Non-sleep deep rest method

Discover the benefits of "moderate-intensity aerobic" exercise and the advantages of walking on uneven terrain for a comprehensive workout. Learn about "Non-Sleep Deep Rest", a technique popularized by Andrew Huberman, that quickly restores energy and improves concentration without the drawbacks of traditional napping. This article provides detailed NSDR steps, compares it to napping, and presents personal experiences and scientific research supporting its effectiveness.

Although we have lived as human beings for many years, we are not particularly knowledgeable about how to use this body. Some advanced uses, such as sports, only become known through training. There are also some methods that are commonly used in life, may be particularly effective, and very simple, yet you may not know them. We should quickly learn these methods and use them to achieve twice the result with half the effort.

Moderate-Intensity Aerobic Exercise

"Moderate-intensity aerobic" exercise is the foundation of all training . Simply put, it's brisk walking or jogging where speaking becomes a bit difficult and you’re slightly out of breath. It's easy to do, and scholars suggest that just 150 minutes a week — if you practice 5 times, 30 minutes each time — is enough to support cardiovascular health. This is "knowledge you lose out on if you don't know": just doing this simple thing can have such important effects, it's like picking up money.

Upgraded Version: Walking on Uneven Roads

Recently, I discovered an upgraded version of this method, which is walking on uneven roads — like mountainous areas. Studies say that energy consumption on mountain roads is 28% higher than on flat roads, meaning you burn more calories in a shorter time. Moreover, mountain roads can strengthen muscles in the ankles, knees, and hips, improve balance, stability, and coordination, and increase bone density, making it a more comprehensive workout.

Of course, walking on mountain roads has certain risks, like spraining your foot or injuring your knees if you're not careful downhill. But overall, researchers believe the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. Isn’t that great? Most people live on flat land and don't have this condition. But you can use a treadmill. Today's treadmills have incline functions, allowing you to walk uphill continuously, which improves exercise efficiency and eliminates risks. Slope walking should be considered a more fundamental exercise than flat walking.

Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR)

In this article, I will talk about another piece of knowledge that is a loss if you don't know it: a technique that should replace napping.

This method is called "Non-Sleep Deep Rest" (NSDR). It allows you to quickly rest, recover energy, enhance concentration, and improve performance in a semi-awake state within 10 to 30 minutes. The effects can last for several hours, and long-term practice has a series of health benefits.

NSDR was originally an ancient practice called "Yoga Nidra," recently rebranded by Stanford neuroscientist and famous podcaster Andrew Huberman , giving it a tech-savvy name, now popular among Silicon Valley life hackers.

The Problems with Napping

Let's talk about napping first. Everyone feels sleepy during the day, especially after lunch, when you might be drowsy and unable to work well. Napping is legitimate. You have the right to take a nap. A short nap can restore your energy and improve afternoon work efficiency, which is not laziness or a waste of time.

Note that a reasonable nap is best within 20–25 minutes, not exceeding 25 minutes . Within 25 minutes is light sleep, which helps restore energy; exceeding 25 minutes, you enter deep sleep, and if you don't sleep enough, you will feel very uncomfortable. For example, if you sleep for an hour and are woken up by an alarm clock, you will feel drowsy all afternoon.

The ideal nap doesn't have to happen at noon; it can be anytime, but you must set an alarm in advance to sleep only 25 minutes. This has two problems.

One is that it is uncontrollable. Even if you are already sleepy, it doesn't mean you will fall asleep immediately. If the alarm is set for 25 minutes but you fall asleep after 20 minutes, didn't you fail to nap? If the alarm is set for 45 minutes but you fall asleep in 5 minutes, didn't you oversleep? Moreover, there is no bed in the office, only a semi-reclining chair, making it harder to fall asleep.

Another problem is that daytime napping might affect nighttime sleep. It's like drinking coffee; you nap well in the afternoon and feel refreshed, but then have trouble sleeping at night. People who often suffer from insomnia usually don't dare to nap.

Advantages of NSDR

NSDR doesn't have these problems. You don't need to, and it won't make you fall asleep; all your actions are proactive and highly controllable, and it doesn't depend much on the environment. You only need a place where you won't be disturbed to sit and perform it. NSDR can make up for your sleep deficit from last night without affecting tonight's sleep.

NSDR is so convenient that you can do it whenever you feel sleepy or tired. Huberman has completely replaced napping with NSDR, doing it once or several times a day for 10 to 30 minutes each. If he lacks sleep from the previous night, he will do a 60-minute NSDR.

What is NSDR?

So, what exactly is NSDR? From the outside, it is similar to the Chinese concept of "resting with closed eyes"; internally, it is a "guided meditation."

The Process of NSDR

I will briefly describe the process of NSDR. For beginners, you need to follow the guidance of an audio track to complete the actions. There are now some dedicated mobile apps, and there are many ready-made NSDR audios on YouTube. Find a quiet place, either lie down or sit, play the audio next to your ear, and follow along. Keep your eyes closed throughout the process.

The specific method may vary according to different durations and sources. Here I use a ten-minute audio released by Huberman himself on YouTube, which he calls the "NSDR protocol." I will briefly explain the steps.

Steps of NSDR

Deep Breathing: Inhale through your nose, then exhale through your mouth, making your mouth small as if blowing through a straw, exhaling completely. The purpose of deep breathing is to lower your heart rate and relax your nervous system. After three to four deep breaths, return to normal breathing.
Imagining Yourself Above Your Body: Imagine yourself standing above your body, looking down at it, as if your soul has left your body. Then imagine shining a spotlight on your feet. Carefully experience the sensation in your feet. Can you feel your shoes or socks? Or are they just in contact with the air? Do your feet have a slight tingling sensation? Or are they slightly numb? All are fine. Just experience it.
Expanding the Spotlight: Expand the spotlight to include your legs, then your thighs, and then your waist. Take three deep breaths. Then imagine your entire lower body sinking one centimeter into the bed or chair.
Moving the Spotlight Upwards: Move the spotlight upwards to your abdomen. Take three deep breaths, then feel the sensation in your abdomen. Then expand the spotlight to the entire upper body, take a deep breath, and imagine your body sinking one centimeter. Then move to the head, relax your facial muscles. Then expand the spotlight to the whole body, imagine the whole body sinking.
Ending the Process: Slowly move your toes, slightly turn or nod your head, gently lift and lower your arms. Then open your eyes, and the process ends.

Explanation of NSDR

Huberman explains that this process allows you to control your perception through focusing on your sensations.

Ordinarily, perception is very passive. Various sensory information from the body — the most important of which is visual information — bombards you, leaving you overwhelmed. In NSDR, the spotlight method is a proactive, focused reception of sensation from one part of the body. By selectively receiving sensations, you control your perception. Deep breathing and imagining your body sinking are for relaxation, allowing you to focus wherever you want and relax the rest. The final slight movements reassert your control over the nervous system.

Perhaps the best rest is true relaxation. NSDR is similar to the relaxation in sleep but is more proactive.

Personal Experience and Research

I have personally practiced NSDR several times and found that it can indeed quickly restore energy.

We can examine research on Yoga Nidra. Someone has conducted systematic reviews, showing that studies indicate Yoga Nidra can: – Reduce stress and anxiety after six months of long-term practice and significantly alleviate inflammation symptoms; – Effectively help control blood pressure after 15 days of daily 30-minute practice; – Relieve lower back pain in the elderly; – Improve the performance and reaction speed of professional athletes; – Help regulate insomnia, enhance mood, and more.

So, there are indeed benefits. Both NSDR and napping can restore energy and improve concentration, but I haven't seen research indicating which method is more effective. However, one study, repeatedly mentioned by Huberman, conducted by Danish scholars in 2011, found that Yoga Nidra has a feature better than napping: it can enhance dopamine release.

We know that dopamine is the neurotransmitter that makes us want to do things. With high dopamine levels, you have strong motivation, more passion, and focused attention, like gamblers in a casino. Thus, NSDR is more conducive to improving work efficiency.

Limitations of NSDR

Note that NSDR cannot replace nighttime sleep. Only during sleep can we consolidate skills learned during the day, generate creative connections, form long-term memories, and cleanse the brain. However, as a more proactive and convenient way to relax, NSDR might replace napping.

A phone can charge under any circumstances, can work while charging, and can even fast charge. But people must sleep; when people sleep, they cannot work, and they need long sleep periods. This is very unfair to humans.