Many of us have experienced a poor night of sleep before. You may have done everything right: gotten in bed early, fallen asleep at the right time, and spent the whole night sleeping, yet you woke up feeling groggy and unrefreshed. This often happens when you aren’t getting enough deep sleep, which tends to have … Continue reading How to Get More Deep Sleep: A Practical Guide to Deeper, More Restorative Nights  →

People with sensory sensitivities may struggle with certain daytime activities at school, work, or home. But this can also cause difficulty settling at night due to the feel of their bedding, interference from light, sounds nearby, and more. These concerns may lead people to be overly alert to their surroundings. Impaired sleep can impact entire … Continue reading Sensory Processing Disorder and Sleep: Why It Happens and How to Help (Children and Adults) →

Unlike some other primitive reflexes, the Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex (TLR) involves movement of both the head and the body. For this reason, it assists with maintaining head position, coordination, movement against gravity, muscle tone, and posture. The TLR (also known as the TLR reflex) also plays a role in focus and the ability to track … Continue reading Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex (TLR): Signs, Effects, and Integration Exercises →

As an early developmental movement pattern, the spinal galant reflex plays a big role in a person’s emotional regulation, sensory processing, and postural control. If this reflex is retained, children can experience a range of physical and mental health concerns that impact their well-being. The effects this reflex has on the body become clearer when … Continue reading Spinal Galant Reflex Integration: Signs, Effects, and Exercises →

The Symmetric Tonic Neck Reflex, also called STNR or STNR reflex, is an important part of child development. As with other reflexes, the STNR should develop at a certain point, then disappear (integrate). When this happens, a child should demonstrate improved hand-eye coordination, which helps with functional tasks such as writing, scissor use, throwing/catching a … Continue reading STNR Reflex Integration: Signs, Exercises, and How It Differs From ATNR →

Many people are not aware of all the ways in which vagus nerve dysfunction affects the body. For example, a racing heartbeat or uneven breathing rate may be more obvious than a low mood or difficulty responding to stress. But even one of these concerns can have a major impact on our quality of life. … Continue reading Vagus Nerve and PTSD: Expert Insights →

When someone is part of or witnesses a distressing, difficult event, they typically develop a specific psychological response. It is normal to have such a reaction, called a trauma response, for a short period of time. However, if they are not properly managed, trauma responses can cause long-term changes in someone’s mental function and emotions. … Continue reading Vagus Nerve and Trauma: A Therapist’s Guide →

While society is beginning to learn more about conditions such as autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), they still tend to be misunderstood. For instance, it may surprise most people to learn there is a strong connection between ADHD and the vagus nerve. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and similar neurodevelopmental conditions can cause restlessness along with … Continue reading Vagus Nerve and ADHD: A Therapist’s Guide →

Poor sleep is a problem many people share. There are several reasons why someone may not sleep well, meaning there are a range of possible strategies you may use to improve your sleep. However, people may not know that vagus nerve stimulation is one of the most evidence-based sleep improvement strategies. Vagus nerve stimulation works … Continue reading Therapist-Approved Vagus Nerve Exercises for Better Sleep →

Being able to manage your mental health is important, which is why treatment-resistant depression can be so difficult to live with. Individuals with this form of depression don’t see typical results from traditional treatments, which can lead them to lose hope for their condition and the future. However, the distinct link between the vagus nerve … Continue reading Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Depression: Therapist-Approved Methods →