NSDR Script: 3 Guided Protocols You Can Read or Record

Every top result for "NSDR script" explains what non-sleep deep rest is, then links you to someone else's audio. None of them give you the actual words. Here are 3 complete written NSDR scripts you can follow silently, read aloud, or record as your own guided track.

An NSDR script is the written sequence of cues, breathing instructions, and body awareness prompts that guide you through a non-sleep deep rest session. If you've ever done a guided NSDR protocol through audio, someone was reading from a script. You just never got to see it.

As Dr. Andrew Huberman, the Stanford neuroscientist who coined the term NSDR, puts it: "Non-sleep deep rest is a powerful tool that can allow you to control the relaxation state of your nervous system and your overall state of mind."

That's the whole point. A script is the blueprint for that state change.

Why a written NSDR script matters

Here's the thing: audio tracks are great, but they lock you into someone else's pacing. A written script lets you customize. Shorten the body scan if you're short on time. Extend the rest period for sleep. Record it in your own voice.

I've found that having the actual words in front of you also helps you understand what each phase is doing. That understanding makes the practice stickier.

How scripts differ by goal

A 10-minute script compresses the body scan and extends the return. A 30-minute script does the opposite: slow induction, thorough body scan, long rest period. I'll break down all 3 below.

Before I give you the scripts, here's the structure. Dr. Brandon R. Peters, a board-certified sleep physician, notes: "NSDR may slow the brain's electrical waves, inducing a state of relaxation with measurable benefits."

Every effective NSDR script follows 5 phases:

1. Induction (2-3 min): Slow breathing with long exhales (6-8 seconds out, 4 in) to activate the parasympathetic nervous system
2. Body scan (3-9 min): Moving attention through body parts, releasing tension. A 2024 Nature Scientific Reports study found this shifts brain activity into theta waves (4-8 Hz), the zone between wakefulness and sleep
3. Deepening (1-2 min): A simple intention like "I am resting" anchors the mind
4. Rest period (2-15 min): You hold the low-arousal state. Here's what I found surprising: Kjaer et al. (2002) measured up to a 65% increase in baseline dopamine during this phase, though that was in experienced practitioners
5. Return (1-3 min): Gradual reintroduction to alertness. Rushing this is the most common mistake I see

1. An NSDR script is the written set of cues that guide you through non-sleep deep rest, covering 5 phases: induction, body scan, deepening, rest, and return.
2. Long exhalations (6-8 seconds out, 4 seconds in) activate your parasympathetic nervous system. I'd argue the induction phase is the most underrated part.
3. The body scan shifts your brain into theta waves (4-8 Hz), the transition zone between awake and asleep.
4. A 10-minute NSDR script works for quick resets, improving reaction time and reducing stress (Boukhris et al., 2024).
5. A 20-minute NSDR script is what I'd recommend as the daily driver: 13 minutes daily for 8 weeks improved attention and working memory (Dr. Wendy Suzuki).
6. A 30-minute NSDR script is for deep recovery and sleep preparation.
7. You can follow these scripts silently, read them aloud, or record them in your own voice.

When to use this script

This is your 10 minute NSDR between-meetings protocol. Use it when you're running hot after a stressful call, when your focus has tanked in the afternoon, or when you need a reset but don't have time for a full session.

A 2024 study by Boukhris et al. in Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being tested a 10-minute NSDR protocol on 65 participants and found improvements in reaction time, accuracy, and stress reduction. That's not nothing for 10 minutes of lying down.

The full 10-minute script

Lie down or recline. Close your eyes. Arms at your sides, palms up.

Minutes 0-2 (Induction): Breathe in through your nose for 4 counts. Hold for 1. Exhale through your mouth for 6. Repeat 3 times. Then let your breathing settle naturally. No more counting.

Minutes 2-5 (Body scan): Bring attention to the top of your head. Let your forehead soften. Eyebrows drop. Eyes still behind closed lids. Jaw hanging open slightly. Move to your shoulders, let them sink. Arms, hands, each finger, all heavy. Chest rising and falling without effort. Stomach soft. Hips, legs, feet, each toe. Your entire body is supported. Nothing to hold together.

Minutes 5-7 (Deepening + rest): Silently say: "I am resting. My body is recovering." Let the thought drift. If other thoughts come, let them pass like sounds in another room. Stay here. Breathing naturally. Body heavy. Mind quiet. [2 minutes of stillness]

Minutes 7-10 (Return): Notice the sounds around you. Deepen your breath. Move your fingers, then your toes. Take one full, deep breath in. Hold. Exhale completely. Open your eyes when ready. Stay still for a few breaths before sitting up.

Adaptation: Extend the body scan by 1-2 minutes if it feels rushed. Swap the intention for task-specific focus: "I am focused. My mind is clear."

When to use this script

This is the daily practice script. Here's why: Dr. Wendy Suzuki's research (Behavioural Brain Research) found that 13 minutes daily for 8 weeks improved attention, working memory, and recognition memory while reducing anxiety. A 20-minute session gives you that core dose plus breathing room. Use it in the early afternoon or after a bad night of sleep.

The full 20-minute script

Lie down on a bed, couch, or floor with a blanket. Close your eyes.

Minutes 0-3 (Induction): Breathe in for 4 counts. Hold for 2. Out through your mouth for 7. Repeat 3 times. Then let breathing become effortless. No counting, no controlling. Feel the weight of your body on the surface beneath you. Notice the points of contact: head, shoulder blades, lower back, heels. Let gravity do all the work.

Minutes 3-8 (Body scan): Imagine a warm, heavy wave starting at the top of your head. It spreads across your scalp, softening everything. Forehead widens. Eyebrows drop. Eyelids heavy and still. Jaw releasing, mouth slightly open. The wave flows down your neck, shoulders melting away from your ears. Down your right arm: upper arm, elbow, forearm, wrist, palm, each finger. Heavy and warm. Left arm the same. Chest expanding and contracting without effort. Stomach completely soft. Lower back releasing. Hips sinking. Down each leg: thigh, knee, calf, ankle, foot, each toe. Your whole body is heavy, warm, and fully supported.

Minutes 8-10 (Deepening): Bring attention to the space behind your closed eyes. Just rest your awareness there. Silently say: "I am deeply resting. My nervous system is recovering. There is nothing I need to do right now." Let those words dissolve. If thoughts come, let them pass. Your brain is sorting itself out.

Minutes 10-17 (Rest): Stay here. Breathing soft and automatic. Body heavy. If you drift toward sleep, don't fight it or chase it. Just stay in this in-between state. [7 minutes of stillness] If your mind has wandered, gently bring it back.

Minutes 17-20 (Return): Listen to the sounds in the room. Deepen your breathing. Move your fingers, then your toes. Roll your head side to side. Take a full deep breath, hold, exhale completely. Stretch if you want to. Open your eyes. Stay lying down for 30 seconds, then sit up slowly.

Adaptation: For sleep, extend rest to 10 minutes and skip the return. For focus recovery, shorten rest to 5 minutes and make the return active.

When to use this script

This is for weekends, recovery days, or times when your nervous system is genuinely fried. After travel, after illness, after a week of bad sleep.

Huberman has noted that NSDR can partially offset the negative consequences of sleep deprivation. It doesn't replace actual sleep, but it gives your brain some of what it missed. A 30-minute script maximizes that recovery window.

A study in the National Medical Journal of India (2022) found that yoga nidra practice, the technique NSDR is based on, improved sleep efficiency and reduced salivary cortisol in chronic insomnia patients. If that describes you, this is the script to start with.

The full 30-minute script

Dim the lights. Phone on do-not-disturb. Lie down with a pillow under your knees if that helps. Close your eyes.

Minutes 0-5 (Induction): Take this slow. You have 30 minutes. Breathe in for 4. Hold for 2. Out through your mouth for 8. That extended exhale activates your parasympathetic nervous system, the branch responsible for rest. Every long exhale signals your brain: we're safe. Repeat for 5 rounds. Then let breathing settle naturally. Feel the surface supporting every point of contact. You are fully held.

Minutes 5-14 (Body scan): This one is thorough. Start with your scalp. Feel it soften. Forehead smooth. Eyebrows symmetrical and relaxed. Eyes still behind closed lids. Cheeks, nose, lips barely touching. Jaw hanging open, teeth separated, tongue resting on the floor of your mouth. This is where most people carry tension without realizing it. Throat open. Neck supported, releasing. Shoulders dropping away from your ears. Right arm: upper arm, elbow, forearm, wrist, palm, each finger. All heavy. Left arm the same. Chest expanding effortlessly. Upper back softening against the surface. Stomach completely soft. Lower back releasing. Breathe into any tension there. Hips settling deeper. Right leg: thigh, knee, calf, ankle, foot, each toe. Left leg the same. Feel your body as a single whole. Heavy. Warm. Nothing left to release.

Minutes 14-16 (Deepening): Bring awareness to the center of your chest. Silently say: "I am in deep rest. My body is repairing. My mind is clearing." Hold that loosely. Let the words fade.

Minutes 16-27 (Rest): This is the core. As Dr. Elissa Epel, PhD, psychologist and stress researcher, puts it: "Deep rest is better than our usual relaxation, it's biologically restorative." Your brain is actively consolidating and recovering. You don't need to do anything. If thoughts come, let them pass. If sleepiness comes, let it be. [11 minutes of stillness] If you've drifted, gently return to the sensation of your body being heavy.

Minutes 27-30 (Return): Very slowly. Listen to the room. Deepen your breath. Move your fingers, then toes. Roll your head side to side. Take a full breath, hold for 3 counts, exhale completely. Stretch if you want. Open your eyes. Look at the ceiling for a few breaths. Roll to one side, then press yourself up to sitting. Stay seated 30 seconds before standing.

Adaptation: For sleep, skip the return and drift off. For maximum recovery after sleep deprivation, add 5 minutes to the rest period. If you're new to NSDR, start with the 20-minute script and work up.

If you want to learn how to do NSDR, the decision tree is simpler than you think:

• Under 15 minutes free: 10-minute script. Designed for gaps between tasks.
• 15-25 minutes: 20-minute script. This maps closest to Dr. Wendy Suzuki's researched protocol.
• 25+ minutes with nothing pressing: 30-minute script. Best for recovery days.

By goal: quick stress reset = 10 min. Daily focus and memory = 20 min. Sleep prep or deep recovery = 30 min.

Let me be direct: if you find yourself fidgeting through the rest period, you're not broken. Your nervous system just hasn't learned the pattern yet. Shorten the rest period and gradually extend it over weeks.

I'll be honest: most people get better results with guided audio, at least at first. When someone else handles the pacing, you can actually let go instead of tracking where you are in the script.

The NSDR track library has free sessions at 10, 20, and 30 minutes, each built around the same 5-phase structure you just read. I'd start with a 10-minute guided track for 3 days straight. Once the pattern clicks, you can switch to the written script or record your own.

How long should an NSDR script be?

Depends on what you're after. An NSDR script should be between 10 and 30 minutes. Need a quick reset between meetings? A 10-minute NSDR script works, and a 2024 study (Boukhris et al.) showed that's enough to improve reaction time and cut stress. Want the full cognitive upgrade? Aim for a 13-20 minute NSDR script daily. That's the dose Dr. Wendy Suzuki used when her subjects showed measurable gains in attention and memory after 8 weeks.

Is an NSDR script the same as a yoga nidra script?

Mostly, yes. Huberman coined "NSDR" to strip out the spiritual framing from yoga nidra. So where a traditional script might include Sanskrit terms or chakra references, an NSDR script keeps just the neuroscience: breath regulation, body scanning, directed rest. Under the hood, same mechanism. Different packaging.

Can I write my own NSDR script?

Now that you know the 5-phase structure, you can absolutely write your own NSDR script. Follow the anatomy: induction with extended exhales, body scan, deepening with an intention, rest period, gradual return. Keep your NSDR script language simple, cues specific, pacing slow.

Should I read the script myself or use a recording?

I started by reading the script silently, and that's fine for learning the structure. But for actual NSDR practice, a recording is better because you can close your eyes and follow along. I recorded myself reading the 20-minute version and honestly found my own voice more effective than a stranger's. If that sounds weird, try it once.

How often should I practice NSDR?

If you're building the habit, practice NSDR daily. Use your NSDR script at the same time each day. Dr. Wendy Suzuki's research showed cognitive improvements after 8 weeks of daily 13-minute NSDR practice. Even 2-3 sessions per week helps regulate your nervous system.