Prana NidraHome · FAQ
Before you startPrana nidra: frequently asked questions
The questions we get, gathered in one place: what the practice is and how it's done, what someone who sleeps badly, has an illness, or is getting older can expect, and exactly what the book, the audios, and the bundle that pairs them include. The answers come from the book and from what Andrei teaches; none of them promise what the practice can't deliver.
The practice
What is prana nidra?
A practice of conscious rest: about twenty minutes lying down with your eyes closed, while a voice guides your breath and attention into deep rest with the mind awake. It moves through four stages, which the book explains one by one: releasing, rest, recharge, and closing. Andrei Ram received it from his teacher, Sri Dharma Mittra, in New York in 2002.
How is it different from yoga nidra?
From the outside they look alike: in both you lie still. Prana nidra works specifically with prana, the vital energy, through breath and attention; it takes between seven and twenty-one minutes and can be done without an outside guide once you know the sequence. The book explains where it comes from and its four stages.
Do I need experience with yoga or meditation?
No. You practice lying down, and the audios guide you from start to finish. The book devotes a whole chapter to preparing the space and the body.
Is it the same as meditating?
No. Prana nidra is done lying down and rests on the exhalation and the withdrawal of the senses; classical meditation is done sitting and trains concentration. Andrei describes it as a prelude to meditation, something that complements it and makes it more accessible, not a substitute.
How many times a week should I practice?
There's no fixed rule. A practice takes between seven and twenty-one minutes, so it fits into a pause in the day; the moment Andrei recommends is the energy dip in the early afternoon, at least fifteen or twenty minutes after eating.
Can I do it in bed?
The floor is better, on a mat or a blanket: a mattress throws off the alignment of the body and doesn't spread your weight the same way. And if bed is truly the only option, the book's answer is: do it. Better that than nothing.
What if I fall asleep?
Nothing is wrong. The book says it plainly: falling asleep isn't a failure, and if it happens, let it, because it's rest all the same. It's the most common doubt among people who are starting out; with repetition, the rest stage stays a little more awake each time.
What is the solar plexus in prana nidra?
The center that governs the practice. It sits below the ribs, halfway between the navel and the diaphragm, and the book calls it our inner sun. You inhale from there, and you return there at the close. The other two centers are the lunar plexus, between the eyebrows, and the spiritual heart, in the middle of the chest.
If you sleep badly, have an illness, or are getting older
Does it replace sleep or medical treatment?
No. The book itself is clear about this: prana nidra does not replace sleep or natural rest, and it is not a medical cure. It is a practice of conscious rest.
I sleep badly. Will it fix my insomnia?
It is not a treatment for insomnia, and we don't promise it will fix it. What it teaches is how to rest during the day with your mind awake, and many people reach the evening with less tiredness piled up. To practice before bed, Andrei recommends only the first stage, the releasing, never the recharge. If your sleep problem worries you or drags on, see a professional; the practice doesn't replace that.
I have an illness or I'm in treatment. Can I practice?
The practice is gentle: you do it lying down, without effort, with nothing but breath and attention, and the book is clear that it doesn't replace treatments prescribed by doctors or therapists. If you have an illness, pain, or an ongoing treatment, check with your doctor first and practice only what they allow. We make no promises about any illness.
Lying down is hard for me because of pain or age. Is there another position?
Yes. The book allows sitting with your back supported, reclining in a chair, or lying on your side. On the floor, a cushion under the knees takes the load off the lower back, and a support under the skull helps if you snore or have reflux. What matters is being able to stay still and comfortable for twenty minutes; the posture adapts to the person, not the other way around.
I'm stressed or anxious. Does it help with that?
It's a practice of rest, not a therapy, and that's how we present it. People who practice tend to use it on the most tense days as a twenty-minute pause for body and mind. If anxiety overwhelms you, or if memories or emotions come up during the practice that weigh too much, the book itself suggests taking them to therapy.
Are there any contraindications?
The book doesn't give a list of contraindications. It is a gentle practice, lying down and without effort, that works only with breath and attention. If you have an illness, pain, or an ongoing treatment, check with your doctor first; and if memories or emotions come up during the practice that overwhelm you, the book itself suggests taking them to therapy.
The book and the audios
What format does the book come in?
PDF. It opens on any phone, tablet, computer, or reader that accepts PDF. It's 147 pages and 1.7 MB.
Does the book include the audios?
No. The book has the written script of the five practices so you can do them on your own. The audios guided by Andrei are sold separately, or together with the book in the bundle.
Do I need the audios to practice?
Not necessarily, but they help. Andrei himself recommends starting with the guided basic practice until doing it unguided feels natural.
Do I need the book to use the audios?
No. Each audio is a complete practice, and Andrei guides you from start to finish. The book explains the why behind each step; if you want both, the bundle has them.
What do the audios include?
Eight MP3 tracks: the five practices, plus an opening, an introduction, and a short talk on set and setting. Download them one by one or all together in a 145 MB .zip file. Almost two hours of audio in total.
Can I read and listen on my phone?
Yes. The PDF opens on any phone, tablet, or computer. You can download the audios to your phone track by track, with nothing to unzip, or all together in a .zip file, better on Wi-Fi.
Is it available in Spanish?
Yes. The book and the audios were written and recorded in Spanish first, and you can buy them from the Spanish version of this site. Each purchase is for one language.
Is there a print edition?
It's in the works. Leave your email in the "Print edition" section of the home page and we'll let you know the day it goes on sale. Purchases on this site are digital only and don't include the printed book.
Buying and downloading
Can I try it for free first?
Yes. On the sample page, the full basic practice guided by Andrei and the first 26 pages of the book open in exchange for your name and email.
What exactly do I get when I buy?
Digital files. The book is a 147-page PDF. The audios are eight MP3 tracks, one by one or together in a .zip file: the five guided practices, plus an opening, an introduction, and a short talk on set and setting. The bundle includes both.
How do I receive it?
When your payment goes through, a download button appears, and you also get an email with the same button. Download the files that same day and keep them: that button expires after six hours. After that you can always get them back at app.lemonsqueezy.com/my-orders with your purchase email, or write to info@prananidra.co.
What if I miss the download?
No problem. Go to app.lemonsqueezy.com/my-orders with the email you used to buy, and you'll get a link to download your files again, as many times as you like. If anything goes wrong, write to info@prananidra.co.
Who charges me, and is it safe?
Payment goes through Lemon Squeezy, a secure payment platform that charges you, applies your country's taxes, and issues your receipt. We never see or store your card details.
Write to us, or try it first.
For anything else, write to info@prananidra.co. And if you'd rather feel the practice before asking, the full basic practice is in the free sample; what it is and where it comes from, in what is prana nidra.