A closer look at yoga nidra- early randomized sleep lab investigations

Objectives: We aimed to examine trial feasibility plus physiological and psychological effects of a guided meditation practice, Yoga Nidra, in adults with self-reported insomnia. Methods: Twenty-two adults with self-reported insomnia were recruited to attend two visits at our research center. At Visit 1 (V1), participants were asked to lie quietly for ninety minutes. The primary outcome was change in electroencephalography (EEG). Heart rate variability (HRV), respiratory rate and self-reported mood and anxiety were also measured. At Visit 2 (V2), the same protocol was followed, except half of participants were randomized to practice Yoga Nidra for the first 30-min. Results: There were no between-group changes (V1-V2) in alpha EEG power at O1 (Intervention: 13 ± 70%; Control: −20 ± 40%), HRV or sleep onset latency in response to Yoga Nidra. Respiratory rate, however, showed statistically significant difference between groups (Yoga Nidra −1.4 breaths per minute (bpm) change during and − 2.1 bpm afterwards vs. Control +0.2 bpm during and + 0.4 bpm after; p = .03 for both during and after). The intervention displayed good acceptability (well-tolerated) and credibility (perceived benefit ratings) with implementation success (target sample size reached; 5% dropout rate). Conclusions: This preliminary clinical trial provides early evidence that Yoga Nidra is a well-tolerated, feasible intervention for adults reporting insomnia. Decreased respiratory rate in response to Yoga Nidra needs to be confirmed in more definitive studies. Trial registration information: This trial was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov as “A Closer Look at Yoga Nidra: Sleep Lab Analyses” (NCT#03685227).