10-Minute Yoga Nidra Script (Full Text, Free to Use)
Written and reviewed by The Kriya Yogi · Updated 19 September 2026
Ten minutes is enough for a real Yoga Nidra practice, provided the script is built for ten minutes rather than rushed through a thirty-minute structure. This one keeps a short body rotation, a simple breath count and a clear return, and it is written to be read aloud at a slow, even pace. Read the bracketed pauses as silences, not as words.
The short answers
- A complete ten-minute script, free to read aloud, record for yourself or use with a class.
- Structure: settle (2 min), short body rotation (4 min), breath counting (2 min), return (2 min).
- Read at roughly 100 words per minute with real pauses — the silences carry the practice.
- No imagery or visualisation, which makes it a safer choice for people who find guided imagery unsettling.
- Lie on your back with support under the knees, or sit if lying down is uncomfortable.
- Falling asleep is common and harmless, but staying awake is the practice.
Before you begin
Lie on your back on a mat or the floor, a folded blanket under the head, a rolled blanket or bolster under the knees, and something warm over you — body temperature drops when you stop moving. If lying flat hurts your back, bend the knees more or practise in a chair.
If you are recording this for yourself, read slowly. The most common mistake in a home recording is reading at conversational pace; aim for about 100 words per minute and let each bracketed pause be a real silence.
The script
[Begin. Pause for ten seconds before speaking.]
Let the body settle. Let the weight of the body be given to the floor. There is nothing to achieve in the next ten minutes, and nothing to get right.
Feel the points where the body meets the ground. The back of the head. The shoulders. The backs of the arms. The hips. The backs of the legs. The heels.
[Pause, 15 seconds.]
Let the eyes stay closed and soft. Let the jaw be loose, the tongue resting. If you notice sound in the room, let it be part of the practice rather than an interruption.
Make the intention to stay awake. Sleep is welcome, but the practice is to remain aware, resting, listening.
[Pause, 15 seconds.]
Now we move awareness through the body. Nothing to feel in particular. Simply hear each part named, and let attention rest there for a moment before moving on.
Right hand thumb. Second finger. Third finger. Fourth finger. Fifth finger. Palm of the right hand. Back of the hand. Wrist. Forearm. Elbow. Upper arm. Shoulder. Armpit. Right side of the waist. Right hip. Thigh. Knee. Calf. Ankle. Right heel. Sole of the right foot. Right big toe. Second toe. Third toe. Fourth toe. Fifth toe.
[Pause, 10 seconds.]
Left hand thumb. Second finger. Third finger. Fourth finger. Fifth finger. Palm of the left hand. Back of the hand. Wrist. Forearm. Elbow. Upper arm. Shoulder. Armpit. Left side of the waist. Left hip. Thigh. Knee. Calf. Ankle. Left heel. Sole of the left foot. Left big toe. Second toe. Third toe. Fourth toe. Fifth toe.
[Pause, 10 seconds.]
Back of the head. Right shoulder blade. Left shoulder blade. Whole of the upper back. Lower back. Back of the pelvis. Whole of the back body, resting.
Forehead. Right eyebrow. Left eyebrow. The space between the eyebrows. Right eyelid. Left eyelid. Right cheek. Left cheek. Nose. Upper lip. Lower lip. Chin. Throat. Right side of the chest. Left side of the chest. Centre of the chest. Abdomen. Navel.
[Pause, 15 seconds.]
The whole body, lying still. The whole body, from head to feet, resting on the floor.
[Pause, 20 seconds.]
Now bring attention to the breath at the abdomen. Do not change it. Simply notice the rise, and the fall.
We will count the breath backwards from eleven. Count silently: eleven, I am breathing in; eleven, I am breathing out. Ten, I am breathing in; ten, I am breathing out. Continue down towards one in your own time. If you lose the count, begin again at eleven. Losing the count is not a problem.
[Pause, 90 seconds.]
Let the counting go. Let the breath be as it is.
[Pause, 20 seconds.]
Begin to notice the room again. The sound of the room. The temperature of the air. The surface underneath you.
Let the breath deepen a little. Let small movements return — the fingers, the toes. Move slowly. There is no hurry.
When you are ready, roll onto one side and rest there for a moment. Then come up to sitting slowly, eyes still closed at first.
[Pause, 20 seconds.]
The practice is complete. Let the quality of these ten minutes stay with you into whatever you do next.
Using this script
Record it on your phone in one take; small imperfections do not matter, and your own voice works surprisingly well. For a class, keep the pauses generous — silence feels much longer to the person speaking than to the person listening.
If you want a longer version, use the 20-minute script. For night-time use, the sleep script leaves out the return. For the background to the practice, read what Yoga Nidra actually is.
How to use it
Set up the body
On your back, blanket under the head, support under the knees, something warm on top. Sit in a chair instead if lying flat is uncomfortable.
Read slowly
Around 100 words per minute. If a recording feels too slow while making it, it is probably about right for the listener.
Treat the pauses as content
The bracketed silences are not optional. Most of the practice happens in them.
Keep the rotation even
Name each part at a steady pace without emphasis. There is nothing for the listener to feel or do.
Count backwards, not forwards
Counting down from eleven gives the mind a task it cannot do on autopilot, which is why it holds attention.
Return gradually
Sound, temperature, breath, small movements, side-lying, then sitting. Never end abruptly.
Cautions worth reading
- Yoga Nidra is guided rest, not treatment. If you live with trauma, dissociation, psychosis or severe insomnia, keep sessions short, stay with body and breath rather than imagery, and work alongside a clinician rather than self-prescribing long practices. Never listen while driving or operating anything.
- Do not listen to any Yoga Nidra recording while driving or using machinery.
- If lying flat aggravates your back, neck or pregnancy, practise side-lying with support or seated.
- If you have a trauma history, prefer scripts like this one that stay with body and breath rather than imagery.
- Yoga Nidra does not replace treatment for insomnia, depression, anxiety or any medical condition.
Where the evidence stands
Research on Yoga Nidra is early and small in scale: a handful of controlled studies and pilot trials report improvements in self-reported sleep quality, perceived stress and wellbeing, often with modest samples, short durations and no blinding. A short audio-based practice has been studied in that form, which is relevant here. What the literature does not support is treatment claims: nothing shows Yoga Nidra treats insomnia disorder, anxiety disorder, depression or physical disease, and any page promising that is overstating what has been measured.
Questions people ask
+ Is 10 minutes of Yoga Nidra enough?
+ Can I read this script aloud to a class?
+ How fast should I read a Yoga Nidra script?
+ Should I do Yoga Nidra lying down or sitting?
+ What if I fall asleep during Yoga Nidra?
+ Do I need an app for Yoga Nidra?
Sources
- Satyananda Saraswati, *Yoga Nidra*, Bihar School of Yoga — the source of the modern method and of the rotation of consciousness.
- James Mallinson & Mark Singleton, *Roots of Yoga* (Penguin Classics, 2017) — on nyasa, the older tantric practice of placing awareness at named points.
- Richard Miller, *iRest Meditation* — on the clinical adaptation of the practice.
- Datta, Tripathi & Mallick, 'Yoga Nidra: An innovative approach for management of chronic insomnia', *Sleep Science Practice*, 2017 — small, early work.
- Moszeik, von Oertzen & Renner, 'Effectiveness of a short audio-based Yoga Nidra meditation on stress, sleep and wellbeing', *Current Psychology*, 2020.
Educational content, not medical advice. Check with a doctor before starting new practices if you have a health condition or are pregnant.