Rocking to Soothe Anxieties
by Charlotte Head, Sitting Spiritually
When you’re comforting a crying loved one, have you ever instinctively pulled them into a hug and maybe swayed a little to soothe them?
A rocking motion is known to soothe anxieties, calm feelings of distress, and improve mood. We use it for pacifying crying babies predominantly, but did you know it can work just as well for adults?
Another way to calm feelings of emotional distress is to spend time in the great outdoors. Being in nature has positive impacts on mental health and allows us to stay mindful in a world that is becoming more and more digital.
Wouldn’t it be spiritually beneficial then, to combine the two? To couple the pacifying motion of rocking back and forth with the serenity and inner peace that comes from spending time in nature.
Garden Swing Seats have an innate ability to calm their users, allowing them to take in the sights and smells of a beautiful outside space, anchoring them to the present moment. There is extensive research to back up these claims and the benefits truly speak for themselves.
Rocking to Soothe Anxieties
When holding a fractious baby, most of us will start rocking the infant to pacify them and help them regain a sense of calm.
Products such as baby bouncers are sold for their calming effect on a crying baby, and alternative rocking therapies are becoming more popular for those who have survived trauma into adulthood.
In a world where we are constantly bombarded with excessive stimulation, negative press, and unrealistic expectations, we can often find ourselves wracked with anxiety.
It makes sense then, that we may seek the reassurance and comfort that we found in childhood. We never stop wanting to be comforted in this way; by being rocked gently back and forth. Indeed, a common side effect of anxiety is that the sufferer rocks themselves back and forth in an effort to self-soothe.
It has been found in research that swings and the motion of swinging has an almost transformative effect on those with autism. For example, in one study from Integrated Medicine, A Clinician’s Journal, there was a non-verbal five year old called Morgan. He seemed very anxious and concerned on arrival, but after being placed on a swing seat he immediately relaxed and lightened-up.
“Morgan’s response, reflected in his mom’s eyes, was grateful surprise, and soon he was embraced by the full range of the swing’s trajectory. I touched the swing seat to give it a half turn and saw the expression on Morgan’s face blossoming to one of pure joy. As with all such children who had taken this test during the past 25 years.”
(Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6469463/)
In adults, it is estimated that anxiety and depression are reduced by around 30% when frequently exposed to the rocking sensation produced by, say, a rocking chair. It can feel strange and infantile to say that, as adults, it is possible to get comfort from being rocked, but it is truly based in science.
Rocking back and forth allows the release of endorphins, the pain-relieving and mood-boosting hormone, and also stimulates the inner ear and parts of the brain that are responsible for regulating your balance and eye movements. It just so happens that these senses are adjacent to part of the brain that manages pain and stress.
Rocking has been proved to be beneficial in long-term care plans for elderly patients as well:
“In a study funded by the New York State Department of Health, Watson studied 25 residents of a long-term care center diagnosed with dementia, either because of Alzheimer’s disease or other causes.
Nurses at Kirkhaven Center in Rochester closely studied residents’ behaviour for six weeks during which they were able to rock themselves. They then compared their behaviour for six weeks while the rocking mechanism on the chairs was disabled. During the weeks that they rocked, most residents experienced an improvement in their psychological and emotional well-being.”
(Source: https://www.lpamedical.com/en/healthcare-seating/rocking-chair-benefits/)
Nature as Spiritual Healing
The mental-health related benefits of nature are numerous when considering the age we live in. Especially post-lockdown. We are all spending more and more time on our screens and electronic devices, and this has a detrimental impact on us both mentally and spiritually.
Spending time in nature can act as a welcome reset for people who spend a lot of time working hard at a computer or desk. It promotes mindfulness and can alleviate symptoms of anxiety. It has been debated for years as to why this is and there are a few hypotheses, including:
“The biophilia hypothesis argues that since our ancestors evolved in wild settings and relied on the environment for survival, we have an innate drive to connect with nature. The stress reduction hypothesis posits that spending time in nature triggers a physiological response that lowers stress levels. A third idea, attention restoration theory, holds that nature replenishes one’s cognitive resources, restoring the ability to concentrate and pay attention.”
(Source:https://www.apa.org/monitor/2020/04/nurtured-nature)
Whatever the reason is, spending time outdoors is likely to boost your mood immeasurably. It doesn’t have to be anywhere special either, your own garden is more than enough to give your mind a break from the buzz of your devices.
Bringing Nature and The Soothing Motion of Swaying Together
This combined approach of a soothing motion in a beautiful setting, in order to combat stress and anxiety is incredibly beneficial and lifts the spirit significantly. A Garden Swing Seat is an ideal option to treat the senses to the sights, sounds, and smells of a beautiful and familiar place, while rocking away the residual tension of the day.
Sitting Spiritually are the only bespoke swing seat makers that are licensed by the RHS, take a look at their beautiful selection of Garden Swing Seats by visiting their website at:
