Someone tells you a breathing exercise changed her life. You try the exact same thing, and almost nothing happens. Or the other way around: you lie down for your first Yoga Nidra and drop so deeply that you wonder why nobody told you sooner. Four new studies suggest that difference is not a coincidence, and it is not your fault either. This is the first Trendwatcher, where I read what is happening in the research and tell you honestly what it does and does not say.
People respond differently, and now it has actually been measured
The largest of these four studies looked at more than five thousand people. They did short practices of five to ten minutes: mindfulness, self-compassion or gratitude. On average it helped, modestly. But the interesting part is not the average. It is the spread around it: one person clearly felt better after a practice that barely moved someone else.
What the research is
“Personalized prediction of response to three meditation practices: A randomized controlled trial”, published in Behaviour Research and Therapy on 10 August 2026. A preregistered, well-powered randomised trial.
Who it looked at
5,049 adults from representative samples in the United States and the United Kingdom, assigned to mindfulness, self-compassion or gratitude for five to ten minutes, with a control group alongside.
What it found
Short practices modestly improved negative feelings. Individual response was partly predictable from where someone started. What it does not show: that an algorithm can reliably prescribe the best practice for you yet. That needs new trials first.
Source: Behaviour Research and Therapy 205:105141 (2026).
A nap and a meditation do different things to your head
A smaller study put fifteen minutes of yoga meditation next to fifteen minutes of napping, measuring brain activity throughout. Both did something, but not the same thing. Meditation helped people hold back in a task where they sometimes had to not react. The nap made them faster. That is a difference in kind, not in quality.
What the research is
“A comparative study of the effects of yoga meditation and napping on response inhibition”, published in Scientific Reports on 26 August 2026.
Who it looked at
25 healthy adults, who did both the meditation and the nap, with EEG measurements and a response task.
What it found
Yoga meditation gave better accuracy at holding back a response. The nap gave faster reaction times. Important: this is a small group of healthy people, so it is interesting as a mechanism, not as advice for anyone with symptoms.
Source: Scientific Reports (2026).
Yoga Nidra and sleep: a careful yes, not a promise
A lot gets claimed about Yoga Nidra, so I wanted to read this one honestly. Researchers pooled six randomised trials with 244 participants between them. Most reported improvement: falling asleep faster, sleeping longer, sleeping more efficiently. And still the conclusion is careful, because the studies differed a great deal and their quality varied.
What the research is
“Efficacy of Yoga Nidra in Managing Sleep Disorders: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials”, a review of randomised research.
Who it looked at
Six studies, 244 participants in total, including people with chronic insomnia, high blood pressure and healthcare workers. Comparisons ranged from cognitive behavioural therapy to relaxing music.
What it found
Most studies saw sleep improve. What the evidence does not yet carry: that Yoga Nidra is proven effective for every sleep disorder, or equivalent to cognitive behavioural therapy. Safety data were poorly reported, which means we still know too little about who should take it more gently.
Source: Systematic review, DOI 10.1177/27683605251390728.
Breathwork is shifting from wellness to skill
The last one is the most practical. Nearly a hundred paramedic students spent twelve weeks breathing slowly for ten minutes, twice a day. No session, no retreat, just a practice you do at home. Afterwards they scored lower on stress, anxiety and low mood, and higher on resilience, than the group that did nothing extra. The strongest effect showed up around exam time, exactly when the pressure was highest.
What the research is
A randomised trial of breathwork in paramedicine students, published in Stress and Health on 5 March 2026.
Who it looked at
98 students at two Australian universities. Twelve weeks, ten minutes of slow breathing twice daily, with video and audio guidance.
What it found
Lower stress, anxiety and low mood, and higher resilience than the control group. No difference on insomnia or general wellbeing. One important caveat: more people dropped out of the practice group than the control group, which limits how confident we can be.
Source: Stress and Health (2026). The Global Wellness Institute flagged the same shift earlier this year: breathwork is moving from general wellness to a trainable skill.
What I take from this myself
Four studies, four different subjects, and still one line runs through all of them. Not: which practice is best. But: which practice fits this person, at this moment. That is a fundamentally different starting point from the promise that one technique will sort out your whole life.
It also explains why I never built the InnerPower Method as a fixed protocol. LAND • BREATHE • FEEL is a returning practice, not a recipe. You land, you breathe, you feel what is there. And then you choose what is needed now, which is different one week from the next. On a day when your head is overflowing, something else works than on a day when you are simply tired.
Something else stands out: the most honest studies are also the most modest ones. All four state explicitly what has not been proven. I like reading that, because it is exactly how I want to bring it myself. Breathwork and meditation are not medicine and they do not replace treatment. They are something you learn and carry with you.
One small step for this week
Pick one practice and do it for seven days, rather than seven practices once. And notice not only whether you feel better afterwards, but when it works best: in the morning, between two meetings, or right before sleep. You are looking for your moment, not the perfect technique. If a practice makes you more restless rather than calmer, feel free to stop. That is not failure, that is information.
Frequently asked questions
Which meditation is right for me?
There is no way to know in advance, and that has now been studied: in a trial of more than five thousand people, not everyone responded the same way to the same practice. The practical advice that follows is simple. Try one form seriously for a week or two, notice what happens, and only then switch. Starting with a guided practice is easiest for most people, because then you do not also have to invent the structure yourself.
How long do I need to meditate to notice anything?
In the research above, effects showed up with practices of five to ten minutes. Short and regular does more than long and rare. More important than duration is that it stays doable on a busy day, because a practice you skip does not work at all.
How often should you do breathing exercises?
In the paramedic study, participants breathed for ten minutes twice a day for twelve weeks. That is a demanding schedule. For most people one fixed moment a day is a more realistic start, and you can always build from there.
Can meditation actually make you more restless?
Yes, it can. Sitting still with your eyes closed sometimes brings up more than someone can hold at that moment, especially with tension or difficult experiences. That is a reason to take it gently, not to push through. A practice with movement, sound or open eyes is often kinder then. If it is consistently too much, talk to a doctor or therapist.
Does Yoga Nidra really help with sleep problems?
The evidence gives a cautiously positive signal. Six randomised trials with 244 participants between them mostly saw improvement in falling asleep and sleep duration. But the studies differed considerably and their quality varied, so you cannot conclude that it is proven effective for every sleep disorder or equivalent to cognitive behavioural therapy.
What is the difference between meditating and taking a nap?
They do different things. In an EEG study of 25 healthy adults, fifteen minutes of yoga meditation gave better accuracy at holding back an impulse, while a nap of the same length mainly made people faster. So it is not better or worse, but what you need at that moment.
Do breathwork or meditation replace treatment?
No. The research shows improvements in stress, mood and resilience, and that is something different from treating a condition. See it as something you can learn and use alongside professional care when that is needed, not instead of it.
Will AI be able to tell me which practice suits me?
Not yet. In the large meditation trial, individual response was partly predictable from where someone started, which is an interesting beginning. The researchers themselves note that new trials are needed before you could base reliable personal advice on it.
Sign up below, and take a look at our agenda to see what’s on.
Stay in the loop
Get one honest email from House of InnerPower
Sign up for the English newsletter for one welcome email with real content, not a generic drip campaign.
Ilse-Marie Sobering is the founder of House of InnerPower and the creator of the InnerPower Method: LAND • ADEM • VOEL (Land, Breathe, Feel), a cyclical practice of returning to yourself again and again. She has studied yoga philosophy and Eastern philosophy for more than 25 years, and has worked professionally since 2015 as an E-RYT 500 yoga and Yoga Nidra teacher, mindfulness and breathwork coach, Ayurveda practitioner and EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) practitioner. In Spain, where she lived for seven years, she taught trainings, teacher trainings and retreats at various locations in the Málaga region, including near Periana, Nerja and Frigiliana. She now works from the Netherlands, teaching trainings and speaking in the Netherlands, in Spain and online. Within the method she works with Yin Yoga, Yoga Nidra, breathwork, meditation, Qigong and somatic work, complemented with elements from her hypnotherapy training. She teaches teacher trainings, continuing education and company training, for people living with long-term stress and for professionals who want to deepen the way they guide others.
