Finding yourself stressed?
Unable to make a coherent decision?
Caught up in negative thoughts?
Through releasing the back of your neck with this simple exercise, you can neurologically re-pattern a calming response to stress and anxiety.
Eyes Side to Side Exercise
Lie on your back, with your hands clasped under your head. Your fingers should land just below the occiput, that bone sticking out in the back of your head. You should be able to feel the muscles and ligaments in your neck.
Eyes to right
- Turn your eyes to the right, keeping your head facing forward, and hold your eyes there for 30-60 seconds.
- Bring your eyes back to center.
- Rest a moment and feel what is happening.
Eyes to left
- Then, turn your eyes to the left, keeping your head facing forward, and hold your eyes there for 30-60 seconds.
- Bring your eyes back to center.
- Rest a moment and feel what is happening.
Once you get the hang of this, you can also perform it seated or standing. Of course, any tight musculature might make it harder to do. It is not as relaxing, but it might do in a pinch.
What it does
This exercise gives you a way to affect the alignment of the first two vertebrae in your upper neck. This can result in:
- increase blood flow to the brainstem.
- increase mobility in the neck and the entire spine.
- help with anxiety through re-setting the Vagus nerve.
Use as often as you like
Neurological re-patterning responds best to frequent small doses. This exercise is a small re-set. The more you do it, the more you get used to the new pattern of calm instead of anxiety.
