Supporting Your Child’s Wellbeing With Simple Breathing Techniques
In today’s fast-paced world, families are facing significant changes in their daily routines. Whether it’s shifting schedules for work, school, recreation, or social connections, these transitions are challenging. Many families are feeling the weight of fear, worry, and emotional strain. These difficulties are not just affecting adults; children, too, are deeply impacted.
Children are keenly aware of the emotional environment around them, often sensing the underlying tensions that may be hidden behind a brave front. As parents, it’s important to provide a sense of stability and reassurance. Beyond offering love, healthy meals, physical activity, and time outdoors, one powerful tool you may not have considered is breathing exercises.
How Breathing Exercises Support Your Child’s Nervous System
Breathing exercises are a simple yet highly effective tool for managing stress and supporting emotional wellbeing. When your child practices deep, mindful breathing, they activate the parasympathetic nervous system—the body’s natural “rest and digest” mode. This counters the sympathetic nervous system, which triggers the "fight or flight" response when we are under stress.
By regularly practicing deep breathing, children can experience:
Reduced anxiety
Improved mood and emotional regulation
Enhanced concentration and focus
Better quality of sleep
Increased emotional resilience
These benefits not only improve your child’s immediate emotional state but also contribute to long-term mental and physical health.
Two Simple Breathing Techniques for Children
Here are two easy-to-implement breathing exercises you can teach your child today. These exercises can help your child feel calmer, more centered, and better equipped to handle stress.
1. Belly Breathing: A Quick Way to Relax
Belly breathing is an excellent way for children to learn how to relax. To practice this technique:
Have your child lie on their back with both hands resting on their belly.
Ask them to take a slow, deep breath in through their nose, focusing on the sensation of their belly rising as they inhale.
Then, have them exhale slowly through their mouth, feeling their belly flatten as they breathe out.
They can count to four as they inhale and again as they exhale, creating a rhythmic pattern that promotes relaxation.
This technique can be practiced anywhere, anytime, and it’s especially useful when your child is feeling anxious or upset.
2. Foam Roller Relaxation: A Calming Position for Stress Relief
Another great technique is foam roller relaxation. This helps your child feel supported and grounded while they focus on their breath. To practice:
Have your child lie on a foam roller or a series of tightly rolled towels, placed lengthwise along their spine from head to tailbone.
Encourage them to rest their arms on the floor, palms facing up, allowing the shoulder blades to move down toward the floor.
Guide them to take slow, deep breaths and relax in this position for several minutes.
This position promotes relaxation and can help relieve tension in the spine, which in turn helps regulate the nervous system.
Long-Term Benefits of Breathing Techniques
Teaching your child how to manage their emotions through breathing exercises can have lifelong benefits. Not only does it help them cope with stress in the moment, but it also builds emotional resilience and promotes healthy brain development. By incorporating these breathing techniques into their daily routine, you empower your child to become more self-aware and develop coping skills that will serve them throughout their lives.
Supporting Healthy Growth with Chiropractic Care
In addition to breathing exercises, spinal health can play a crucial role in supporting your child’s overall wellbeing. At Home Chiropractic Studio, we are passionate about supporting the healthy growth and development of children. Chiropractic care aims to help your child’s spine and nervous system function optimally, improving their ability to manage stress and emotions, and promoting long-term health.
If you are concerned about your child’s emotional wellbeing or would like to learn more about how Chiropractic care can support their development, we are here to help. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.
Email: hello@home-chiro.net
Call us: +61404121361
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Hopper, S. I., Murray, S. L., Ferrara, L. R., & Singleton, J. K. (2019). Effectiveness of diaphragmatic breathing for reducing physiological and psychological stress in adults: A quantitative systematic review. JBI Database of Systematic Reviews and Implementation Reports, 17(9), 1855–1876. https://doi.org/10.11124/JBISRIR-2017-003848
Neiva, P. D., Kirkwood, R. N., Mendes, P. L., Zabjek, K., Becker, H. G., & Mathur, S. (2018). Postural disorders in mouth breathing children: A systematic review. Brazilian Journal of Physical Therapy, 22(1), 7–19. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bjpt.2017.06.011
Fraga, W. S., Seixas, V. M., Santos, J. C., Paranhos, L. R., & César, C. P. (2018). Mouth breathing in children and its impact in dental malocclusion: A systematic review of observational studies. Minerva Stomatologica, 67(3), 129–138. https://doi.org/10.23736/S0026-4970.18.04015-3
Raising Children Network. (n.d.). Muscle relaxation for children & parents. Retrieved April 20, 2025, from https://raisingchildren.net.au/guides/activity-guides/wellbeing/muscle-relaxation-activity-children-parents
SMHO-SMSO. (2019). Deep breathing - Stress management and coping. Retrieved April 20, 2025, from https://smho-smso.ca/emhc/stress-management-and-coping/deep-breathing/