What is non-sleep deep rest? (NSDR)

Non-sleep deep rest (NSDR) is a practice designed to access a state of deep relaxation without the need for additional sleep. It's been shown to increase rates of learning and improve retention of information when done for 20-minute bouts after a concentrated period of learning, matching approximately 90-minute cycles of learning 1. NSDR can include a range of activities like meditation, yoga nidra, and hypnosis, which all cultivate a conscious shift toward deeper relaxation and enhance both brain and body function 2. It also helps in resetting one's wakefulness and ability to pay attention, allowing for emotional stability and making it easier to fall asleep at night 3. Techniques such as yoga nidra involve listening to a script that guides the individual through a body scan and deep breathing 4. NSDR has also been referred to for improving focus under conditions of sleep deprivation and restoring dopamine levels 5.

Boost Learning with Non-Sleep Deep Rest

Andrew Huberman

Andrew Huberman discusses the benefits of non-sleep deep rest (NSDR) and how it can increase rates of learning. He shares a study showing that 20-minute bouts of NSDR can accelerate learning and retention of information without the need for more sleep. Huberman also provides free resources for NSDR protocols and hypnosis scripts to help rewire brain circuitry.

Huberman Lab

Using Science to Optimize Sleep, Learning & Metabolism | Huberman Lab Podcast #3

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