recalibrating
your nervous system to health, wealth + flexibility
*check back periodically for more support especially as we move thru the challenge.
foundations: start here
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.
tune ups + toning your vagus nerve
All of these exercises will help bring you back to Ventral. They are both supportive for acute moments of stress/dysregultaion + cumulative support for growing your capacity, flexibility and time in rest, digest, manifest.
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.
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 +.