Belly breathing , also known as deep breathing, has been proven to be a great way to calm our bodies and brains. Try to practice belly breathing when your child is calm – daily if possible – that way they can use it when they get upset. It is also helpful to recognize their triggers to suggest some breathing BEFORE they get overwhelmed. I have included links that may help VISUAL learners, breathing for SLEEP,
The link for the reproducible Breathing Shapes is here – Breathing Shapes
BELLY BREATHING FOR SLEEP
- Ask your child to lie on his back.
- Ask him to close his eyes and breathe normally while paying attention to all the parts of his body that move when he breathes.
- Ask him to place one hand on his upper chest and the other on his stomach.
- Tell your child to inhale through the nose and into his abdomen. The hand on his stomach should move upwards and the one on his chest should remain still
- Tell him/her to inhale for a count of four, then hold it in for a count of four.
- Ask your child to exhale. Tell him to push out the air from his stomach. The hand placed on his stomach will move downwards.
- Repeat the exercise for five to 10 minutes or until your child feels relaxed.