Deep Breathing Techniques for Kids: A Guide to Regulating the Autonomic Nervous System for Anxiety
When an individual perceives a threat or senses they are unsafe, their autonomic nervous system kicks into gear, switching from their parasympathetic nervous system (calm state) to their sympathetic nervous system (anxiety / stress state). When an individual's sympathetic nervous system is activated their pupils expand, their breathing becomes shallow, their heart beats faster, and the gut becomes inactive.
Deep breathing techniques can help individuals regulate their autonomic nervous system moving from a state of stress back to feeling of calm. Some of my favorite deep breathing strategies include hand breathing, rainbow breathing, and cooking breathing:
Hand Breathing: Take a deep breath in through your nose as you trace up your finger and breathe out through your mouth as you trace down. Repeat calming statements as you trace your fingers.
Rainbow breathing: Trace the rainbow with your finger. Breathe in through your nose as you trace to the left and out through your mouth as you trace your finger to the right.
Cooking Breathing: Imagine your favorite cookie. Take a moment to visualize the cookie in your mind. Now, take a deep breath in through your nose as you smell your delicious cookie. Then blow out your mouth as you cool your cookie off so it is ready to eat.
