What is Belly Breathing?
Belly breathing, or diaphragmatic breathing, is a simple yet powerful technique where your child breathes deeply using their diaphragm. Unlike shallow breathing which makes the chest rise, belly breathing causes the stomach to expand as the lungs fill with air.
Benefits of Belly Breathing
Research shows that belly breathing offers numerous physical and mental health benefits, including:
- Improving breathing patterns and increasing mind-body awareness
- Reducing anxiety and stress
- Promoting relaxation as a life skill
- Boosting concentration and regulating energy levels
When to Practice Belly Breathing
Belly breathing can be practiced any time your child feels anxious or overwhelmed. A few minutes of daily practice can make it easier for them to use this technique when needed. It’s a great tool for relaxation and self-regulation, helping both kids and adults find calm in stressful moments.
How to Practice Belly Breathing
Your child can practice belly breathing while sitting, standing, or lying down. Here’s an easy way to try it:
1. Have them lie on their back with their head supported and knees bent.
2. Ask them to place one hand on their belly and the other on their chest.
3. Instruct them to slowly breathe in through their nose, feeling their belly rise.
4. Let them hold their breath for a few seconds.
5. Then, have them exhale slowly through their mouth, noticing their belly fall.
Belly Breathing for Kids
For children, belly breathing can be both fun and effective. Here are three playful approaches to help them engage with the technique:
- Bubble Breathing: Ask your child to imagine their belly is a bubble that inflates as they breathe in and deflates as they breathe out. To add some extra fun, use a bubble wand, and have them blow real bubbles as they exhale!
- Plush Toy Breathing: Place a small, soft toy on their stomach while they lie down. Encourage them to make the toy rise and fall gently with their breath, helping them focus on slow, deep breathing.
- Owl Glass Breathing: In keeping with our weekly theme, “Owl Be There for You,” we introduced Owl Glass Breathing. The kids sat up, took a deep breath in, letting their “owl belly” puff out, held their breath, and then let out a long, slow ‘hooooooooooo.’ This technique not only slows the breath but also helps activate their vagus nerve.
There are many types of deep breathing techniques, and as the years go on, more will emerge. It’s important to find one that works for your child and sparks their interest, so they can practice it both when calm and when upset.
The Vagus Nerve—What is it and Why is it Important?
The vagus nerve is one of the longest and most important nerves in the body, connecting the brain to various organs, including the heart, lungs, and digestive system. It plays a key role in the parasympathetic nervous system, which controls our body’s “rest and digest” functions. When activated, the vagus nerve helps lower heart rate, reduce stress, promote relaxation, and improve digestion.
How Humming Helps
When your child breathes out and hums (or hoooo’s), it stimulates the vagus nerve, which plays a crucial role in calming the nervous system. Here’s how it benefits your child:
- Activates the Vagus Nerve: Humming creates a gentle vibration that stimulates the vagus nerve, calming the nervous system, lowering heart rate, and reducing stress.
- Promotes Relaxation: Humming while exhaling encourages slower, deeper breaths, helping your child shift from fight-or-flight mode into a relaxed state.
- Lowers Stress Hormones: Humming has been shown to reduce cortisol levels (the body’s stress hormone), promoting a sense of calm.
- Increases Oxygen Flow: Humming increases the production of nitric oxide, improving blood circulation and oxygen delivery, which further supports relaxation.
- Balances the Nervous System: Combining focused breathing with the sound of humming helps balance the autonomic nervous system, creating emotional and physical equilibrium.
Teaching your child these simple breathing techniques can empower them to manage stress and stay calm in challenging moments! Next time if they are upset and unable to practice breathing, ask them to hum Happy Birthday and see if it helps calm them down.