Yoga Nidra meditation Virginia

Overview of iRest in the Military

The origins of IRI and iRest are deeply tied to the service and support of the US Military. In 2006, the Department of Defense conducted research at Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC) on the efficacy of Yoga Nidra (an ancient meditative practice dating back to 2500 B.C.E.). Renamed Integrative Restoration, or iRest for short, the protocol was developed and led by Richard Miller, PhD. The study was conducted with soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In June of 2010, iRest was endorsed by the US Army Surgeon General and Defense Centers of Excellence as a complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).

Following the 2006 study, the Deployment Health Clinical Center (DHCC) at WRAMC integrated the iRest protocol into its weekly treatment program for soldiers. iRest programs were subsequently set up at VA facilities in Florida, Kentucky, Ohio, North Carolina, Washington, DC, Illinois and Tennessee. iRest is currently supporting active duty, veterans and families of service members in over 50 veterans administration hospitals and military bases/hospitals across the United States. Please click here for a current list; last updated July 2016.

We welcome you to view a short video of a veteran experiencing benefit from iRest below:

Special thanks to Warriors at Ease, Robin Carnes, and Christopher Giddinge for producing this video. Directed and Produced by Samantha Jade Adamson.

About PTSD and iRest


Post-traumatic stress disorder is a severe anxiety disorder with typical treatment being medications and/or psychotherapy. IRI and senior iRest teachers work with those experiencing trauma, their physicians and caregivers to navigate the symptoms of PTSD, and often associated conditions such as phobias, suicidal feelings, mood disorders, insomnia, fatigue, panic disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder, all of which can be debilitating. In working with traumas of the mind, as well as severe traumas in the body, iRest has helped navigate recovery and increase coping skills. iRest is integrative in that it heals the various unresolved issues, traumas, and wounds that are present in the body and mind, and restorative in that it aids the body and mind in returning to a natural state of functioning. iRest fosters freedom from stress and trauma, and helps identify and heal destructive tendencies that otherwise can impede the healing process.

In addition to traditional approaches such as psychotherapy, counseling and case work support, the military healthcare system is embracing evidence-based mind-body modalities including iRest, yoga, meditation, massage and acupuncture to address the burgeoning healthcare needs of military communities. A growing body of research indicates that mind-body approaches can help people interweave healthy lifestyle practices into their daily lives that help alleviate pain, promote better sleep, increase resiliency, reduce anxiety and teach self-care management into their daily lives at a fraction of the cost of traditional therapies.