[Name], do you encourage your child to sing or hum? Once you read this, you will! Maybe, karaoke duets are in your future.đ
Humming, singing, and chanting encourage deep, controlled, diaphragmatic breaths, create vocal cord vibrations, give auditory feedback, and are a calming mental distraction, all of which can activate the vagus nerve and engage the parasympathetic ârest-and-digest/heal-and-connectâ response.
To harness the vagus nerve's potential through humming and singing, consider the following:
Set aside a few minutes each day for humming or singing practice, like when at a red light or washing hands.
Sing or hum along with the songs playing in the background.
Sing as a family when doing chores.
Choose songs or melodies that bring joy to your child.
If possible, focus on deep, controlled breathing while engaging in these activities.
Pay attention to and point out the calming effects and how they contribute to your overall well-being.
Consider introducing or re-introducing lullabies or slow rhythmic songs to the bedtime routine. Do a search for âbest lullabiesâ for a range of styles. Perhaps your child will find their new favourite. Not all lullabies are for infants.
Complete Day 7 questionnaire.
Woo-hoo! Itâs the half-way point. Donât feel discouraged if there doesnât appear to be much change. Developing sleep quality sleep habits are an ongoing process. Sleep improvements can feel slow for anyone but especially for the neurodiverse. Sleep improvements often occur at a slower rate. Although the questionnaire is looking at results, your focus is on learning and doing whatever you can to support quality sleep.
Answer whichever questions are important for you since this questionnaire is meant to be helpful to you.
Questionnaire:
Day 7: Mid-Way Sleep Assessment
Email *
1. how would you rate your child's sleep quality? *
On a scale of 1 to 10 (1 being terrible, 10 being excellent),
2. How many hours does your child typically sleep at night? *
3. Does your child experience difficulty falling asleep? *
4. Does your child frequently wake up during the night? *
5. Does your child have trouble staying asleep? *
6. Does your child wake up too early in the morning?
7. Does your child experience nightmares or night sweats?
8. Does your child snore loudly or have trouble breathing during sleep?
9. How many âgood daysâ did your child have last week?
Thank you for participating in this sleep assessment. Your feedback will help track your child's progress and identify any positive changes in their sleep patterns.
Tomorrow: Day 8: Neck Caresses: The Vampire Location