Over the past few weeks that quarantine has been in effect in Washington, I’ve talked to a few people who are doing really well and enjoying staying home, but the vast majority of us are struggling. Whether you’re stuck at home due to being immuno-compromised or an essential worker still leaving the house, it’s likely that your sympathetic nervous system (fight, flight, or freeze) is on high alert. Here are some easy things to do that will give your parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest) a boost.
Work with your breath. When was the last time you took a deep breath, or allowed yourself a full exhale? Try this: rub your hands together to warm up your palms, and put one hand on your upper chest just below your collar bones, and one on your abdomen at the base of your rib cage. See if you can allow your breath to move both of your hands as you inhale, and if your ribs under both hands can soften as you exhale. On a slow 4 count for each: inhale, pause, exhale, pause.
Bonus: You can also put your hands on different parts of your rib cage around your sides and mid-back, and try moving your hands with your breath in those places.Release some of your jaw tension. Is your jaw popping more than usual? Does it feel hard to open your mouth wide? Here’s two things to try:
a. Practice leaving a little room between your back molars with your lips closed. it might feel very strange and slack-jawed, but it’s very worthwhile.
b. Gently slide your jaw slightly forward, back, and side to side. It might feel really creaky and stiff, but that’s okay. Just take your time and only go as far in any given direction as is comfortable.Yawn big. You may have found lately that you’re exhausted but not sleepy - that’s your sympathetic nervous system talking. Practice yawning big in the evening. Making yourself yawn consciously can kickstart the yawn reflex, helping your body realize it needs restful sleep.
Go for a walk around your neighborhood. It’s easy to forget that it’s spring outside! Notice blooming flowers and their scents, fill your lungs up with fresh air, listen to the birds sing, and let your body move. If you need to stay home for your health, open a window and get some fresh air that way. I’m probably not the only person who got back home from a walk earlier this week to discover just how stuffy the air in my apartment had gotten that morning.
What else have you found that helps calm and ground you?