Go, go, go! Many people today feel overstimulated, as if there is always too much to do and never enough time to do it. Whether you are working from home, returning to the office, taking care of a family, or living alone, feeling overwhelmed by the fast-moving expectations of life can have serious consequences.
Stress can affect your health and limit your ability to fully enjoy life.
One response to the stress of modern life is the growing interest in practices that help the body and mind rest deeply. One of these practices is Non-Sleep Deep Rest, also known as NSDR. NSDR refers to a group of techniques that have existed in different forms for centuries but have become especially relevant today.
Google CEO Sundar Pichai helped popularize the method after discussing it in an interview with the Wall Street Journal.
Dr. Andrew Huberman, who leads the Stanford University School of Medicine’s Huberman Lab, also backed up the practice by sharing the science behind why it works on the Tim Ferriss Show last year.
As a result, more people are trying NSDR techniques to relax, calm the body and mind, support productivity, improve learning, reduce stress, and fall asleep more easily.
What is NSDR?
Non-Sleep Deep Rest protocols are designed to help the brain and body enter a state of deep relaxation without fully falling asleep. These techniques are similar to meditation because they use mental focus to guide the body into a calmer state.
Despite the benefits of meditation, many people, including Google CEO Sundar Pichai, struggle with unguided meditation. When the mind feels full of thoughts, feelings, and sensations, sitting quietly for 20 minutes can feel difficult. NSDR offers an alternative approach that can feel more structured and accessible.
By adding NSDR to a daily routine, some people may support relaxation, cognitive function, and overall mental clarity.
Dr. Huberman, who is credited with coining the term, has described NSDR as a way to deliberately access deep rest to help with falling asleep, reducing stress, and enhancing learning.
Interested in trying meditation? Find a practitioner on Sofia Health.
What are NSDR Protocols?
The goal of NSDR is to reach a deep, restorative state of rest without intentionally going to sleep, although sleep may sometimes happen naturally. These techniques can be helpful for people who are new to meditation or mindfulness, as well as those who may feel disconnected from traditional wellness practices.
These protocols include:
Yoga Nidra
Yoga Nidra is an NSDR practice that involves following a guided meditation to enter a calm, restful state. An instructor typically reads a script throughout the session, which can last anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour.
A Yoga Nidra script often guides participants through a body scan, where they are instructed to focus on different parts of the body. This can be an ideal option for beginners because it is usually done while lying down and simply listening to the instructor.
The practice focuses on non-doing, allowing the body and mind to rest without intentionally falling asleep. It may be especially helpful for people who struggle with insomnia or difficulty relaxing.
To book an individual Yoga Nidra session or a group class, browse Sofia Health's list of trained experts.
Self-Hypnosis
Another NSDR technique is self-hypnosis. During this practice, participants follow prompts from a trained professional and may focus on specific habits or patterns they want to change.
Self-hypnosis may be used to support stress and anxiety relief, chronic pain management, and behavior changes such as quitting smoking.
Like Yoga Nidra, self-hypnosis often begins with relaxation techniques for the body. It may then include guided suggestions, planning, or problem-solving prompts to help participants work through specific challenges.
Short Naps
A short nap of 20 minutes or less can also provide restorative benefits, even though sleep is technically involved.
Short naps may help improve alertness, mood, and mental performance without leaving you as groggy as longer naps can. Longer naps may lead to deeper stages of sleep, which can make it harder to wake up feeling refreshed.
Dr. Huberman recommends what is sometimes called a “napaccino.” With this practice, a person drinks a cup of coffee or espresso and then immediately lies down to rest. Since caffeine usually takes about 20 minutes to take effect, it may be possible to wake up feeling more refreshed and ready for the next part of the day.
Meditation
There are many kinds of meditation. For people interested in using meditation as a form of NSDR, a guided practice may be a helpful place to start.
A trained meditation professional can guide participants through a process that helps them detach from a constant stream of thoughts. The more a person learns to observe the “monkey mind,” the easier it may become to release worry and reduce everyday stress.
To learn more about Meditation and it's benefits, check out this article.
The Bottom Line: NSDR Works
Both Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Dr. Huberman have spoken about the value of deep rest practices, making NSDR more widely known and discussed.
“I personally have been using NSDR daily for around 10 years and find it to be among the more powerful tools out there for recovering lost sleep, focus, and neuroplasticity,” Huberman wrote on Twitter.
Neuroplasticity refers to the brain’s ability to change in response to experience. NSDR protocols may help reduce stress in the moment while also supporting a calmer mental state over time. People with calmer minds may also find it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep.
These practices can often be done at home, but working with a qualified practitioner may be helpful when getting started. For people who feel disconnected from more traditional or spiritual wellness practices, NSDR offers a practical approach to rest, relaxation, and mental clarity.
To learn more or join a group session, connect with experts on Sofia Health now.
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