“Where stillness meets light, healing begins.” ~ Linden & Light Therapy

Book Now
Book Now

Restorative Meditation: The Science & Origins of Yoga Nidra for Deep Healing

Discover how Restorative Meditation, rooted in the ancient practice of Yoga Nidra, offers profound relaxation that supports stress relief, better sleep, and hormonal balance. Backed by modern research and steeped in rich history, this practice invites you to lie back, let go, and restore your natural equilibrium.

Mary-Ann Robinson

8/14/20253 min read

woman put purple and white pad on her forehead
woman put purple and white pad on her forehead

When life feels “always switched on,” Restorative Meditation, based on Yoga Nidra, offers a rare antidote: conscious deep rest.

Practised lying down with a gentle guided meditation script, Yoga Nidra helps the body shift from fight-or-flight to restorative mode - supporting stress reduction, better sleep, and even hormonal balance.

What Modern Research Says...

  • Stress & cortisol: A recent randomised controlled trial of brief, app-based Yoga Nidra found significant reductions in stress, anxiety, depression and rumination, alongside healthier daily cortisol rhythms - suggesting the practice doesn’t just feel calming, it measurably resets the stress response.

  • Insomnia & sleep quality: Early sleep-lab and clinical trials indicate Yoga Nidra is feasible, well-tolerated, and improves subjective sleep quality in people with insomnia (measured by tools like the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index).

  • Hormonal wellbeing: In studies of women with menstrual irregularities, regular Yoga Nidra practice was associated with improvements in hormone profiles and reductions in somatic symptoms, hinting at benefits for cycle-related stress and balance.

While more large, gold-standard trials are welcome, the emerging picture is encouraging: short, consistent sessions can deliver meaningful gains in how we feel and function.

What to expect during restorative meditation

You lie comfortably (supported by cushions/blanket) and will be guided through breath awareness, body scanning, effortless imagery, and a simple intention (sankalpa). Many people drift toward sleep yet remain gently aware—an ideal state for down-regulating the nervous system and restoring equilibrium.

Potential benefits you may notice:

  • Easier unwinding after busy days and calmer mood under pressure

  • Falling asleep faster or waking fewer times

  • Easing of cycle-related tension and better overall balance

Where Restorative Meditation Originates

“Yoga Nidra” (often translated as “yogic sleep”) has roots in tantric relaxation practices and the meditative posture of Śavāsana. As a modern, teachable method it was systematised in the 1960s within the Bihar School of Yoga by Swami Satyananda Saraswati and has since been adapted widely. Scholarly overviews describe it as a structured pathway into profound relaxation distinct from ordinary sleep, with historical antecedents in earlier yogic and tantric texts.

Gentle Note...

Restorative Meditation supports wellbeing and can complement medical care, but it isn’t a substitute for advice from your GP or health care professional, especially for persistent insomnia or endocrine conditions.

If your body is asking for deep, effortless rest, this practice meets you exactly where you are...lying down, eyes closed, and blissfully relaxing.

Ready to book your session? Book via the link here

Sending harmony & light, Mary-Ann x

References: