Kate Silverton Instagram – Quick hacks for #mentalhealth in #mentalhealthawarenessmonth
When we are caught in the grip of a ‘stress response’ we may think of ourselves as experiencing a neurochemical wildfire as our system gears up to confront what our nervous system and brain have perceived to be threatening – whether that’s a ‘threatening’ thought or something active that’s happening to or around us.
It can make us feel very anxious and see us experiencing uncomfortable sensations inside
One quick way to ‘intervene’ and trigger the release of anti-anxiety chemicals is to HUM!
The vibrations are thought to trigger our vagus nerve – part of the parasympathetic nervous system whose job it is to calm us down after we have experienced short bursts of stress.
Humming with and alongside our children can help their nervous system to feel soothed too, and in addition because it can evoke times past when we hummed to them as babies
Hum as loudly or softly and for as long as you like .. and, if you want to try it with a trusted friend or partner, hum together and see if you can match each others tone.. or have your child try to join you too ( if it feels silly get playful with it – it’s also fun!) notice any shifts in your body as you do… it can be a rather bonding and beautiful thing to share ..
mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealth #nervoussystem #vagus #vagusnerve #anxiety #vagusnervestimulation | Posted on 14/May/2024 18:30:00
