Date of Award
Spring 5-10-2024
Document Type
Dissertation (799 registration)
Degree Name
Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership
Department
Graduate Studies
Committee Chair
Boyd L. Bradbury
Keywords
college students, well-being, yoga nidra, action research
Abstract
College students experience significant stress, which affects their health and executive functioning. The purpose of this study was to explore if students could improve their well-being through a yoga nidra intervention. Yoga nidra is a deep relaxation practice with conscious awareness. Twelve students from a Midwestern college campus participated in a yoga nidra non-credit class. Students were expected to participate in two yoga nidra sessions per week for 50-minutes per session over the course of 12-weeks for a total of 24-yoga nidra sessions. The study was conducted through an action research qualitative study. Participants completed pre- and post-reflections on their subjective experience for each yoga nidra session. To examine changes in well-being participants were asked to report on their physical, mental, emotional, energetic, and spiritual well-being throughout the 12-week yoga nidra intervention. Additionally, three participants took part in a focus group to share their own observations pertaining to how the yoga nidra practices influenced their well-being. Findings suggested that yoga nidra heightened physical awareness, relieved tension, improved focus, regulated emotions, and enhanced spiritual connection. This study highlighted the need for more mindfulness training to support college students in managing their dis-ease.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Clark, Angie, "The Well-being of College Students Who Participate in a Regular Yoga Nidra Practice" (2024). Dissertations, Theses, and Projects. 920.
https://red.mnstate.edu/thesis/920