A systematic review and meta-analysis of 12 studies with 1,176 participants found that yoga nidra (YGN) significantly reduced pain compared to passive control conditions (Hedge's g: -2.05, p = 0.01), but not compared to active comparators (g: -0.31, p = 0.53). Within-group analyses showed significant pain reduction following YGN (g: -2.01, p < 0.001). No significant dose-response relationship was observed across intervention durations. The authors caution that low methodological quality across included studies may produce inflated estimates, and they call for high-quality, standardized research to establish YGN's efficacy as a complementary pain management approach.
A systematic review and meta-analysis of 73 studies with 5,201 participants found that Yoga Nidra, a meditative practice, is associated with significant reductions in stress, anxiety, and depression. Between-group analyses showed moderate-to-large effect sizes for stress, anxiety, and depression when compared to both active and no-treatment comparators. However, the authors caution that the low methodological quality and variability in how Yoga Nidra was delivered across studies likely inflate these estimates. The findings suggest Yoga Nidra has potential as a holistic mental health intervention, but high-quality, standardized research is needed to confirm its clinical efficacy.