Introduce a few simple bath toys and allow your child to relax as long as they need to. Use bath time as a chance to help your little one unwind from the activities of the day. After a long day at work, there is nothing more relaxing than laying in a bathtub of hot water with the lights turned down and no interruptions. Bonus: Running around popping bubbles is just as fun as blowing them. Just like blowing on a pinwheel, blowing bubbles can help your child gain control of their breathing and thus, their mental state. This is another great way to get in some exercise to help your child blow off some steam. Challenge your child to a jumping contest to see who can jump highest, longest, fastest, or slowest. If your child isn’t able to jump rope, playing hop scotch is a great alternative. Jump rope. Set a timer for 2 minutes, put on some music, and challenge your child jump to the beat of the song.Not only is clean up a breeze, but your child will smell great when they are finished. If the thought of dragging out the tempera gives you stress, have your child try “painting” with shaving cream on a plastic shower curtain in the yard. Not only does painting give the brain something to focus on other than the stressor, but participating in visual arts has been linked to resilience to stress in general. This stretch helps muscles begin to burn additional blood glucose that is made available by the body’s fight or flight response. Just like inversions help reset the autonomic nervous system, the yoga pose known as Downward Facing Dog in particular has the added benefit of activating several muscles in the arms, legs, and core.
But the physical act of singing out loud, even if it is off key, has been shown to release endorphins, the “feel good” chemical in the brain. Everyone knows the sweet relief associated with rocking out to your favorite tune. You can try this with them, and observe the calming effect this has on your own nervous system. Pour your child a tall class of cold water and have them sip it slowly. Dehydration has been linked to a reduction in mental performance. Then, gently guide them to slowly start to build up a picture of how it looks, smells, and feels to be there. Ask your child to close their eyes and picture a calm, peaceful place. Research has shown that visualization is beneficial for a range of populations to reduce stress levels. Whether it’s relaxing in child’s pose, bending over to touch your toes, or practicing a headstand, inverting the body has a restorative effect on the autonomic nervous system, which controls the body’s response to stress.
For centuries, Yogis have understood the calming power of bringing the head below the level of the heart, otherwise known as inversion. Sleep Health Foundation Australia: “Anxiety and Sleep. Harvard Health Publishing: “Yoga for Better Sleep.”īehavior Modification: “A Preliminary Investigation of Stimulus Control Training for Worry: Effects on Anxiety and Insomnia.” The Sleep Council: “Seven Steps to a Better Night’s Sleep.” Journal of Experimental Psychology: “The effects of bedtime writing on difficulty falling asleep: A polysomnographic study comparing to-do lists and completed activity lists.”
National Sleep Foundation: “How Does Anxiety Affect Sleep?” “Scary Ways Technology Affects Your Sleep,” “How to Meditate Before Bed.” Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust: “Jacobson’s progressive relaxation technique.”Īnxiety and Depression Association of America: “Sleep Disorders.”
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