NSDR - Non-Sleep Deep Rest is the term scientists created for Yoga Nidra, the ancient art to bring the body and the mind to the state of deep rest and regeneration.

 

During Yoga Nidra, you are not asleep, but submerged in the sweet state of non-doing, on the border of sleep and wakefulness: right above the monkey mind but still conscious. This is the state where transformation and healing occurs: from beyond the mind rather than through the mind, we rewire the brain for greater mental and emotional balance and resiliency.

The ability of our body to regenerate and our mind to relax stems from our skill to rest deeply. This skill is trainable, and Yoga Nidra is a great tool to master it. Studies show that a single session of Yoga Nidra improves working memory, creativity, and executive function, in addition to reducing stress hormones and increasing the scores of wellbeing and joyfulness.

 

For the nerds among us: it’s doing so by increasing dopamine bioavailability by the whooping 60%! Research demonstrated that the brain’s theta-waves, the neural signature of creativity and out-of-the-box thinking, are significantly increased after a Yoga Nidra session.