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Tom Veck
Mindfulness Teacher
Level 4 IMCPP
Frome, UK

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Activating the Parasympathetic Nervous System

The parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) is responsible for calming the body after stress, reducing heart rate, lowering blood pressure, and promoting digestion and relaxation. Activating the PNS can help reduce anxiety, improve focus, and foster a greater sense of well-being. Below are several techniques you can use to activate your PNS and bring your body and mind into a relaxed state.

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1. Belly Breathing

• How to do it: Sit or lie down in a comfortable position. Place one hand on your belly and breathe deeply through your nose, allowing your belly to expand as you inhale. Slowly exhale through your mouth. Focus on the rise and fall of your belly.

• Benefits: Deep, diaphragmatic breathing helps signal to the body that it’s safe and encourages the PNS to engage.

2. Belly Breathing with Hand on Belly and Heart

• How to do it: Place one hand on your belly and the other over your heart. As you inhale deeply, feel your belly expand, and as you exhale, feel your heart soften. This can promote a sense of calm and connection within yourself.

• Benefits: This variation incorporates self-touch, which can enhance relaxation and create a comforting sense of safety.

3. Belly Breathing with Visualization

• How to do it: As you breathe in, imagine breathing in warm, healing light. As you exhale, visualise breathing out dark or heavy energy—such as smoke, shadow, or stress.

• Benefits: This combines the calming effects of belly breathing with a mental image that helps release tension and emotional stress.

4. Belly Breathing with Concept Aid

• How to do it: While breathing deeply, imagine breathing in a positive concept, such as "compassion" or "peace," and either breathing out something you want to release, such as "stress" or "anger" or breathing out love for friends, family and beyond if you feel able.

• Benefits: This method uses intention and positive affirmations to help shift emotional states and support deep relaxation.

5. Belly Breathing with Finger Tracing (For Younger People)

• How to do it: While practicing belly breathing, trace your fingers gently along your hands or the edges of your clothing. This can be done slowly, coordinating the tracing with your inhales and exhales.

• Benefits: Finger tracing provides tactile stimulation, which can be soothing and help young people (or anyone needing a little extra focus) stay grounded during the breathwork.

 

6. Face Splash

• How to do it: Splash cold water gently on your face, especially over the forehead and eyes. This technique stimulates the vagus nerve, which helps activate the PNS.

• Benefits: The shock of cold water can help reset the nervous system and immediately bring a feeling of calm.

7. Deeply In, Control and Surrender the Outbreath (Pursed Lips)

• How to do it: Inhale slowly through your nose, then exhale slowly through pursed lips, as though you're blowing through a straw. Focus on controlling the exhale to make it long and steady.

• Benefits: The controlled exhale helps activate the parasympathetic nervous system by stimulating the relaxation reflex.

8. 4-7-8 Breathing

• How to do it: Inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 7 seconds, and exhale for 8 seconds. Repeat this cycle at least three times.

• Benefits: This breathing pattern reduces anxiety, slows the heart rate, and can help the body shift from stress to relaxation.

9. Self-Hug

• How to do it: Wrap your arms around your own body as if giving yourself a hug. You can gently rock back and forth or just sit in stillness while hugging yourself.

• Benefits: Physical touch, even from yourself, can trigger the release of oxytocin and activate the PNS, promoting relaxation and self-soothing.

10. Self-Hug with Positive Inner Voice

• How to do it: While hugging yourself, repeat affirming phrases in your mind, such as:

  • “I am loved, I am lovely, and I love.”

  • “I am enough.”

  • “I’m doing the best I can with what I’ve got.”

• Benefits: Combining self-hugging with positive affirmations helps reinforce feelings of self-compassion, calm, and emotional safety.

11. Rubbing Lips

• How to do it: Use your thumb and index finger to gently rub your lips in small, circular motions. Focus on the sensation of touch.

• Benefits: This simple action calms the nervous system by focusing attention on the senses and providing gentle stimulation to the face, which can soothe and relax.

12. Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR)

• How to do it: Start by tensing and then relaxing each muscle group, beginning with your toes and moving up to your head. Hold the tension for a few seconds before releasing. Focus on the contrast between tension and relaxation.

• Benefits: PMR helps to release physical tension, making it easier for the body to relax. This method also helps raise awareness of areas where stress is being stored.