Have you ever woken up in the morning not feeling fully rested? Well, Dr. Andrew Huberman has come up for a solution for that. It is called non-sleep deep rest, or NSDR for short. Huberman claims that practicing NSDR upon waking after a bad night of sleep makes him feel fully rested and ready to take on the day.
NSDR is a powerful way to unwind and relax quickly and deeply. It can help you replace sleep that you have lost, or help you quickly fall back asleep in the middle of the night. NSDR can be done anytime and almost anywhere.
What is Non-Sleep Deep Rest?
Non-sleep deep rest, also known as yoga nidra, is a type of rest you get while your mind is awake, but your body is extremely relaxed. It allows you to reduce stress and control your state of mind.
As Huberman puts it, “NSDR takes advantage of the fact that we can control our perception… that is which sensations we are focused on. And by doing so we can shift our brain state from thinking, from stress, from planning, from anticipation of any kind – positive or negative – to one of pure sensation and deep relaxation.”
It is a “deliberate decompression” that allows you to reset. NSDR is very similar to sleep and involves slowing down your brain waves, much like sleep, except your mind is awake. NSDR begins with a self-induced state of calmness, followed by a period of directed focus.
During NSDR, your gut releases serotonin activating the parasympathetic nervous system – the same on used for sleep. Think of it as a brain “reset” and a refueling of the prefrontal cortex.
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Benefits of NSDR
There is a myriad of benefits associated with NSDR. Besides making you feel relaxed and well rested, NSDR also:
- Enhances memory retention
- Promotes neuroplasticity and enhances learning
- Improves quality of sleep
- Enhances relaxation
- Improves cognitive function
- Enhances mental clarity and focus
Those are just the main benefits of NSDR. The practice itself allows you to develop greater self-control over your mind and body.
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How to Practice NSDR
There are many ways to practice non-sleep deep rest. You could take a yoga nidra class or find a self-guided NSDR or yoga nidra video on Youtube. Here are some steps to take to get the most out of NSDR is doing it by yourself at home.
- Find a comfortable, quiet place where you will not be disturbed. This needs to be a place where you can lie down, such as a couch or bed.
- Make sure you are warm and comfortable. Try to avoid doing this in clothes you would not typically sleep in.
- Make sure you will not be disturbed. If others are in the house with you, let them know not to disturb you. Also, turn off all electronics in the room that may disturb you.
- It’s ok if you fall asleep but try to train yourself not to. You don’t want to attempt a 20-minute NSDR session, only to wake up hours later!
- Play a guided video or track. There are tons available on Youtube. Below you will find Andrew Huberman’s self-guided NSDR protocol. Now, relax and focus on the self-guided track. You will soon find yourself in an ultra-relaxed state somewhere between being awake and sleeping.
There you have it – that’s NSDR in a nutshell. It may take a few times to get good at it, but once you master NSDR – it will change your life. You will be able to do it in between study sessions or during a break from work. Trust me, non-sleep deep rest has made a massive breakthrough in my productivity and quality of sleep.
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