Calming Anxiety - The NSDR Protocol - A 10 Minute Non-Sleep Deep Rest Reset

There is a kind of tiredness that sleep doesn't touch. Not the tiredness of the body, the tiredness of a mind that's been switched on all day, holding, planning, bracing. You don't always need more sleep, sometimes you just need to let the whole system power down while you're still awake to feel it happen. So today's focus is this, I can reach deep rest without forcing it.

Hi there and welcome, this is Calming Anxiety. I'm your host Martin, clinical hypnotherapist and former paramedic. I'm here every single day with a free 10 minute session to help you find calm through practical science back stillness. In today's session, lives inside anchored, the home for this practice.

The three daily tips, they're in the app to be saved, to give you something when times are slightly tricky. But right now, let's begin. Before we rest, we reset the nervous system. And today, we're using the fastest tool we have for that, the physiological side.

It's a simple pattern, your body already does it on its own, a double breath in, then a long breath out. Research from Stanford found it's one of the quickest ways to bring the nervous system down out of high alert. Two inhales stack the lung full, one long out breath flips the biological off switch.

So find your quiet place now. Lie down if you can, this one works best for that. Let your body settle, it's full weight onto the surface beneath you. And if it feels safe, gently let your eyes close.

Let's do this together, a big breath in through the nose and without letting any out a short second sip of air to fill the lungs right at the top. And now a long, slow release through the mouth. All the way to empty. Beautiful.

Again, a full breath in through the nose in, and that second sip and a long, slow, sigh out through the mouth. Let the shoulders drop. One more, my friend, in through the nose, top it up at the top and a long, slow exhalation.

Feel how the body is already a little heavy, a little quieter than it was 60 seconds ago.

Now let the breath go completely free. No counting, no shaping. Just an easy rise and form. Feel every part of every breath.

The way as you inhale your rib cage rises and expands, filling your lungs with hope, with ambition, with clarity of thought. Be mindful of the pause between each in and out breath. And then as you breathe out, connect intimately with the natural, beautiful feeling of release of mindful relaxation and sink deeply into the surface beneath.

Allow the tension to evaporate from the surface of your body, deeper and deeper and deeper.

And deeper still. And to this settled space, we plant the seed of today's truth. Repeat each line silently in your mind after me and picture the words as a warm, amber light glowing at the centre of your chest. I allow my body to enter non-sleep deep rest.

This NSDR practice is resetting my nervous system right now.

I do not have to force calm. Deep relaxation comes to me naturally.

My vagus nerve is my built-in off switch and I know how to find it.

Rest is not something I learn. It is something I allow. With every in breath, that amber light grows brighter. With every out breath, it's warm, spreads outwards, cascading into your shoulder, down your arms, through your belly and on through your legs until the whole body is quietly lit from within, deeply rested and completely safe.

Stay here a moment, nothing to solve, nothing to reach, entirely off duty. I allow my body to enter non-sleep deep rest.

This NSDR practice is resetting my nervous system right now.

I do not have to force calm. Deep relaxation comes to me naturally.

My vagus nerve is my built-in off switch and I know how to find it.

Rest is not something I learn. It is something I allow.

Deep breathing comes to me in the deep sleep. Accepting all that you are reuniting mind, body and soul in true harmony, because simply put you are worthy. Just carry this calm into your day.

Here are your three daily caring tips. One, after any rest like this, drink a full glass of water. Set a single 10 minute NSDR window in your day and protect it the way you would protect a meeting. Deep rest works best when it is a habit, not a rescue.

Three, when your mind races tonight, use one physiological sigh, two breaths in, one long breath out to switch the alarm off before it builds. Now gently bring your focus back into the space around you. Wiggle your fingers and toes. Take a breath in again through the nose, hold at the top and then as you slowly breathe out stretch out the muscles in your arms and legs.

Put in your own time, no rush, let your eyes open and bring your awareness gently back once more. You just gave yourself 10 minutes of true, restoring rest. Notice how you feel now compared to when we began. If this helped you, keep it close.

Give today's three caring tips in Anchored and set tomorrow's session to play automatically so the calm becomes a rhythm, not a one off. Thank you for taking care of you today. And thank you for putting your faith and trust in all that I do. Have a lovely day my friend, truly.

Smile often, practice it, it's an amazing technique. Keep thoughts especially when you see yourself in the mirror and then in everything especially to yourself. Be kind. Be kind.

Be kind. Be kind. Be kind. Be kind.