Improved Sleep, Cognitive Processing and Enhanced Learning and Memory Task Accuracy with Yoga Nidra Practice in Novices

Abstract

Background- Yoga nidra practice in novices is known to improve sleep. Its effect on objective parameters on sleep and on cognitive performance is not well known. The aim of the study was to study the effect of yoga nidra practice on cognition and night time sleep using objective parameters. Methods- 41 healthy volunteers were enrolled and baseline sleep diary collected. Subjects underwent overnight polysomnography and cognition testing battery comprising of Motor praxis test (MPT), emotion recognition task (ERT), digital symbol substitution task (DSST), visual object learning task (VOLT), abstract matching (AIM), line orientation task (LOT), matrix reasoning task (MRT), fractal-2-back test (NBACK), psychomotor vigilance task (PVT-10 min) and balloon analog risk task (BART). Yoga nidra was practiced for two weeks after training. Cognition testing battery was done at baseline and at one and two weeks of practice to compare. The cognitive tasks were further analysed using Python library and power spectra density values (PSD) calculated for EEG frequencies at central, frontal and occipital locations. Repeat sleep diary and polysomnography to assess pre- post yoga nidra intervention effects were studied. Results- Improved reaction times for all 10 cognition tasks was seen. Polysomnography (PSG) revealed significant difference in post intervention as compared to baseline. Data in change (95%CI; p-value) showed change in sleep efficiency, wake after sleep onset and delta µV2 in deep sleep : +3.62% (0.3, 5.15; p-value=0.03) , -20min (-35.78, -5.02; p=0.003) and +4.19 (0.5, 9.5; p=0.04) respectively. Accuracy was found to be significantly increased for VOLT (95% CI: 0.08, 0.17; p=0.002), AIM (95% CI: 0.03, 0.12; p= 0.02) after two weeks of practice and NBACK (95% CI: 0.02, 0.13; p=0.04) with one week of yoga nidra practice. ERT accuracy scores with yoga nidra practice showed increased recognition scores in happy, fear and anger stimuli (95% CI: 0.07, 0.24; p=0.004) but reduced scores with neutral stimuli (95% CI: -0.3, -0.05; p=0.04) after two weeks of yoga nidra practice. Conclusion- Yoga nidra practice improves cognitive processing and helps improve night-time sleep in healthy novices.