NSDR - 10 minute stress busting, sleep boosting, mind clearing technique

10/18/21 • 15 min

NSDR, or Non-Sleep Deep Rest, is a relaxation technique where you bring your mind and body into a state of deep relaxation, somewhere between being awake and asleep.

NSDR is a term coined by Dr Andrew Huberman, professor of neurobiology and opthamology at Stanford University and it's similar to a form of yoga called Yoga Nidra.

It brings numerous benefits that I’ve been enjoying recently and I want to share it with you today.

NSDR is a powerful stress-buster as it activates your parasympathetic nervous system, which is the opposite to your fight and flight stress response. Any time you’re feeling overwhelmed or stressed out and you need to take a moment to reset yourself, this tool can be great way to accomplish that.

NSDR can also help clear your mind, opening you up to fresh ideas or inspiration. I sometimes do this in the mornings immediately before a bout of journaling, and always find that I can think much more clearly and have more ‘ah ha’ moments.

It also helps to embed new information as a part of the learning process, and this is another areas that I have found it to be particularly valuable.

If you struggle to get to sleep or fall back to sleep once you wake in the night, it can be a great help with this. Even though it’s called ‘Non-Sleep Deep Rest’, it will move you away from ruminating and dwelling on worries, and towards a state of relaxation that will help you get back to sleep again.

As you work through the 10 minute NSDR that I’m going to share with you today your brainwaves will slow down similar to how they would in a state of deep sleep, yet you remain conscious throughout. In fact I encourage you to set your intention to stay awake right at the start.

But that said, this is definitely not a podcast episode to listen to if you are driving, operating heavy machinery, or in water. You want to find yourself a quiet space where you won’t be disturbed for at least 10 minutes.

References:

Huberman Lab podcast: https://hubermanlab.com

NSDR, or Non-Sleep Deep Rest, is a relaxation technique where you bring your mind and body into a state of deep relaxation, somewhere between being awake and asleep.

NSDR is a term coined by Dr Andrew Huberman, professor of neurobiology and opthamology at Stanford University and it's similar to a form of yoga called Yoga Nidra.

It brings numerous benefits that I’ve been enjoying recently and I want to share it with you today.

It also helps to embed new information as a part of the learning process, and this is another areas that I have found it to be particularly valuable.

References:

Huberman Lab podcast: https://hubermanlab.com

Previous Episode

How to be more successful (with Jennifer Merritt)

When many of us define success we think of things such as those that we are able to have or to do, but my guest on today’s episode has a different take.

Jennifer Merritt is a success mentor, and after a successful corporate career you might expect her to fall in line with the traditional society views of what success is.

Although she sees success as something we can all create as a feeling, it’s not something that needs to diminish our drive to strive for more.

In our conversation today she shares some of her top tips for reframing success, how to put yourself first, and why it’s so important to be clear on why something is important to you if it stands any chance of bringing you any kind of happiness.

Jennifer also shares some of her own incredible story, about burnout, about loss, and about a life changing medical diagnosis just before she got married about 10 years ago.

This episode is packed with inspiration and information, and although Jennifer and I clearly share lots of similar ideas and philosophies, her approach is unique and there are many ideas you can take aways and start applying to your own life today.

Find out more about Jennifer and her work on her website:

https://www.jennifermerritt.com

Next Episode

Jess Robson - mental health and Run Talk Run

My guest on today's episode is Jess Robson, mental health activist and creator of the global movement 'Run Talk Run'. Jess is doing some tremendously important work in the world of mental health, and has created a space for a growing number of people to talk about their mental health in a supportive and positive environment.

I asked her about her own mental health journey and some of the strategies that have helped her over the years, and the power of saying ‘no’ which ironically is how Jess came onto my radar in the first place.

Visit the Run Talk Run website for more information

TW: Episode continues references to eating disorders