Yoga Nidra for Weight Loss?
As a Dietitian I frequently see people for weight loss. While a nourishing diet obviously plays a crucial part, it’s not the only variable that has an effect on weight. There are other variables to consider. One variable is stress. Stress levels can increase cortisol. Long term elevations of cortisol are associated with obesity (1). As a Yoga teacher, I’m keenly aware of how yoga has helped many reduce their stress levels. So, the question I am to answer in this blog post is …
Can yoga support weight loss?
There are many styles of yoga. In this post I’ll focus on one style called Yoga Nidra. Yoga Nidra, or yogic sleep, is the practice of inducing a specific state of consciousness between waking and sleeping. This state is said by yogis to encourage the production of theta and delta brain waves.
A brief explanation of brain waves for those unfamiliar with them …
There are 5 different types of brain waves:
Gamma waves (25 and 100 Hz): High levels of these are associated with happiness and concentration. Low levels are linked to learning and memory problems.
Beta waves (12.5 and 30 Hz): Low - moderate levels indicate thinking and focusing. High levels are a sign that the brain is anxious (2, 3)
Alpha waves (8 and 12 Hz) manifest as brain activity starts to calm down. Interestingly, an evidenced based technique known as neurofeedback is used for people with anxiety to help them increase their Alpha waves (4).
Theta (4 and 8 Hz) are created when the mind is more relaxed, sleepy, or daydreaming.
Delta waves (0.5 and 4 Hz) are made in the brain as it is very relaxed and lulled to sleep (2).
Back to Yoga Nidra
If you tend to be an energetic person, before you begin, you might want to engage in a fifteen-to-thirty minute asana (movement) practice. This can help you release excess energy and settle into Yoga Nidra without feeling too wired and uncomfortable. On the other hand, you may feel completely burnt out and depleted of energy. In this instance, movement might not be best and you might opt to go straight into resting on your mat.
Once you begin Yoga Nidra, you’ll start by resting flat on your back atop a yoga mat. Here you’ll stay while your teacher guides you through breath work, guided meditations, body scans and something called pratyahara which means sense withdrawal. This practice is an act of conscious release. As you practice you work on progressive relaxation where the body can then start to shift from a state of activity to a state of recovery. Interestingly research does show this practice can increase delta and theta brain wave production (5).
A note on Trauma
If you are someone who has had trauma in your life, consider seeking out a Yoga Nidra teacher with specialty training in trauma sensitive yoga. It’s not uncommon to cry or feel overwhelmed as your body starts to relax in ways it has not been able to in some time (or ever). People experience the world in different ways. A specific word may relax you while it could deeply trigger another person. If you find yourself reacting to a word said during practice, try to stay calm and mindfully inquire about your conscious and unconscious reactions without judgment. Your trauma sensitive teacher can help support you and/or direct you to someone else who can help you process what comes up during practice.
Taking all the above into consideration…
Research shows that Yoga Nidra can lull the brain into making more theta and delta waves; evidence of increased relaxation and reduced stress. So, theoretically if increased stress causes increased cortisol and weight gain than reduced stress ,as a result of practicing Yoga Nidra, should lower cortisol and promote weight loss.
Is it that simple?
No.
At least not for ALL people.
As a scientist I’m aware it takes more than just a bit of associations and limited research to make such a profound black and white promise as: Yoga Nidra will certainly help you lose weight. As far as I know, there are no meta-analysis on the use of Yoga Nidra for weight loss to provide me with substantial evidence to support such a broad claim. But just because this research is lacking does it mean Yoga Nidra can’t be used as a tool to try out for weight loss?
Well, that is up for you to personally research as the scientist of your own life.
Peaceful regards,
Jennifer
*Kindly note, content in this post is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be used for personal medical or psychological advice. For questions or concerns regarding your own needs, please speak with your primary care provider.
—————————————————————————
SOURCES:
1)Van der Valk, E. S. (2018). Stress and Obesity: Are There More Susceptible Individuals? Current Obesity Reports. https://doi.org/7(2): 193–203.
2) (2021, May 25). What to Know About Gamma Brain Waves. WebMD. Retrieved January 27, 2023, from https://www.webmd.com/brain/what-to-know-about-gamma-brain-waves
(2022, July 12). How neurotherapy helps put anxiety in its place. The Seattle Times. Retrieved January 27, 2023, from https://www.seattletimes.com/sponsored/how-neurotherapy-helps-put-anxiety-in-its-place/?amp=1
3 )Dadashi M, Birashk B, Taremian F, Asgarnejad AA, Momtazi S. Effects of Increase in Amplitude of Occipital Alpha & Theta Brain Waves on Global Functioning Level of Patients with GAD. Basic Clin Neurosci. 2015 Jan;6(1):14-20. PMID: 27504152; PMCID: PMC4741268.
4)Hardt JV. Alpha brain-wave neurofeedback training reduces psychopathology in a cohort of male and female Canadian aboriginals. Adv Mind Body Med. 2012 Fall;26(2):8-12. PMID: 23341412.
5) Datta, K. (2022). Electrophysiological Evidence of Local Sleep During Yoga Nidra Practice. Frontiers in Neurology. https://doi.org/Volume 13 - 2022
6) Pandi-Perumal SR, Spence DW, Srivastava N, Kanchibhotla D, Kumar K, Sharma GS, Gupta R, Batmanabane G. The Origin and Clinical Relevance of Yoga Nidra. Sleep Vigil. 2022;6(1):61-84. doi: 10.1007/s41782-022-00202-7. Epub 2022 Apr 23. PMID: 35496325; PMCID: PMC9033521.