of the previous year. This suggests that the lessons
learnt from the first year are resulting in an
environment, which is more conducive for
psi-testing
13
. In another study on 30 students, 15 days
practice of Yoga nidra had a positive effect in
enhancing the memory of children
14
. Researchers are
keen to know the effect of Yoga nidra in various
directions; thus it is the right time to go deep into the
search of the impact of Yoga nidra to assess the effect
of Yoga nidra on stress level of the subjects, and
to assess the effect of Yoga nidra on anxiety level of
the subjects.
Methodology
Eighty students (40 male and 40 female) of ranged
20-30 yrs from Dev Sanskriti Vishwavidayalaya of
PG Yoga classes selected for the practice of Yoga
nidra assigned to the experimental group. One of the
groups of thirty students (15 male and 15 female) of
same age group and same class also considered as
control group. Both the groups, experimental and
control groups were from PG Yoga classes, so all had
been practicing the set of Asanas, Pranayamas and

KUMAR: IMPACT OF YOGA NIDRA ON STRESS AND ANXIETY
403
Shatkarmas regularly. Additionally, the experimental
group was practicing Yoga nidra for half an hour
daily. Before starting the practice of Yoga nidra, both
the groups went through few psychological tests.
Practice of Yoga nidra is the simplest method of
relaxation, which is being practiced in the flat lying
position of shavasana and follows the spoken
instruction of Yoga instructor. The practice includes
the resolve, body part awareness, breath awareness
and visualisation. To assess the impact of Yoga nidra,
parameters were stress and anxiety. For the
measurement of stress and anxiety level, Eight State
Questionnaire had been applied. After six months, the
same test was repeated and the data’s at 0.01
significant levels are shown
13
.
Result and discussion
The practice of Yoga nidra decreased the anxiety
and the stress levels of the subjects of practice group.
Mean and standard deviation of the experimental
and control group for anxiety level in subjects are
given (Table 1). There is a positive change in the level
of anxiety between both the groups (Fig. 1). The
significant level for observing the t value is 0.01and
shows the significant change in stress level as “t”
value is 2.5.
Mean and standard deviation of the experimental
and control group for stress level are given (Table 2).
It is observed that there is a positive change in the
level of stress in male subjects between both the
groups (Fig. 2). The significant level for observing the
t value is 0.01 and shows the significant change in
stress level as “t” value is 2.48.
Conclusion
Stress is a cognitive or emotional response made by
the individual towards any situation, which demands
adjustment. When the demands of the situation
exceed the ability of the individual distress results,
which may manifest in mental and physical symptoms
of abnormality. The practice of Yoga nidra helps in
building up the coping ability. The practitioner of
Yoga nidra slowly becomes aware of the inherent
dormant potentialities and thus prevents himself from
becoming a victim of distress. As yoga nidra relaxes
the physical as well as mental stresses, it relaxes the
whole nervous system. Stress-related disorders evolve
gradually through four stages. In the first stage,
psychological symptoms like anxiety and irritability
arise due to over activation of the sympathetic
nervous system
14,15
.
Yoga nidra can be considered as a
highly effective practice for reducing stress on the
basis of the study, as yoga nidra releases the stress of
the students of higher classes. Practice of yoga nidra
also reduces the anxiety of male and female subjects
both. It may have positive results for the other age
groups and occupations also.
References
1 Hans Selye, Nature, 1936.
2 Maharshi Markandey; Devi Mahatma Chapter 1, Verses 66,
69.
3 Swatmarama; Hatha Yoga Pradipika; Chapter 4 verses 49.
Table 1—Effect of Yoga nidra on anxiety level
Mean sd “t” value significant
level
Experimental 4.90 1.22
Control 5.60 1.45
2.5 at 0.01
Table 2—Effect of Yoga nidra on stress level
Mean sd “t” value significant
level
Experimental 4.95 1.26
Control 5.67 1.23
2.48 at 0.01
Fig. 1—Effect of Yoga nidra on anxiety level
Fig. 2—Effect of Yoga nidra on stress level

INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL 7, NO. 3, JULY 2008
404
4 Saraswati Swami Muktibodhanda, Hath Yoga Pradipika,
(Bihar School of Yoga, Munger), 1985, 467.
5 Saraswati Swami Satyananda, Yoga nidra, (Bihar School of
Yoga, Munger), 1963.
6 Saraswati Swami Mangalteertham, Altered State of
Consciousness: Yoga nidra, Yoga nidra, (Bihar School of
Yoga, Munger), 1988.
7 Patel Chandra, The Complete Guide to Stress Management,
(Plenum Press, New York), 1991, 233.
8 Cooper M J & Aygen M M, A relaxation technique in the
management of hypercholesterolemia, J Hum Stress, 15
(1979) 24-27.
9 Erskine-Milliss J & Schonell M, Relaxation therapy in
asthma: a critical review, Psychosom Med, 43 (4) (1981)
365-372.
10 Agras W S, Taylor B, Kraemer H C, Alleu R A & Schneider
J A, Relaxation training: twenty-four hour blood pressure
reductiun, Arch Gen Psychiat, 37, (1980) 859-863.
11 Bali Lekh Raj, Long term effect of relaxation on blood
pressure and anxiety levels of essential hypertensive males: a
controlled study, Psychosom Med, 41 (8) (1979) 119-204.
12 Bhushan Siddhartha Mar, Yoga Nidra and its advantages and
application; Yoga (Bihar School of Yoga, Munger), 2001.
13 Mandlik Yogacharya Vishwas, Jain Premchand, Jain Kiran,
Effect of Yoga nidra on EEG (Electro - Encephalo - Graph),
2002.
14 Verma Veena, (Sannyasi Saumya Shakti); Possibilities of
Revolutionising the Education System through Yoga Nidra;
May. 2004, Yoga (Bihar School of Yoga); Developed by
Barton, Cattell and Curran, adopted by Kapoor S D, (Psycho
Centre New Delhi), 1973.
15 Udupa K N, Stress and Its Management through Yoga,
(Motilal Banarsidas), (1978, 2000).