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Integrative Health

This Might Be The Sleep Trick That Finally Turns Your Brain Off

Author: Sela Breen

April 10, 2026

Assistant Health Editor

By Sela Breen

Assistant Health Editor

Sela Breen is the Assistant Health Editor at mindbodygreen. She is a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, where she studied journalism, international studies, and theatre.

Image by Eddie Pearson / Stocksy

April 10, 2026

You know the feeling. You're exhausted, you've done everything right, but you can't fall asleep. You turned down the temperature, you stopped using screens hours ago, and yet the moment your head hits the pillow, your brain decides it's the perfect time to replay every awkward conversation from the past decade.

If you're the type who feels like you can't turn your brain off at night, you're not alone. But let me introduce you to yoga nidra, a surprisingly simple practice that's helping people fall asleep faster without complicated protocols that start at 5pm.

What is yoga nidra, exactly

Some people may be turned away by the spiritual sounding name, but yoga nidra is essentially a guided body scan. The practice is similar to "non-sleep deep rest" or NSDR, a term popularized by neuroscientist Andrew Huberman that encompasses mindfulness techniques that lead to a deep state of body relaxation. Huberman coined the new term because he wanted it to be less spiritual than what is typically associated with yoga, however he still considered yoga nidra to be a type of NSDR.

If you're just starting out with yoga nidra, you'll likely use a guided audio recording. You'll lie down, press play, and a voice will slowly direct your attention throughout your body. The voice may ask you to focus on big muscle groups, like your stomach or shoulders, but also individual fingers and specific parts of your face.

You're not trying to clear your mind or achieve some transcendent state. You're just following instructions, which, as it turns out, is exactly what your racing brain needs.

Who this works for (and why they love it)

If you've feel like your brain won't stop spinning, this practice was basically made for you. But all types of people can benefit from yoga nidra.

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Personal trainer Cassidy Kmetz recognizes the profound effects of yoga nidra, and swears by this 10-minute guided NSDR track. "You hear the birds chirping, and you just begin relaxing every part of your body, and quite literally washing your brain to find that feeling of clarity," she says.

For someone whose job involves high-intensity training and helping others push their physical limits, she says the nervous system reset she gets from yoga nidra is everything.

Why it actually works

The theory is that yoga nidra works for the chronically restless because it gives your brain something to do. Trying not to think is an almost impossible task. But following a simple, repetitive instruction? That's manageable.

The science backs this up. A 2021 randomized controlled trial1 found that yoga nidra practice improved deep sleep stages and significantly reduced cortisol levels in patients with chronic insomnia. Participants also reported better subjective sleep quality.

Another study2 found that yoga nidra reduced wake-after-sleep-onset by 20 minutes and improved overall sleep efficiency. Participants also showed enhanced cognitive performance, meaning yoga nidra does more than help you sleep better. It also allows you to think more clearly the next day.

How to try it tonight

These days, it may feel like you have to spend hundreds of dollars every time you want to test out a new health trend. But the barrier to entry for this practice is basically non-existent. Here are a few steps on how to get started:

- Search "yoga nidra for sleep" on YouTube. There are countless free recordings ranging in length.

- Lie in bed with headphones. That's your only equipment. Or play the track out loud if you sleep alone.

- Start with a 10 minute recording. You can always go longer or shorter once you find what works.

- Don't worry about "doing it right." If you fall asleep before it ends, that's the point.

Finding a good recording can be its own project. It can be tough to find a guide that moves at your desired speed. But that's a minor inconvenience for a practice that's free, requires no new equipment, and has solid research behind it.

The takeaway

Yoga nidra isn't a miracle cure, and it won't work for everyone. But for all of you overthinkers, 3 a.m. spirallers, and people who've tried everything and still can't quiet their minds, it's definitely worth 10 minutes of your time.

sleep support+

Where deep sleep begins, and clear mornings follow*

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

(812)

Shop now

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

(812)

Shop now

2 Sources

- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34825538/

- htt