Using the breath to calm back to school nerves
August is here, which means school is about to, or for some of us, has already started. With that said, you may notice a little more anxiety in the air, specifically when it comes to your little ones. But don’t worry mama, we’ve got you covered!
Whether your child is simply starting preschool or they are a senior with one more year till college, this time of year can be quite stressful. You might notice that your kids are seemingly more clingy, fidgety or get upset more frequently. Maybe you’ve noticed changes in their eating and sleeping habits, or maybe they simply can’t concentrate. Their nervous system may be in overdrive trying to come to terms with the new school year and the upcoming change they will be facing.
As parents, you may also be feeling a little bit of that discomfort as well. With new routines and schedule changes and everything else that comes with a new season, it’s important to check in with yourself too.
Utilizing the breath can have a tremendous benefit and impact on stress and anxiety levels, and it’s a fairly easy activity to incorporate into your daily routines. Breathwork is a safe and proven way to promote the body’s natural relaxation response, and stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, which is that “rest and digest” part that helps calm and centers us.
If you have young children, getting them into the habit of breathwork now can be extremely helpful to them when they grow into adults. But knowing how to get your little one to do deep breathing exercises can be tough. That’s why we made a video specifically for your tiny humans, that walks them through the process in a fun and interactive way. Check it out down below.
It’s super simple to incorporate this “Smell the flower, Blow out the candle” breathwork exercise. Not only is it a great introduction to breathwork, but it’s an easy visual for kids that helps cue what action they should be taking. By using this breathwork exercise you can work with them on understanding their frustrations, and the next time they experience those big emotions, you can help them use this new tool they have in their “emotion tool box”.
Now let’s take a look at breathwork for those who’ve been breathing a little longer than a young child. I’m talking about our older kids, and yes you too mama. I made this next video just for you guys.
Box Breathing is a technique that is used in Yoga, to help stimulate the vagus nerve. This nerve is the cranial nerve that controls digestion, heart rate, and blood pressure by sending a signal to your body to relax and calm. To do this you simply inhale deep into the belly, holding the breath at the top of the inhalation for at least four counts, exhaling, then holding the breath at the bottom of the exhalation for four counts. This simple exercise can help to restore calmness and wellbeing to the mind and body when under stress. So the next time you or your preteen/teen has been feeling it, try this out with them.
I’d definitely recommend doing these breathing exercises with your child, especially if it’s their first introduction to breathwork. I find that it’s helpful to talk about how they and you have been feeling before the breath session begins, and then discussing what changes, if any they and you feel once finished. It’s an interesting experiment to see if breathing actually helped eliminate any stress or anxiety, and a good opportunity to teach the younger generation different ways of handling big feelings.
If you find these exercises helpful please feel free to share them with a friend!