AMA #18: Cold Therapy Advice, Skin Health Tips, Motivation, Learning Strategies & More

NSDR

Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR) protocols offer a way to achieve REM-like rest without actual sleep. Andrew Huberman explains that these protocols can be particularly useful when you wake up feeling unrested or if your sleep score shows insufficient REM sleep. He mentions that his lab, along with Matt Walker, is gearing up to study the impact of NSDR on the brain using modern methods 1.

Do a ten to 30 minutes or ten or 20 minutes non sleep deep rest protocol. Those are easy to find. I have zero cost ones that are on YouTube.

--- Andrew Huberman

Huberman provides free NSDR scripts on YouTube and Spotify, making it accessible even without internet access. He also recommends Kelly Boys' NSDR and Yoga Nidra scripts available on YouTube and the Waking Up app 1.

   

REM Sleep

REM sleep plays a crucial role in learning and cognitive function. Andrew Huberman emphasizes that neuroplasticity and learning are triggered by focused attention, which is supported by adequate sleep, particularly REM sleep 2. He explains the concept of REM sleep rebound, where the brain compensates for lost REM sleep by increasing it in subsequent nights 3.

There's something called the REM sleep rebound. If you don't sleep enough or you don't get enough REM sleep on, say, Monday night, Tuesday night when you go to sleep, you'll get more REM sleep than you normally would.

--- Andrew Huberman

Huberman also notes that while there are pharmacological tools to increase slow-wave sleep, there are currently no clear pharmacological methods to specifically increase REM sleep 3.

   

Meditation

Meditation can significantly enhance learning and focus. Andrew Huberman advocates for incorporating brief meditation sessions in schools to improve working memory, focus, and stress reduction 4. He references a study by Wendy Suzuki at New York University, which found that even a 13-minute daily meditation session can yield significant cognitive benefits 4.

Even a very brief meditation session in that particular study, it was about 13 minutes per day, can significantly improve working memory.

--- Andrew Huberman

Huberman suggests that meditation should be viewed as a perceptual exercise, similar to physical exercise, to help students regulate their focus and attention, thereby enhancing their learning experience 4.