foundations
FOR A FLEXIBLE HEALTHY NERVOUS SYSTEM
Vestibular practices
Spinning/twirling standing or sitting in a chair. Swaying. Swinging on a swing or hammock. Rocking in a chair or on a yoga ball. Tag. Tennis. Pickleball. Moving between postures quickly. Alternating one legged jumping rope. Free form dancing. Trapeze or Arial Yoga. Head Rolls. Walking on your toes. Tai Chi. Walking Lunges. Surfing. Heel to toe walking. Weight shifts. Cycling. Skateboarding. Rollerblading. Head/Handstand. Toe stands. Squats. Rolling on the floor or down a hill. Stand on one leg while you do anything, brush your teeth, wash the dishes… Stand on a wobble board or folded towel. Rebounding. Labyrinth walking. Walking barefoot on uneven terrain. Climbing trees.
Yoga poses: Tree pose, Half Moon Pose, Standing Forward Fold, Dancer’s Pose, Boat, Warrior 3, Standing Twist, Plank, Side Plank, Crescent Lunge, High Lunge, Revolved Lunge, Hand to Big Toe (add extension for difficulty), Eagle Pose.
proprioceptive practices
Active: Wall pushes. Tug o’war with your pup. Play wrestling with kids or pups. Push against a wall or heavy furniture. Weight lifting! Vacuuming. Cleaning windows. Carrying heavy items/trash/groceries etc… Resistance Training. Walking/Dancing with hand and/or ankle weights. Bouldering/Climbing. Pull ups. Jumping with focus on balanced soft landing. Rowing machine. Slow motion squats/push ups/lunges (bonus on uneven surfaces)+ weighted movements like shoulder rolls. Weighted throws/catches/twists. Barefoot movements. Animal flow movement like crab walks. Obstacle courses. Partner based push/pull exercises. Resistance Stretching. Yoga. Qi Gong.
Passive: Foam Rolling. Rolfing. Weighted blanket. MELT Method. Compression. Massage tools like balls, vibrating ball, rollers, etc… Weighted vest during activities or weighted belt. Deep pressure touch. Body cocooning/human burrito. Passive stretching like Yin or Restorative Yoga (especially good to hold for at least one minute, up to 8). Float Tank. Passive sways on a hammock. Myofascial release. Self hugging. Deep tissue massage. Lying with a bolster over your torso feeling the weight. Hand/Foot massages. Passive joint alignment. Weighted eye mask. Acupressure mat. Gentle traction. Tense-relax muscle technique.
THE VAGUS NERVE
The Vagus Nerve is clutch when it comes to your Nervous System and all systems in your body. It is key in tapping into your wildest dreams. It is our greatest ally in activating Ventral response and for most having a Vagus Nerve that is not functioning optimally is fairly normal. The Vagus Nerve is the main pathway mind to body. When we have higher vagal tone we have greater capacity and a larger window of tolerance. We spend more time marinating in Ventral. We manage stress with greater ease. It also has major health implications including digestive issues, sleep issues, trouble relaxing, emotional dysregulation, chronic states of stress, a weakened immune system and more as it is connected to all major bodily functions and when imbalanced we struggle to spend time in rest and repair. Stimulating your Vagus Nerve is an incredibly powerful practice for your overall well being and growing your capacity to receive and hold abundance in all areas of your life.
Some ways we can support our Vagus Nerve are: deep diaphragmatic breathing technique (like inhale 4, hold 7, exhale 8), humming, chanting, singing, gargling, gentle neck stretches and rolls, parasympathetic oil (see products below) or other calming blend on the mastoid bone behind the ear, Yoga, Tai Chi, Qi Gong, emotions regulation, laughter, vocal exercises (like Vowels for Ventral in practices), splashing cold water on your face, dunking your face or a cold shower (if aligned in other ways).
Limiting screen time and at the least practicing 20/20/20 = every 20 minutes of screen work followed by 20 seconds of looking up and 20 feet away. Time spent with our eyes converging and looking closely at screens can move us into Sympathetic states. Take regular breaks and utilize the eye exercise in Practices.
Up your Vagal tone today with one of these exercises. A consistent practice of just a few minutes/day can be life changing.
breath
Breath is different for everyone. Some will find calm when dysregulated with certain breath practices while others may actually feel activating. Experiment and see what works for you.
Box breath
A very popular practice for ventral vagal regulation is Box Breathing.
Find a comfortable seat. You can also do this one easily when you’re not alone as no one will notice. ;)
Check in with how you are feeling before you start.
Place one hand on your heart and one on your belly. This automatically sends messages of safety to the Vagus Nerve.
Breathe in a 4 count pattern for 3-5 minutes.
Inhale 4 counts. Hold at the top of your inhale 4 counts. Exhale 4 counts. Hold at the end of your exhale 4 counts.
Check in with how you feel.
left nostril breath
This is a simple one. You close your right nostril with your finger or thumb and breathe solely through your left for 3-5 minutes. This is a deeply calming practice whenever you need it.
*you can also work with alternate nostril where you close your right nostril and inhale deeply through the left then plug the left and exhale thru the right. Inhale thru the right, exhale thru the left. Keep alternating for 3-5 minutes.
4-2-4 breathing
Inhale 4 count, Hold 2 count, Exhale 4 count. Repeat.
*also experiment with 4-2-6 and see which feels better.
bee breath
Inhale deeply through your nose and then exhale while making a low bitched humming sound through your mouth and closed lips. Also a deeply calming practice that can reduce stress, increase concentration and memory + help you sleep. Repeat for 5-10 breaths.
ocean breath
Also known as Ujjayi this often sounds like ocean waves. You inhale slowly through the nose and exhale through the nose while slightly restricting (not tightening) the back of your throat. Sometimes it’s helpful to start the breath through your open mouth to mimic fogging up your glasses to get the feel and then close your mouth and focus on doing it through your nose. Focus on the sounds of the ocean as you practice the breath for 3-5 minutes +.
the long exhale
Exhale for a count that is twice as long as your inhale. Example Inhale for 4 count, exhale for 8 count.
Humming
Humming, chanting and singing are great ways to bring greater vagal tone especially in your lower register that stimulates your chest and throat. Bring your attention to these areas while you make sound.