recalibrating
your nervous system somatically to health, wealth, flexibility + harmonic functionality
*check back periodically for new support.
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.
You want to do ALL practices with INTENTION.
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.
downregulating
When you need to move yourself out of an activated sympathetic state: frustration, anger, irritation, anxiety, fear, panic, triggered, etc… Also good for clearing old trapped energy to create greater overall capacity.
These are the practices you need to move the activation. You cannot Voo chant or relax your way into downregulating. You need to MOVE and discharge energy first AND THEN use the Vagal toning, Ventral support, breath, etc… to increase your capacity AFTER you have moved the Sympathetic energy.
Stomp + Sigh
Notice how you feel before beginning. Find somewhere you can be barefoot outside preferably on soft ground and alternate stomping your feet in the dirt for 1-3 minutes. When finished do a few rounds of the Physiological Sigh (top of Breath below). Notice how you feel following.
shake it out
Notice how you feel before beginning. Stand comfortably and begin to shake your hands as if you are flicking water off your fingertips. Let it move up through your body into your arms, feet, legs until you are shaking out your whole body for 2-3 minutes. Then standing with your feet a little wider than hips width twist from side to side letting your arms sway and gently hit/wrap around your body. Do this alternating sides a few times and then check in with how you’re feeling.
Contract + expand - muscle relaxation
Lie comfortably on your back. Check in with how you’re feeling. Curl up and contract your whole being - clench your fists, cinch your abs, tense the muscles in your legs and feet, scrunch up your face, etc… for 10 seconds. Then relax it all.
Next extend your body, reaching your fingertips and toes out, arching your back off the ground, opening your mouth and eyes wide and then relax.
Repeat this process for up to 2 minutes moving from contraction to expansion.
Other ways to downregulate listed here.
upregulating
When you need to move yourself out of a freeze or shutdown state: when you feel sad, depressed, numb, disassociated, unmotivated, etc… or just need to get into your body.
swaying
Check in with how you’re feeling. Stand somewhere you can move around and spread your feet hips width distance. Begin to sway, back and forth, front to back, however it feels natural in your body. Imagine you’re a soft reed in the ocean letting the currents move you to and fro. Do this for up to 5 minutes to get your energy flowing. Notice how you feel when you finish.
figure 8’s
Check in with how you’re feeling and find somewhere to stand where you can move around. Stand with your feet wider than your shoulders. Put your hands on your hips and begin moving them in the pattern of a figure 8. Do this for 3-5 minutes. You can change direction if you feel like it.
ear acupressure
See Day 15.
eye regulation
Sit in a comfortable seat and check in with how you’re feeling. While facing forward (and NOT moving your head) look to the right with your eyes as far as you can. Stick your tongue all the way out and then inhale and exhale. Repeat on the other side. And then repeat the cycle one more time. Notice how you’re feeling.
Other ways to upregulate listed here.
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.