Catching some Zzzzs comes naturally for participants of Yoga Nidra, facilitated by Yap Youmin, who will gently tap snorers to restore consciousness during the class.
I didn't get a tap but I felt like being left behind in complete silence from time to time during the 45-minute guided meditation, available at Panpuri Wellness located on Gaysorn Tower's 12th floor.
"You were probably in between consciousness and unconsciousness, in a void where there's nothing, and this is where we are trying to get to during the process. But in that state of doing nothing, you can't stay there for long," said Yap, who's the only Daring To Rest Yoga Nidra specialist in Southeast Asia.
The Panpuri Wellness X Daring to Rest Yoga Nidra class by Yap Youmin has been scheduled for March 7-15 because it's sleep awareness month, while March 15 marks World Sleep Day.
The sleep-based meditation is based on techniques in the book Daring To Rest by Karen Brody, who emphasises the importance of taking a proper rest in promoting wellness.
"I became aware of how lack of rest is a common theme brought up by participants who attended forest therapy. They shared how exhausted and tired they were due to lack of rest. Alarmingly, people have forgotten how to rest because of their busy lives," said the Singaporean, who's also a certified nature- and forest-therapy guide.
By becoming a Yoga Nidra specialist, she hopes to make rest accessible and practical to a wider audience.
Translated as "yogic sleep", Yoga Nidra does not involve bending or stretching, only Savasana, or the corpse pose. Simply remaining in a supine position on the yoga mat, you follow the guided meditation, which seems like doing nothing but actually gravitating to a tranquil no-stress space in order to completely relax.
For those with a busy mind, the facilitator may use prompts such as asking you to release your thoughts on a boat or cloud for them to drift away.
Daring To Rest Yoga Nidra specialist Yap Youmin.
The guided meditation involves body sensing that makes you aware of each part of the body and breathing that clears away exhaustion.
"If you fall asleep during a session, that is what the body needs. Yoga Nidra is a time to relax, not to push yourself to achieve something," she said. "The body sleeps but the mind remains awake, as both sides of the brains are constantly and consciously activated."
Long-term practice of Yoga Nidra extends from relaxation to rewiring the brain in holding opposites.
"We want to train the brain that emotions and thoughts are not either/or but both/and. For instance, you can be angry and calm or happy at the same time. This mindfulness will help you manage self-control, to lead a better life," she explained.
Besides joining public classes, one can practise Yoga Nidra at home.
"Firstly, you will need to set aside a dedicated space, a rest nest, where you can lie down and listen to a recording of a guided Yoga Nidra, preferably uninterrupted," Yap said. "The process effortlessly powers down brainwaves. After 45 minutes, when emerging from the well-rested form, you will feel refreshed and recharged, comparable to having slept three hours."
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The Panpuri Wellness X Daring to Rest Yoga Nidra class by Yap Youmin (750 baht) will be conducted from March 7-15 at 6.30pm on weekdays and 5pm on weekends.
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The Mindful Retreat for Better Sleep package (5,000 baht) combines Yoga Nidra class, access to public onsen, Panpuri Wellness signature treatment and a deep-sleep head massage, as well as food and drinks from the wellness bar.
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For information and reservations, call 02-253-8899.
