What Is NSDR? A Guide to Non-Sleep Deep Rest

Most of the rest we get comes in two forms: sleep at night, and the half-rest of a short break spent scrolling a phone. Non-sleep deep rest, usually shortened to NSDR, sits between the two. You lie still, you stay awake, and you let a recording guide your attention somewhere quieter for a while.

This guide covers what NSDR is, where the name comes from, what the research shows so far, and how a session works on the new Zenthesia vibroacoustic bed at SoliVana in Redwood City.

Where the Term Comes From

The term NSDR comes from Dr. Andrew Huberman, the neuroscientist who hosts the Huberman Lab podcast. He uses it as an umbrella name for practices that bring on deep relaxation without full sleep, including yoga nidra and some forms of guided meditation. His own explanation, with links to free recordings, is on the Huberman Lab NSDR page.

Yoga nidra is the older practice that many NSDR recordings draw on. It comes from yoga traditions and usually includes setting an intention and some yogic language. A plain, neutral name makes the same kind of practice easier to approach for anyone who would rather not sign up for a yoga class.

What an NSDR Session Involves

Recordings differ, but most share a few features:

• You lie down or sit comfortably with your eyes closed and move as little as possible.
• A voice guides your breathing and your attention through the body.
• You let your focus soften rather than concentrate hard.
• You stay in the in-between state, somewhere between waking and sleep.

There is no skill to master first. If your mind wanders, you come back to the voice when you notice. If you drift close to sleep, that is part of the territory.

What the Research Says So Far

Research on NSDR as a named practice is limited, so most of what exists looks at yoga nidra. Two studies come up most often, and both are worth reading with their limits in mind.

The first is small. In 2002, Kjaer and colleagues used PET scans to compare eight experienced male meditation teachers during a 72-minute guided yoga nidra session with a session spent listening to speech in the same voice. During yoga nidra, the scans suggested more dopamine release in one part of the brain (Brain Research: Cognitive Brain Research, 2002). The participants did not rate the yoga nidra session as more relaxing than the comparison session, and eight expert meditators tell us little about everyone else.

The second is larger and ran online. In 2022, Moszeik, von Oertzen and Renner asked 341 people to listen to an 11-minute yoga nidra recording every day for 30 days and compared them with 430 people on a waiting list. The yoga nidra group reported lower stress, better sleep quality and greater well-being, and the differences were still there at a six-week follow-up. The effects were small, and because the comparison group did nothing, the study cannot say whether any quiet daily routine would have done as well (Current Psychology, 2022).

Our reading: NSDR is a pleasant, low-effort way to rest while awake, and the early research is encouraging but modest. We offer it as a wellness experience, a reason to lie down and be still for a while, and we make no promises beyond that.

How NSDR Deep Rest Works at SoliVana

Our NSDR Deep Rest session is forty-five minutes on the Zenthesia vibroacoustic bed. Speakers inside the bed turn low-frequency sound into a gentle vibration you feel through your body, so the recording reaches you through the bed as well as through your ears.

1. You arrive and we show you to the bed.
2. You lie down fully clothed. There is nothing to change into.
3. A member of our team starts the recording, then leaves you to rest on your own.
4. The bed vibrates in time with the recording.
5. For forty-five minutes, you rest.

NSDR Deep Rest is a Core experience, so members can book it with Core credits. When forty-five minutes is more than the day allows, Vibroacoustic Sound Healing is a twenty-minute session on the same bed, and members can book it with Signature credits.

Curious about the vibration itself? Our companion piece, Sound healing with vibration: what vibroacoustic therapy actually does, looks honestly at what studies of vibroacoustic beds have found.

Before You Book

A wellness experience, not medical diagnosis or treatment. If you are pregnant, have a pacemaker or implanted device, or a medical condition, check with your doctor first.

Book NSDR Deep Rest

When you are ready for forty-five quiet minutes, book NSDR Deep Rest here. You will find us at 1922 El Camino Real in Redwood City.