Yoga for Nervous System Regulation

• This class is designed for you to do as much or as little as you want; you do not need to listen to me, listen to yourself and what feels good to you in the moment. I am there to give options. If something doesn’t feel good, go back into a resting posture.
• During the meditation at the beginning, you can lean on a wall or sit in a chair, you do not need to sit the way I am sitting, whatever is comfortable. 
• Whenever getting up from the ground, roll to one side first.
• Here is a playlist you can include for the yoga if  you want to have some music during class.
• I used some tools on the mat that you can take off whenever you feel like you need a little nervous system support:

Start by lightly massaging the forehead. Then, moving down below the eye, massaging knots around the cheeks and jaw. Roll out the ear by moving down the lower jaw and using your pointer finger and thumb. You can then rub behind the ear and down the back of the neck.

This is my body: You can also use one hand to tap along your body and say aloud, ‘This is my body,’ ‘This is my arm,’ and so on. We do this to wake up into our body, to show up as YOU, noticing where you end and your environment begins! 

Tool #3: Humming 

The vagus nerve is connected to your vocal cords and the muscles at the back of your throat. Singing, humming, chanting, and gargling can activate these muscles and stimulate your vagus nerves. This helps increase vagal tone – strengthens the vagal brake, and helps us move up the ladder more easily when needed.