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Stress Reducing Techniques for Work Days: The “Rock, Sway, and Cool-Ah” Technique
From Steffannie Roaché, MS LPC, Assistant Professor of Practice, Trauma Informed Oregon
On your way to work, you stop at a drive thru for coffee. You’re stuck in line with no way to exit and no car has moved in the last 12 minutes. Now you’ll be late for the third time this week.
Or maybe it’s the start of your virtual meeting, when all of a sudden your laptop decides it must shut down to install an update while a group of people are waiting to get started.
No matter how chill we are, things outside of our control can happen and cause overwhelming tension and stress. Oftentimes, our parasympathetic nervous system naturally kicks in and finds ways to regain that sense of calm and balance. Our nervous system offers us many “techniques” to lean on that help us soothe ourselves without us even realizing it during these types of experiences.
Maybe you recognize some of these automatic shifts that our bodies naturally make:
- Gentle swaying or rocking while sitting in a meeting
- Rhythmic shaking or bouncing one or both knees,
- Big wide mouth yawns that fill our diaphragm with air
While these automatic or unconscious responses can be very helpful, there are times when they might not be enough to fully calm our stress responses. We need to consciously attend to these feelings. During my time as a therapist, I often taught a technique I called “The Rock, Sway and Cool-Ah”: a combination of three tools that can be done together, or separately. This method was helpful because it can be used during the midst of a busy workday, during moments of heightened stressors, or even just to preventatively incorporate wellbeing into our daily routines. This technique takes into consideration 3 parts of our nervous system, and intentionally mimics those automatic shifts that help cause the brain and body to feel more at peace.
Jump to The Rock, Sway and Cool-Ah Technique
A Brief Discussion on the Autonomic Nervous System, Parasympathetic Nervous System, and the Vestibular System
The autonomic nervous system, which includes the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems, serves as the control center for our body’s involuntary functions like heartbeat, breathing, and digestion. The sympathetic nervous system primes our body for “fight or flight” when we experience stress and challenge (Harvard, 2020).
Next, the parasympathetic nervous system, part of the autonomic nervous system as described, takes charge when it’s time to relax and recover (Long, 2021), conserves energy for when it’s needed, and helps to calm the autonomic responses. It acts as our body’s built-in peacekeeper, promoting the “rest and digest” state. It helps to slow down heart rate and lower blood pressure, and aids in digestion after periods of stress or activity.
Lastly, the vestibular system is activated by rocking, swaying and other rhythmic movements. This network is housed within the inner ear and is responsible for balance and spatial orientation. It acts as an internal guide, helping our bodies understand our position in space and keeping us upright and steady, whether we’re in motion or stationary. It helps us to navigate the world around us with grace.
The Rock, Sway and Cool-Ah
When stress activates the autonomic nervous system, triggering fight or flight, this technique engages our vestibular system, restoring balance that helps the parasympathetic nervous system to promote a sense of calmness and well-being.
COOL-AH
- The Cool (somatic awareness): At your own pace and rate, gently breathe IN through your nose in a manner that allows the air to feel cool or cold in your nostrils and back of your throat, and when you’re ready…
- The Ah: (comfort and release): At your own pace and rate, gently make a silent, low, or barely audible “AH” out of your mouth in a manner that allows the air to feel warm to the mouth and tongue. Take time to sense how the warm air feels. Allow your body to feel a bit lazy after each “Ah.”
- Breathe typically between each Cool-Ah. Repeat Cool-Ah’s a few times as needed.
THE SWAY
(Select the one that works for you)
- Sitting: As much as feels comfortable, allow your body to gently and slowly sway back and forth or side to side, light enough that the movement is barely noticeable.
- Standing: As much as is comfortable, keep both feet on the ground. Gently shift your weight between both feet, creating a barely noticeable sway.
- Alternative sway: If sitting or standing while swaying is not possible, lightly and slowly rub the palms of your hands together back and forth or in a circular manner.
THE ROCK
(Select the one that works for you)
- Pair the Cool-Ah’s with the Sway. Sway with each Cool-Ah to create your own gentle rhythm or “Rock.”
Often, people may find themselves yawning or feeling a bit tired after a few times using this technique. This results from regulating our body’s stress response, promoting a sense of relaxation and well-being. By engaging in the Cool-Ah breaths and gentle swaying or rocking motion, we create a soothing rhythm that calms our nervous systems and restores balance. This practice incorporates somatic awareness, allowing us to reconnect with our bodies and feel a sense of comfort and release. Incorporating the Rock, Sway, and Cool-Ah technique into our daily routines can be a helpful tool for managing stress, promoting relaxation, and overall well-being.
References
Harvard School of Medicine. (2020). Understanding the stress response: Chronic activation of this survival mechanism impairs health. Harvard Health Publishing. Retrieved from: https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/understanding-the-stress-response
Long, C. (2021). How the parasympathetic nervous system can lower stress. Hospital and Specialty Surgery. Retrieved from: https://www.hss.edu/article_parasympathetic-nervous-system.asp