Does your child worry so much that they miss out on opportunities? If so, your child might have a sensitive nervous system. This means they experience the world more intensely than others, which can be both a blessing and a challenge.
You are not alone.
And the good news is that there is something that you can do to help them manage anxiety.
Before you continue, we thought you might like to download our Highly Sensitive Child checklist for FREE. This checklist can help you find out whether your child is highly sensitive, identify their triggers, and find out their strengths.
Our bodies have a built-in calming system and, in this article, we’ll explore how to activate it using fun and engaging exercises.
What Is The Vagus Nerve?
Ever get that nagging feeling in your gut before a big decision? Or that sudden urge to bolt from a situation that just feels…off? These aren’t mere hunches! Turns out, your gut is talking to your brain thanks to the vagus nerve.
What it the vagus nerve? It is a long and important nerve in your body. Its name, “vagus,” comes from a Latin word meaning “wandering” because it branches out and connects to many organs throughout your body. Think of it like a complex communication network that reaches almost everywhere.
The vagus nerve, also known as the tenth cranial nerve or cranial nerve X, originates in the brainstem and travels down through the neck, chest, and abdomen, innervating (providing nerve supply to) many organs. It is the longest nerve in the body and is part of the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for the body’s rest-and-digest response. Unlike the sympathetic nervous system, which is like your body’s “gas pedal” during stressful situations, the parasympathetic nervous acts as the “brake.” It helps your body slow down, relax, and focus on things like digestion and feeling calm.
The vagus nerve acts like a two-way street in your body. It gathers information from your organs, like your heart and stomach, about how they’re working. Then, it sends messages back from your brain stem to control things like digestion, heart rate, and even your mood.
There is growing interest in the potential therapeutic benefits of vagus nerve stimulation for a variety of conditions, including:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Epilepsy
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Research suggests a relationship between the vagus nerve and conditions like anxiety, OCD, ADHD, and depression. This could be because the messages between the brain and body aren’t being sent or received properly.
How Vagus Nerve Stimulation Can Help Children With Anxiety
When a child’s brain receives signals from the vagus nerve indicating a threat, they might react with natural survival behaviors like fight, flight, or freeze. These are their instinctive responses to perceived danger.
Adults often try to calm them down with reasoning and talking. However, neuroscience tells us that during these moments, a child’s “thinking brain” (responsible for logic and reasoning) is temporarily unavailable. So, when logic won’t work, stimulating the vagus nerve becomes a powerful tool to help them calm down.
Stimulating your child’s vagus nerve can help them switch off fight-or-flight-or-freeze mode. By calming the nervous system, it sends a message to the brain that says “you are safe” instead of “you are in danger.”
Vagus Nerve Exercises
So how do we stimulate a nerve? It is quite simple actually. Here are a few ideas to exercise that vagus nerve.
Remember that these exercises are most effective when we practice them on a regular basis, and not just when we are in stress mode.
Movement and Breathwork:
- Belly Breaths: Turn it into a game! Have your child lie down or sit comfortably and place a stuffed animal on their belly. Ask them to breathe in slowly through their nose, making the stuffed animal rise like a balloon. As they exhale slowly through their mouth, the stuffed animal falls.
- Animal Walks: Get active and silly! Act out different animals while making breathing sounds associated with them. For example, be a bear taking slow, deep breaths, or a panting dog with short, quick breaths.
- Yoga Poses: Many yoga poses incorporate deep breathing and gentle stretches, which can be calming for the nervous system. Look for child-friendly yoga routines online or consider a children’s yoga class.
- Tai Chi: Tai Chi is an ancient Chinese practice that combines gentle movements, deep breathing, and meditation. Imagine a moving meditation where slow, flowing postures and focused breaths promote relaxation, improve balance, and reduce stress.
Sound Activities:
- Humming: Humming is a simple and effective way to stimulate the vagus nerve. Encourage your child to hum along to their favorite songs or make up their own silly hums.
- Singing: Singing, especially long sustained notes, can activate the vagus nerve. Sing along to songs together or have your child create their own melodies. Make it fun!
- Gargling: Gargling with water activates the vagus nerve similar to humming and singing. Make it fun by gargling silly sounds or pretending to be a monster.
- Laughing: tell jokes, read silly books, play games that crack you both up.
Other Techniques:
- Chewing Gum: Chewing sugar-free gum can help stimulate the vagus nerve. Choose sugar-free options and limit chewing time to avoid jaw fatigue.
- Gentle Massage: Give your child a gentle neck or ear massage. Focus on a light touch and ask them if the pressure feels comfortable.
- Cold Exposure: Briefly splashing cold water on your child’s face (avoiding the eyes), having them suck on an ice cube for a short time, or placing an ice pack on their face or neck, can activate the vagus nerve. Start slow and make sure they’re comfortable.
- Practicing gratitude: Sit down with your child at dinner, before bed or when they wake up and ask them to name three things they liked about their day whether they’re big or small. Repeat this every other day or how often it feels right for your family.
- Meditating: Meditation comes in many forms and doesn’t require long stretches of time. Consider using apps like Headspace, Calm, or Insight Timer for short, guided meditations – even five minutes can make a difference.
Every child is different, so try out a few vagus nerve power-ups to see which ones help your child most. The goal is to create an environment where they can embrace their inner calm. Then they’ll have the tools to tackle big feelings with confidence.
