Sensory Hammock – AERIAL YOGA BENEFITS ALL CHILDREN
Aerial yoga has the same benefits of typical yoga, but there are also additional sensory, cognitive, and health benefits. Aerial yoga gives the body more room to stretch. Since gravity isn’t an issue the spine is decompressed, muscle tension is released and blood circulation is enhanced.
WHAT IS a Sensory Hammock?
Aerial yoga uses a aerial yoga hammock that is also referred to as a sensory hammock. The hammock is suspended from a support. The material is super stretchy and strong.
HOW IS IT THERAPEUTIC?
The sensory hammock provides a calming sensory experience for children. The therapeutic poses are designed with an emphasis on the central nervous system, which promotes sensory integration and self-regulation.
I also incorporate reflex integration into my aerial yoga poses when I teach aerial yoga classes and camps. Reflexes are involuntary movement patterns that are building blocks for motor learning and sensory integration.
WHAT ARE THE SENSORY Hammock BENEFITS?
- Self-Regulation is the regulation of emotions. It is the ability to respond to daily events in a manner that is socially acceptable and flexible. Deep breathing exercises in the sensory hammock are calming and a great tool to use in daily life to reduce stress.
- Deep Pressure. The suspended yoga hammock provides deep pressure, which activates the parasympathetic nervous system. It reduces the “fight or flight” response. Deep pressure reduces the stress hormone, cortisol, while increasing feel good chemicals in the brain called endorphins.
- Body Awareness is the ability to be aware of your body’s position – it’s essentially how connected you are to your body. The hammock promotes motor planning and working memory while engaging in the poses.
- Sensory Integration. The hammock provides sensory input in a tranquil, fun, therapeutic environment.
WHAT ARE THE COGNITIVE BENEFITS of the Sensory Hammock?
- Attention and Focus. Aerial poses require more steps than land-based yoga. Children have to focus, otherwise they fall out of the hammock.
- Executive Function. Executive function is the ability to organize, develop strategies, and plan. Executive functioning controls working memory, processing speed, cognitive flexibility (seeing another point of view), and inhibition of behavior. Aerial yoga poses require working memory, motor planning and awareness, which are executive function skill (higher level cognitive skills needed to self-regulate behavior).
- Self Regulation. Aerial yoga improves the ability to be less reactive and more mindful of thoughts and speech.
- Reduced academic problems. We build neuro-pathways every time we practice a new skill. In each class, when we practice social emotional learning, mindfulness, and aerial skills we are literally building networks in the brain!
There are a multitude of benefits associated with our style of aerial yoga, so many in fact it will take several blog posts to list them all. Stay tuned for an upcoming blog on physical and social emotional benefits.
Sign-Up for Sensory Hammock Classes
Sign-up soon. Our aerial yoga and mindfulness classes are so amazing they tend to fill up quickly. Therapeutic aerial yoga and mindfulness services at Mindful Child are so fun we can’t get kids to leave!