Want to Take a Nap? Try Yoga Nidra

It appeared as though a slumber party was about to begin one recent Saturday afternoon as a mix of adults and teens began streaming into the Holy Grounds Youth Center carrying blankets and pillows.

It was a "slumber" party of sorts, as the group of 17 would soon be in a very restful state, thanks to Sharon Harty, yogi and Yoga Nidra instructor, who specializes in "yoga therapeutics."

Yoga Nidra or "sleep yoga" is a therapeutic form of the exercise that starts with stretching and moving each part of the body to slowly relax and release stress from head to toe.

Therefore, participants brought along the necessary items to help make that happen: pillows, blankets, eye covers and an open mind.

Through visualization and movement, Yoga Nidra "helps people with insomnia and calms the nervous system," Harty said. This form of yoga is also used to help  reduce anxiety, help shock trauma patients, and also those with learning disabilities.

"It can change the manifestations of the mind—to help think about things differently," Harty said.

Starting with the yoga pose savasana or "corpse pose," practitioners lay in a neutral position, flat on the back, knees slightly bent, palms up. Harty then quietly talks the group through about 30 minutes of gentle exercises, including pawenmuktasana, the practice of making the joints supple, or as Harty describes "joint release."

Once finished with an hour-long session of deep-breathing, releasing energy, and hopefully being lulled into a meditative state, one is supposed to feel like they've had a four-hour nap.

"I started to fall asleep and then came back to her voice," said Joan Striegel of Glen Burnie. "I feel a little better than when I came in," she added.

As a present, Marion Wear brought her friend birthday girl Lisa Motel to experience their first Nidra-style yoga. Both were relaxed and looking refreshed at the end of the session.

Dani Ierardi and Sam Girodano, both ninth-graders at Severna Park High School came with their yoga mats with the intent of "hoping to feel refreshed." They both agreed it helped them to relax.

Harty has been teaching yoga since 2002 and Yoga Nidra since 2008,  and works with with Sheila Light of R-U-Fit. The two have many years of combined experience teaching in the community. Both are licensed instructors and are busy running classes at the Severna Park Community Center and Harty over at the Baltimore Washington Medical Center.

For information on nidra yoga and other classes, call R-U-FIT at 410-437-1436.