Hi friends.
So a question I get asked quite often is.
.
.
What exactly is NSDR?
And how is it different from Yoga Nidra?
And the reason I wanted to make this video was because I was really confused about this myself at first.
So NSDR stands for non-sleep deep rest.
And it's a relatively modern term.
Coined by the amazing neuroscientist Dr.
Andrew Huberman.
To describe any practices that guide us into a state of really deep rest.
But without necessarily falling asleep.
So those practices can include meditation and breathing practices and body scans.
And it includes yoga nidra.
The idea was to create a secular scientific language for these practices.
That focuses on benefits like nervous system regulation and stress management.
Reduction and recovery and sleep support.
And I think this growing interest in NSDR is such a positive thing because it's bringing more awareness to the importance of rest.
And it's also encouraging more scientific research.
However,
Whilst the term itself is relatively new,
The practices themselves definitely aren't.
So Yoganedra,
For example.
Falls under the umbrella term of NSDR.
Because it's a practice that invites us into a state of deep rest.
Whilst we remain aware.
However,
Yoga Nidra does differ in that it has its roots in the ancient yogic and tantric traditions.
And its intention often extends beyond relaxation.
Yoga Nidra can be a deeply contemplative practice where we explore consciousness and our relationship to our thoughts and our feelings and experiences.
And ultimately,
We're exploring who we are beneath all of those things.
Whilst NSDR is often presented as a way to recover from the demands of everyday life.
Yoganidra is often presented as a practice that will support self-inquiry and healing and transformation.
But having said all of this,
I really don't think we need to get too caught up in all of these labels and I certainly don't think that one is better than the other.
And to me,
What matters far more is what these practices make possible for us.
Because we live in a world that places such enormous value on productivity.
And somewhere along the way,
Many of us have come to believe that rest is something we have to earn.
Or that we can only stop once everything else is finished.
But rest is a fundamental human need.
And it's not something that we have to deserve.
And so for me,
These practices.
.
.
Offer something even more valuable than relaxation.
They give us the opportunity to step away from the constant demands of doing.
And of thinking and achieving.
And they help to reconnect.
Ourselves with something quieter and more spacious within ourselves.
A sense of simply being here.
Present.
Aware.
Without needing anything to be different.
And maybe,
Hopefully.
.
.
We discover that beneath all of the noise and all of the activity of the mind,
There is a natural sense of ease.
That doesn't depend on everything in our lives being resolved.
Of course,
We may not experience this every time we practice,
And that's absolutely fine.
So whether you choose Yoga Nidra or NSDR.
I'd just encourage you to make.
More space for rest in your life.
And not as another thing to get right or get good at.
But just as a simple act of kindness towards yourself.
And I sincerely wish you well in your practice,
Whichever you choose,
And I hope that this explanation has been helpful.
Lots of love.
