Bakgrund: Sömnproblem är ett utbrett problem och är oftast en del av vissa livsstilssituationer där jobb, familjeliv och sjukdom kan påverka sömnen negativt. Fysisk aktivitet är en strategi för att förbättra sömnen, men vid tillfällen där aktiv rörelse inte är möjlig kan avslappningstekniker användas. Yoga nidra, även kallad yogisk sömn, är en guidad meditationsteknik som involverar många olika avslappningstekniker. En effekt av yoga nidra tycks vara ökad parasympatisk aktivitet och minskad sympatisk aktivitet. Syfte: Syftet med studien var att undersöka yoga nidras påverkan på sömnen på vuxna individer.                                                                                                          Metod: En systematisk litteraturstudie baserad på vetenskapliga artiklar publicerade 2019-2024. Databaserna PubMed och Web of Science användes för litteratursökningen. Resultat: Sex artiklar mötte inklusionskriterierna. Samtliga studier var experimentella. Fem av studierna visade på signifikant förbättrad sömn efter upprepad intervention. En studie gav oförändrad effekt efter en yoga nidra session.                                  Slutsats: Resultatet från litteraturstudien tyder på att yoga nidra kan inverka positivt på sömnen om interventionen utförs kontinuerligt. Dock rådde heterogenitet bland artiklarna gällande studiens kvalitet, population och interventionens längd, vilket försvårar tolkning av resultat. Bättre och mer enhetliga studier samt fler deltagare behövs för att kunna påvisa ett samband. / Background: Sleep problems are widespread and are usually part of certain lifestyle situations where work, family life and illness can affect sleep negatively. Physical activity is one strategy to improve sleep, but relaxation techniques can be used when active movement is not possible. Yoga Nidra, or yogic sleep, is a guided meditation technique that involves many different relaxation methods. One effect of yoga nidra appears to be increased parasympathetic activity and decreased sympathetic activity. Aims: The study aimed to examine the effect of yoga nidra on sleep in adults. Methods: A systematic literature study based on scientific articles published 2019-2024. The literature search was done using Pub Med and Web of Science databases. Results: Six articles met the inclusion criteria and were included in the study. All studies were experimental. Five of the studies showed significantly improved sleep after repeated intervention. One study found an unchanged effect after only one yoga nidra session. Conclusions: The results from the literature study indicate that yoga nidra may have a positive effect on sleep if the intervention is carried out over a period of time. However, there was heterogeneity among the articles regarding the study quality, population and intervention length, making it difficult to assess the results. Better and more unitary studies and more participants are needed to determine a connection.

Title: The effect of yogic relaxation on muscle tone Objectives: The aim of this thesis is to present a technique of yogic relaxation, yoga nidra, as one of the possible methods for releasing mental and physical tension. The aim of the practical part of this thesis is to evaluate the effect of yoga nidra on muscle tone. Methods: The practical part of this thesis is a pilot study with six participants. For objective assessment of muscle tone the method of myotonometry was used. M. soleus was selected as the muscle to be measured. First, the original muscle tone of m. soleus on the dominant lower limb of the participants was measured. Then the group of participants was instructed about the practice of yoga nidra and was asked to practice it every day in the following 14 days at home using a given audio recording. After the two-week training, the muscle tone of m. soleus was measured again in order to determine the long-term effect of yoga nidra on muscle tone. Finally, the participants participated in a group lesson of yoga nidra guided by a yoga teacher. Then, the muscle tone of m. soleus was measured again in order to determine the instant effect of yoga nidra on muscle tone. Results: After the two-week training of yoga nidra the research found a decrease in muscle tone of m. soleus in 5 out of 6...