योग निंद्रा से लाभ

Stress begins with a physiological response to what your body-mind perceives as life-threating. For our ancestors, this may have been defending against the aggression of a hungry animal. For modern-day humans, this may be living with the fear of losing a job in a sagging economy, or the health crisis of a family member.
The antidote to stress is relaxation. To relax is a rest deeply. This is different from sleep. Deep states of sleep include periods of dreaming which increase muscular tension, as well as other physiological signs of tension. Relaxation is a state in which there is no movement, no effort, and the brain is quiet. Stress reduction techniques “Yoga Nidra” is putting the body in a comfortable position, which gentle attention directed toward the breath. Do these techniques really work? Scientists have researched the effects of relaxation and report measurable benefits, including reduction in muscle tension and improved circulation.
Preparation:---
Lie down comfortably in shavasana(Fig.). After this, there should be no movement. Close your eyes. Say to yourself: “I will not sleep, I will remain awake.” Take a deep breath and as you breathe in, feel the coolness and calmness spreading throughout the body. As you breathe out, feel your cares and worries flowing out of you. Relax.
Repeat your resolve mentally three times with feeling and awareness. Rotate the awareness through different parts of the body by saying the name of each part. Begin with the right side: right hand thumb, index finger, middle finger, ring finger, little finger, palm, back of the hand, wrist, arm, elbow, shoulder, armpit, waist, hip, thigh, kneecap, calf muscle, ankle, foot, heel, toes. Now repeat the previous step with the left side.
Become aware of the back, shoulder blades, buttocks, spine, the whole back together. Head, forehead, temples, eyes, ears, cheeks, nose, lips, chin, throat, right chest, left chest, navel, abdomen... the whole front.
Right leg, left leg, both together. Right arm, left arm, both arms. Become aware of the meeting points between the body and the floor. Now look at your body from the outside, as an object.
Now imagine a well, dark and deep. Look into it. There is a bucket on a chain. Lower it into the darkness of the well. Now pull the bucket up, into the light.
Ask yourself: “What am I thinking?” Do not think, become a witness of the thought process.
Now induce the feeling of lightness-made of cotton, the body seems to float away. Next, awaken the feeling of heaviness, leadenness.
Awaken the sensation of heat in the body, followed by bitter cold. Now try to visualize some images, like in a slide show. Flickering candle… tall palm tree, a car moving on the road, yellow clouds, blue clouds, starlit night, full moon, racing horse, rising sun behind the mountains, setting sun behind the ocean, ocean with waves, a big lake with crystal clear water, bluelotus. Go into chidakasa, the spce behind the forehead, and find a flaming light there. See a golden egg in the centre of that light.