Cultivating Flourishing through Yoga Nidra Practice in Students: A Longitudinal Randomised Waitlist-Controlled Study
PsyArXiv Preprints July 16, 2026 preprint DOI: osf:2dfcu_v1 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Longitudinal |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 140 |
| Population | University students at a premier technical institute in India |
| Intervention | Yoga Nidra Practice |
| Duration | 14-week intervention |
| Keywords | Cognitive flexibility Mental well-being Psychological distress Sleep quality Yoga nidra Cognitive neuroscience Clinical psychology Intervention research Mental disorders Anxiety disorders Depressive disorders Behavioral neuroscience Educational psychology Health psychology Cognitive psychology Problem solving Memory |
| Key findings | Yoga Nidra practice led to significantly greater improvements in depression, anxiety, life satisfaction, perceived stress, flourishing, peace of mind, and cognitive flexibility compared to a waitlist control group. |
Abstract
Background: University students globally face an escalating mental health crisis (Paiva et al., 2025), yet interventions often overlook the active cultivation of complete well-being (flourishing).
Objective: This randomized, waitlist-controlled study evaluated the impact of a 14-week Yoga Nidra Practice (YNP) module on mental distress and complete well-being at a premier technical institute in India.
Methods: One hundred and forty students (N=140) were randomized 1:1 to either a structured YNP intervention or a waitlist control (WC) group. Primary outcomes included depression, anxiety, perceived stress, sleep quality, flourishing, life satisfaction, mood and peace of mind. Secondary outcomes assessed cognitive flexibility, visual scanning, processing speed and academic performance.
Results: The YNP group demonstrated significantly greater improvements than the WC group across six primary
Outcomes: depression (p < .001, r = -0.35), anxiety (p < .001, r = -0.34), life satisfaction (p < .001, r = 0.34), perceived stress (p = .003, r = -0.29), flourishing (p = .004, r = 0.28), and peace of mind (p = .001, r = 0.32). Furthermore, while sleep quality significantly deteriorated in the WC group compared to baseline (p = .003), it remained same in the YNP group (p = .817) resulting in a significant between-group difference (p = .010, r = -0.25). YNP group also achieved significantly greater gains in cognitive flexibility compared to the WC group (TMTB: p = .001, r = -0.32). Reflexive thematic analysis revealed that effective coping practices facilitated a foundational shift from reactivity to response, cultivating an inner calm that drove holistic restoration. This central mechanism resulted in significant physical restoration, cognitive enhancement, and the integration of mindful living into students' daily academic routines.
Conclusion: This YNP module is a potent, scalable intervention that reduces psychological distress, and educators may consider including it in their curriculum to support students' holistic well-being, particularly those in high-stress environments. Keywords: Yoga Nidra, Psychological Distress, Sleep Quality, Cognitive Flexibility, Mental Well-being, Students.