Non-sleep deep rest (NSDR)
10-20 minute guided body-scan rest, sometimes called yoga nidra
A short guided session where you lie down, stay awake and systematically relax the body while breathing slowly. It is essentially yoga nidra, rebranded for people who will not use the word yoga. Users describe recovering from a bad night, blunting an afternoon crash, or resetting before deep work, without the grogginess of a nap. Free recordings are widely available, so the only cost is the 10-20 minutes.
People on record
Sorted by strength of stance
Does it: documented as part of their own routine. Recommends: explicitly advises other people to do it. Discusses: covered it substantively without clear personal adoption; this can include criticism or disagreement.
- Andrew HubermanDoes it
Neuroscientist · Huberman Lab
Runs ten to twenty minute sessions to recover from short nights and to reset between work blocks, having popularized the NSDR label.
Source: Lex Fridman Podcast #435 transcript“If I don’t feel I slept enough, I do this non-sleep deep rest yoga nidra thing that I talked about a bunch. … It puts me back into a state that feels like sleep and I feel very rested.”
Lex Fridman Podcast #435 transcript (opens in a new tab) · 28 Jun 2024 - Matthew WalkerDiscusses
Sleep scientist · author of Why We Sleep
Body-scan and relaxation practices lower arousal before sleep, he has said, though he is clear they are not a substitute for sleep.
Source: The Matt Walker Podcast
Aimed at the same thing
Other entries filed under stress, focus or sleep.
- Protocol$$$Mid: Roughly $50 to $500, or up to $50/month.
HRV biofeedback training
Paced breathing against a live heart rate variability readout, a few minutes a day
On record from 1 of 62 tracked people: 1 recommends it - App$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.
Headspace
Guided meditation app built around ten-minute sessions, voiced by Andy Puddicombe
On record from 3 of 62 tracked people: 2 do it, 1 recommends it - Supplement$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.
L-theanine
Amino acid from tea used for calm focus, or with caffeine
On record from 2 of 62 tracked people: 2 do it - App$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.
Reveri
Self-hypnosis sessions for sleep, stress and pain
On record from 1 of 62 tracked people: 1 recommends it - Protocol$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.
Deliberate cold exposure
Cold showers or ice baths used deliberately, usually a few minutes at a time
On record from 25 of 62 tracked people: 19 do it, 6 have discussed it - Protocol$$$Mid: Roughly $50 to $500, or up to $50/month.
Sauna
Regular heat exposure, often 4 sessions a week at 20 minutes
On record from 17 of 62 tracked people: 11 do it, 3 recommend it, 3 have discussed it
Protocol entry · notes paraphrased from cited sources, quoted excerpts copied from the transcript they link to. Not medical advice. Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or reviewed by anyone listed. How this works.