Children’s Yoga Nidra for Sleep

One of the beautiful tools I use in my work is Yoga Nidra. This is a form of guided relaxation, often referred to as ‘Yogic Sleep’, which brings a deep sense of rest to every level of our Being.

I am hearing that a lot of children (and parents) are finding bedtime difficult at the moment, so I would like to offer the below recording of a Yoga Nidra with the hope it might help them wind down and ease into sleep.

The intention for Yoga Nidra in my therapeutic sessions and classes is not usually to send people to sleep, but rather for them to drop into that liminal, in-between state of consciousness between awakeness and sleep. It is here that magic can happen! The nervous system is soothed, thoughts can be re-patterned, the imagination expanded and a deep sense of calm floods the body. This recording works in a similar way but is slightly different in that I don’t bring the child back into present moment awareness at the end and instead encourage extended deep rest.

The intention here is for the child to listen to it at bedtime to help them drop into a long and peaceful night of sleep.

Please note, I made this Yoga Nidra with a particular child in mind who loves animals. Be aware that the visualisation guides the listener through an autumn woodland in which they meet and find safety with a dog and a cat, so may not be suitable for a child who may be triggered by this.