Sleep · Protocol 8 of 15
Recharge with non-sleep deep rest
1In 30 seconds
Non-sleep deep rest, or NSDR, means lying down and following a guided recording that relaxes your body with slow breathing while you stay awake. Ten to 30 minutes can leave you refreshed after a poor night and can help you drift back to sleep if you wake at 3 a.m.
2Picture it
3Why do it
- 1
It can restore energy and focus after a short night, without the grogginess a long nap can bring.
- 2
It may help you fall asleep faster and get back to sleep after waking in the night.
- 3
It is free, safe and hard to do wrong, and it calms stress and lowers your heart rate.
4How to do it
- Pick a free guided NSDR or yoga nidra recording of 10, 20 or 30 minutes. Longer sessions of up to 60 minutes also work.
- Lie on your back somewhere quiet, close your eyes and set your phone to do not disturb.
- Follow the voice. You will breathe slowly with long out-breaths and move your attention around your body, then away from it and back.
- After a poor night, do a session first thing in the morning. If that is not possible, mid-morning or afternoon still helps.
- If you wake in the night and cannot drop off, play a session rather than tossing and turning.
- In the daytime, set an alarm in case you drift off during the session.
5Make it work in India
- NSDR comes from yoga nidra, an old Indian practice, so you can find free guided sessions in Hindi, Kannada, Tamil and many other languages. Pick any that skips the spiritual parts if you prefer.
- In a small or shared flat, use earphones and a yoga mat, or lie on the bed with the door closed.
- If you attend a yoga class, the closing shavasana can be stretched into a 10 to 20 minute NSDR session.
6The long read: the science2 min read · tap to open
NSDR is not a nap, and it is not classic meditation either. In meditation you usually hold your attention on one thing, like your breath or a candle flame. In NSDR, you deliberately keep your body very still and relaxed while your mind stays awake and gently busy.
Two things drive the effect. First, the breathing puts extra weight on long, slow exhales. Long out-breaths slow your heart and switch your nervous system into calm mode. Second, you move your attention step by step, to one body part, then another, then to places far away, then back again. This keeps your mind active without letting it plan or worry. The result is a dreamy but fully aware state.
NSDR is a modern, stripped-down version of yoga nidra, sometimes called ’yogic sleep’. The research is small but interesting. One study found yoga nidra raised dopamine, a brain chemical linked to motivation, in a deep brain region involved in starting and stopping action. It also lowered blood pressure and heart rate.
In another study, 41 people with long-term insomnia did either a standard talking therapy for insomnia or yoga nidra for 20 minutes twice a day. The yoga nidra group fell asleep faster, got back to sleep more quickly after waking and slept more efficiently. They also had lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol.
NSDR will not replace a good night’s sleep. But it can soften the blow of a bad one and train you to relax on demand.
Early evidence Small studies of yoga nidra show lower stress, faster sleep onset and better sleep in people with insomnia, but the trials are few and small.
Questions people ask
What if I fall asleep during a session?
That is fine. Daytime sleep during NSDR is usually light, so you should not feel groggy. Just set an alarm so you do not oversleep.
Can NSDR replace the sleep I miss?
Not fully. There is little solid evidence that it reduces how much sleep you need, but it may improve the quality of the sleep you do get.
How long should I do it for?
Ten minutes is enough for a quick afternoon reset. After a bad night, 20 to 30 minutes usually feels more restoring.
7Be careful
Never practise NSDR while driving or doing anything that needs your attention. If body-focused relaxation stirs up distressing memories, stop, and consider working with a mental health professional.
8Try it for 7 days
Tap a day each time you did an NSDR session.
From the book: “Use Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR) to Offset Sleep Deficits (and to Get Better at Falling and Staying Asleep at Night)” (Sleep Protocol 8). Evidence rating and India notes are our own.