Tone Your Vagus Nerve With Polyvagal Stretching

I’m all about gathering tools for your wellness toolkit. This exercise is one of those that you can add to it! As we continue to be bombarded with different life stressors, developing a practice to tune into your body and nervous system is imperative. When you learn how to care for your nervous system, you’ll strengthen your resiliency and ability to adapt in any situation.

This particular exercise you can either do on yourself, or on your little one.

In each position, you will use very gentle pressure to caress/lightly pull a little bit on the skin. (You’re not trying to rip your skin open here 😉)

At each position, perform a sustained hold (while breathing deep + slow) until you feel a sense of ease. The ease can be a sigh or yawn. If after 1-2 minutes you have yet to experience the release, you can move on to the next position. As you continue to practice this exercise, you’ll come to the release with more ease and likely quicker. If your child is able to communicate with you, be sure to ask them for feedback and if each placement feels “comfortable, uncomfortable, or neutral.”

A great time to do it on your little one is in the evening to help them fall asleep at bed time or when they need some extra help calming down.  The bonus of doing this for them, is you’re teaching them how to self-soothe, too!  Your child will eventually learn to do this for themselves, which is the most beautiful thing.

TRY IT:

1) Place your hands on your forehead with the fingertips of the hands facing one another.  Gently move hands outward to stretch the skin away from the midline.

2) Place your hands on your cheeks next to nose.  Gently move hands outward to stretch the skin away from the midline.

3) Place your hands on your cheeks over the jaw.  Gently move hands outward to stretch the skin away from the midline.

4) Place your hands over the heart area with the fingertips of the hands facing one another.  Gently move hands outward to stretch the skin away from the midline.

Let me know if you try this or have any questions!