Anyone who’s soothed a fussing baby knows that gentle rocking often does the trick. The vestibular (balance-related) stimulation that rocking creates is certainly a part of that.
Equally important is the rhythm that comes with rocking. That’s because rhythm, when steady and comfortably paced, has a calming effect on the human nervous system, and a regulating effect on the human brain.
What this rhythmic movement actually regulates is the lower, more primitive region of the brain: the brainstem.
The brainstem comes from our reptilian ancestors. Not only is it the first region to develop, but throughout our lives it acts as the gateway for most incoming and outgoing transmissions. This means that very little travels to or from the higher regions without going through the brainstem.
Share This Post!
Helping Children and Adolescents Cope With Traumatic Events
CSF written article Your Content Goes Here By National Institute of Mental Health Every year, children and adolescents experience disasters and other traumatic events. Family, friends, and trusted adults [...]
The Link Between ADHD and Trauma
CSF written article Your Content Goes Here By Medical News Today Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder that often begins in childhood. Studies have found [...]
5 Reasons Why We Blame Ourselves After Trauma
CSF written article Your Content Goes Here By Kaytee Gillis, LCSW-BACS As a therapist who works with survivors of childhood trauma, I find that self-blame is a common part [...]
Child-Parent Psychotherapy Resources
CSF written article Your Content Goes Here By University of California, San Francisco Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP) is an intervention model for children aged 0-5 who have experienced at least [...]
Caring for Caregivers Experiencing Secondary Trauma
CSF written article Your Content Goes Here By Heather C. Forkey, MD, Elaine Schulte, MD, MPH, and Luanne Thorndyke, MD Secondary traumatic stress (STS) is the emotional duress caused [...]
How to Talk About Mental Health
CSF written article Your Content Goes Here By SAMHSA Mental health is essential to a person’s life in the same way as physical health. Hesitation to talk about mental [...]