Yoga nidra or Non-sleep deep (NSDR) rest improves sleep quality
NSDR induces a deep rest state between sleep and wakefulness, and can be used to replace some lost sleep
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The Effects of an Online Yoga Nidra Meditation on Subjective Well‐Being and Diurnal Salivary Cortisol: A Randomised Controlled Trial
Published 2025Reviewer Insight6/5/2026This study tested whether daily Yoga Nidra — also marketed as 'non-sleep deep rest' (NSDR) — improved well-being and cortisol levels over two months, which it largely supported against an inactive waitlist. However, the claim being evaluated here — that NSDR improves sleep quality — was only a secondary outcome in the paper, and the study found no reliable sleep improvement.
- The paper's central findings (stress, anxiety, depression, cortisol) are positive, but sleep was a secondary outcome not the study's focus
- The only fair test for NSDR's specific effect on sleep — comparing it to music listening — showed no difference
- The study tested 14+ outcomes simultaneously without adjusting for chance findings, making marginal sleep results unreliable
- 31% of participants in the short-format group dropped out by the second measurement
- The sample was 80% women, highly educated, and self-selected from yoga studios — not representative of the general population
Snapshot built: 2026-06-19