The Basic Exercise by Stanley Rosenberg

[@yeshemama]

This is great! So far though anyone I've seen presenting this has neglected to emphasize the exact position on the back of the head that gives you the greatest result and feedback. In Stanley Rosenberg's further description of this exercise he notes that the eye muscles doing the movement are connected at the BASE of the skull. So by making sure your first fingers or thumbs feel just beneath the curve of the occipital bone just above the connection to the neck you can notice very subtle changes in the muscular tension. To find the optimal point for your body with your hands low on your skull behind your head slowly nod chin to chest In the west we call this a nod YES. (some other cultures use this motion differently!) Try it both ways and see what you notice. It's all about YOU and learning to know how your body and heart FEEL. Thank you yoopod, your video is very helpful.

[@MASSAM9669]

Any reason as to why I can't feel anything in the base of my skull?

[@sarahspencer1010]

When watching your instructions, I spontaneously yawned each time, right before you mentioned yawning! 😄

[@peterg219]

I'd done this, head turning exercise with an earlier KZbinr BUT repeated here, sitting up. I'm 70 & love riding my Yamaha SR500cc motorcycle. I've notice how stiff my neck had become. Constant vigilance is how one remains alive on a motorcycle, one needs a 'nimble' neck. Anyway, repeated the "eyes right for a minute then left with head face straight, ahead." The first time it really did allow my neck to rotate more to the left & right. After repeating this, still sitting up, I could rotate my neck even further & way more comfortably. I'll be doing this every day along with the some deep breathing.

[@consciouscitizen6211]

I used to have tremors that kept me awake for hours. This exercise calmed the tremors. Thank you x

[@romanempire9818]

Neck tremors?

[@consciouscitizen6211]

@@romanempire9818 In the brain - and what felt like running along the whole nervous system.

[@amityounger724]

Wow! That is amazing to hear! Very happy for you!

[@consciouscitizen6211]

@@amityounger724 Thanks so much Amit!

[@jelenaniess4201]

@@consciouscitizen6211 May I ask you how often do you do the exercise? Do you do it when tremors wake you up at night? Or have tremors dissapeared completely by now? TY.

[@stevepeterson5943]

Great, love it thanks! Been doing for about a week. I have a swallow right away, and I've had spontaneous yawns now in the evening, where I didn't before. I've had a shoulder impingement and with other techniques, this is helping significantly!! Keep doing it people, the effect increases, also has improved my visual range, I see very wide, and when I turn my head, I see all the way behind me. - To your health : )

[@lydiapetra1211]

What is the purpose of this exercise?

[@stevepeterson5943]

@@lydiapetra1211 to stimulate the Vagus Nerve. Which regulates many important functions of the body.

[@samiaelirari5708]

hi Are you still practicing ? How is it going ? Any improvement in your stress ? Thanks

[@stevepeterson5943]

@Erika Rouby ice packs, and I use a foam roller. Massage it a lot too. Lots of deep massage, arm neck shoulders. All those things really help! Mines doing really well, it was awful for a long time. Good luck : )

[@polishprincess8469]

Wow it helped your shoulder impingement? That’s fantastic years ago I had surgery for this reason now the symptoms have returned I do not want more surgery I can’t wait to watch this video and learn these exercises! Thanks for your input, I also ride a motorcycle Harley Davidson sportster 1200 I’ve noticed increasing difficulty with my neck muscles I’m excited to begin with these exercises! Ty again!

[@courtneysnydermd-holisticp3072]

Thank you for this video. I recommend Stanley Rosenberg's book to patients, but it's nice to be able to share your video as a resource as well.

[@bunnygirlmantra]

I rarely get the sigh, yawn, or swallow. I've only felt the pool of saliva once or twice while looking to the right. But I do feel relaxed afterward.

[@eddie195777]

Does this exercise help reset the vagus nerve and remove built up stress and anxiety? Thank you for sharing.

[@ratholy]

Would you consider making a video for the neuro-fascial release technique, I don't understand the instruction in the book.

[@andreastepien7628]

Great video! Please can you illustrate the other exercises from Stanley Rosenberg book, I don’t understand how to do the more complicated exercises correctly!

[@moonstruck1215]

Wow... this made my neck pain so much less intense. That's so crazy!!

[@maddysinclair5232]

Felt wonderful. Good daily practice and so simple! Thank you!

[@mezzogen]

Great explanation and demonstration, very clear and to the point. Thank you!

[@PilatesOD]

Glad it was helpful Genevieve :)

[@alexishodgson7624]

This is great! I never yawned during the exercise, but now I'm yawning like crazy!

[@ratholy]

So you didn't yawn too in the begining, how long did it take for you to start yawning? Which positive difference the exercise has made for you?

[@cinmac3]

Power of suggestion ?

[@kathyobrien-carter1318]

Just got the book and came across this video; I will start practicing and reading (but not at the same time!) Looking forward to getting results.

[@douglaschristou3778]

This actually works and its effect can be felt immediately once both eyes are exercised.

[@spinedoc18]

My dad was Stanley Rosenberg, but not the doctor mentioned in this video.

[@mikemill3033]

Great instruction! Thank you! Will be purchasing the book asap

[@vicky31080]

Thankyou. This is useful. Very well explained in a simple, easily understandable manner.

[@carloscrispness8306]

I’ve read the book and been doing the basic exercises daily for weeks and I’ve never yawned, sighed or swallowed. It hasn’t helped my anxiety as well. I guess it’s not for everyone

[@klove964]

I did this exercise. It gave me vertigo which is activated when I move from a supine position to a sitting position. After a while it resolves, but then happens again if I look in a different direction than directly straight. I am on my way to a neurosurgeon now for a consult.

[@MichellevandeSchootbrugge]

What was the outcome

[@soulcstudios]

This exercise also gives me vertigo and sometimes makes me feel faint. I'm also consulting neurology about other stuff but will bring this up next appointment.

[@sarahspencer1010]

Gave me vertigo, too. I have Meniere's disease.

[@nicolemiller2430]

I had to hold for 3 minutes each side first time to get a release or maybe longer

[@hailulma5319]

hey, I didn't understand - if I feel a yawn / sigh / swallow in middle (say, only a few seconds into) of the eyes looking to a certain side, I return the eyes to the middle - and then I return them to the side until a 30-60 seconds have passed, or once the yawn comes I shouldn't return to that side at all? Thanks for the answer and the excercise.

[@CrisCh13]

@Hallel Maliniak Hi, 1 Roll your eyeballs to the right 2 When you feel a yawn / sigh / swallow OR After 30-60 seconds, return the eyes to the middle and do the same with the other side :)

[@melissatopham7874]

What does it mean if you get dizzy doing the eye movements?

[@notmysunshinesitsOURS]

it's normal and means it's working! I had to pace myself at first and now I don't get dizzy:)

[@Weirduniverse2]

i mostly notice my neck got super relaxed and loose. i can see further to the side now. how often should a person do this exercise?

[@amityounger724]

Every day is good :)

[@beautyintheeyeoflarissa5889]

I was told by my acupuncturist that covid had assaulted my Vagus Nerve. I had never heard of the Vagus Nerve, but I am happy to work on improving its health as long covid has been awful.

[@tanyawieczorek6603]

How are you doing now?

[@beautyintheeyeoflarissa5889]

@@tanyawieczorek6603 better, thank you for asking, although I’ll slide back if I don’t keep working on it every day

[@elxairop9715]

I have read the book, but despite the title self help exercises for anxiety, depression and trauma, it is not clear to me which exercises work for which conditions...

[@jc142]

Thank you

[@silviabrill5171]

Hi I find it hard to stop my eyes coming back to a central movement hen trying to look left or right for time?

[@pattyhamann8635]

Thank you, great, simple and effective

[@cinmac3]

When i did this with feldenkreis methods in this type of movement,, but , n0t, as technical, interesting.

[@nmeh8755]

Feldenkrais was onto a lot of things decades before most others, that's my impression anyway. And I agree this overlaps with some feldenkrais exercises.

[@twintomarc]

Amazing! Thank you so much. It works.

[@PilatesOD]

Great to hear!

[@lumiao1685]

Is this the pharyngeal test he describes?

[@dianaripley7795]

i feel bad after doing this man, my left arm went numb and i started to lose my vision and started to panic but didnt stop cause i thought that relieving sigh was about to come soon do u think i did smth wrong? is this sickness supposed to happen? is there smth wrong w me? im freaking out everyone on the comments talk abt how this works and is a QOL change but im terrified now man, i was holding my arms gehind my back for like that minute or two but it felt like an eternity, cant say i want to try this again

[@AwestaKhalid]

Ive tried this twice now and I haven't felt anything like a yawn or sign. There's literally no change in my body. I just switch sides after I think it's been about a minute. Anyone else get absolutely nothing the first few tries?

[@lydiapetra1211]

I yawned....got really sleepy....but I feel relaxed...

[@PilatesOD]

It is common not to feel anything at first. Just keep practicing and the benefits will follow!

[@paulajohnson1933]

It's like many body centered thecniques, it takes time and consistency. It helps me if I incorporate diaphragmatic breathing.Good luck !!

[@MrEdkirby]

Excellent. Thanks!

[@littlestation3222]

just found his book!` wow! amazing ! thanks

[@alexavaa]

Unbelievable. Thank you so much. 💜

[@Bitachon]

*What's the purpose of this exercise?*

[@kobalt77]

Perfection, thank you for this !

[@mischa1714]

Wow! That’s powerful.

[@quickpickle]

I just from a video saying you should look left... does it make a difference?

[@martabarnard7281]

will a forced yawn, swallow or sigh have some effect? If spontaneous ones are accessible at first?

[@andrewdube2422]

I find forced yawns turn into real yawns so I would say yes!

[@happytrails.]

I'm curious what is the significance of the yawn, sigh, or swallow and why do you want to prevent it? From what I understand the instructions are to turn your eyes back to center if you feel the urge. I felt it right away looking toward the right side, but for the left, no. I'm not sure if it's supposed to be different or the same for both sides.

[@amityounger724]

Hi. You do NOT need to try and prevent it... if it happens then it is a sign that your nervous system has registered the "nudge" to reset itself and that you can move on to the 2nd side...

[@jenniferlouise6122]

Thanks

[@shinn-tyanwu4155]

Great teaching 😊

[@pennyspawforth3167]

Is this still a suitable exercise for someone that has Duane' Syndrome (one eye can turn both ways, the other can't turn to the left). If so would you recommend any adaptations?

[@PilatesOD]

Hi Penny. I am not an expert on Duane' Syndrome, but if it is not contra-indicated for you to do specific eye exercises then I am assuming this should be fine too and that it will have a positive effect. If it doesn't feel "right" doing it then just stop... and also, maybe start by gently moving the eyes from side to side as best as you can but don't stay for too long so you get used to it.

[@RK-qk7ow]

This made my muscles of the back of the head tensed, which causes vertigo and head pressure, how to explain that? Are there any contraindications for this exercise? Thank you

[@PilatesOD]

Sorry to hear. Did you do it lying on your back? If not, you probably should... and start gently! If you feel tension then back off... and breathe slowly and calmly. Hope it helps.

[@jamietherooster]

suboccipital muscles activate with eye movement. Those muscles also play a major role in proprioception and CSF regulation.

[@oraclearts9]

Can this be down standing? I can't lie down due to head pain.

[@jessicaburgers]

Nothing happens even in 1 minute looking to right or left. How is that possible and what to do now?

[@aysemetin6442]

Just did it and it works. The pain sensation of 4/10 dissapeared😃

[@carolinemichelle238]

I have tried this exercise multiple times but have not experienced spontaneous yawn, swallow, or sigh. I asked a friend to try it, snd he had same results. Any feedback?

[@elmienw]

I did the neck exercise and my left side was painful, about a 4. When I looked to the right, nothing happened. To the left, I had a yawn after about 10-15 seconds. Then I tried the neck exercise again and the pain on the left had dropped to a 1. Amazing! I wonder what else this exercise is good for?

[@eeg122]

I usually try to do this like 3xs a day. The more you practice...the yawn, sigh or swallow will come.

[@tousifk3138]

So where is the full exercise, and how many times in a day we do it

[@melissalanigan6221]

I know its basic tho I felt very restricted movement when i turned my head for left sided exercise also i felt pains and needles in my hands whilst holding up my head any advice much appreciated thanks for the video

[@metalhead00xx]

Maybe having your head pressing down on your hands gave you the reality of pins and needles!

[@PilatesOD]

Hi Melissa. The pins and needles is probably from sitting in this position for a couple of minutes. It is very common when there is tightness around the chest, shoulders and neck. I would suggest you do it lying down and that you work gently and listen to your body. You can always stop and start again later.

[@bunnygirlmantra]

I do this exercise when I have a panic attack. In combination with Xanax it helps calm me down and makes me sleepy.

[@harbinderdhaliwal9448]

Vagal nerve response was hiccups on first attempt for 30 seconds. 😮

[@tamarpelkinson3518]

When I did it to the left, after doing it to the right, I started feeling my third eye / pineal gland 🤷🏻‍♀️ quite like the exercise 🙂

[@sharonfultonbevers3417]

What does the swallow/sigh mean please?

[@donnawigmore6160]

Where are the links?

[@PilatesOD]

Hi Donna. The links are in the captions... The book is called "Accessing the Healing Power of the Vagus Nerve" by Stanley Rosenberg. You can find it on amazon. Hope this helps

[@gingerschultz3258]

I had better range of motion after. How in the world does this work?

[@fiorenzat]

Read the book! Incredibile!

[@equus123]

Interesting stuff. No cough/swallow/yawn for me. But I did this about 5 minutes ago and I still feel ill afterward. Something definitely happened internally. I have the feeling of just wanting to go lie down to sleep. My body feels heavy and hard to be upright, my breathing feels laborious, my eyes and head feel floaty. Sometimes I feel these things when I'm unwell and the answer is to flop on the couch and not move or sleep. Anybody else experience this?

[@nikilauda1847]

Just bumped into your reply. Is it too late to respond!? Have you found the answer you were looking for? I believe to be able to give you some useful information, but not sure if you are still interested in it and I struggle to write (not my native language).

[@equus123]

@@nikilauda1847 i'm okay now, thank you!

[@kaufmanat1]

Yea that was my experience as well. I got minor sweats (cold sweats), it felt as though as was vagaling down, the precursor to a syncopal episode... Yea kind of the opposite I think lol, or maybe working too well? The vagus nerve is parasympathetic, so stimulating it slows your heart and lowers BP... It would seem over stimulating it would make you and me feel groggy, tired, low energy, etc. That could be what's happening here. Too much vagus nerve stimulation and you can pass out. This is called vasovagal syncope. I've experienced it in the past and it's very unpleasant. Never actually passed out, but needed to lie down to avoid losing consciousness.

[@equus123]

@@kaufmanat1 interesting! thank you so much for sharing this information. :)

[@tanyawieczorek6603]

@@nikilauda1847 what information did you have on this?

[@vanderleiabrahaosantos8299]

Interesting!

[@finnomara4148]

Do the eyes need to remain open or can you look to the sides with lids closed?

[@amityounger724]

I believe they should stay open

[@polishprincess8469]

I was wondering the same thing

[@nnxmns4533]

thankuuu, bless! ❤

[@ibenlarsen3174]

Can you do a stopping of coughing

[@jimgersetich7095]

My question is, do you put a pillow under your hands/head?

[@repotergirl9]

Hmm interesting, did this sitting up and had serious pins and needles in my hands and then nearly passed out - felt very woozy - no yawning or emotions though. Had a little improved movement in my neck after.

[@PilatesOD]

Hi. The pins and needles is probably from sitting in this position for a couple of minutes. It is very common when there is tightness around the chest, shoulders and neck. I would suggest you do it lying down (as mentioned in the clip) and when you finish, take your time before sitting up to avoid the wooziness. With some practice you will see that the yawn or sigh will happen naturally 😊

[@dudeistpreist5721]

Your nerves probably need more stretching and use.

[@kaufmanat1]

Was it your last three fingers that tingled? Could be a tight ulnar nerve. Was it the entire hand? Could be poor circulation due to sitting up and the arms being elevated above the heart and tightly pressed together. Wooziness probably from stimulating the vagus nerve which can slow your heart and lower blood pressure.

[@Nadyaboggo]

Ah, thank you so much 💖

[@BlossomVpiano]

Thank you. What to do if unable to put 1 hand behind back of head (frozen shoulder)?

[@ruconnolly3399]

Renee Ostertag has a video on this on her channel :) Video is called "Vagus Nerve Reset - most effective way to Destress your Body!"

[@rachelee8801]

Hi Violet, in his book, Rosenberg says you can do this exercise with one hand. Here is the text: "If you have a stiff shoulder and cannot bring both of your hands up behind the back of your head, it is sufficient to use one hand, with the fingers and palm contacting both sides of the back of your head."

[@tehmanzino]

Hello, Can you do this exercise multiple times a day, if so how long should you wait between each set? Thanks!

[@ottodenk]

Can I look left?

[@amityounger724]

You should do it on both sides...

[@GregoryCampbellSwag]

Does this release trauma?

[@brendankerr9570]

Anyone else's body feel like a dead weight after this? Ps thanks for the video

[@bunnygirlmantra]

Yes. It's amazing. I lay down and go to bed.

[@ibenlarsen3174]

Rosenberg is fantastic but no doctors wanted to give help to their patients in Denmark

[@ubershredder1989]

I want to do this exercise whilst playing guitar, in order to practice in a more sympathetic state. I haven't read stanleys book yet. Might there be any benefit from practicing with the eyes set to their outermost left or right side (in turns of course), or does this exercise only work with the hands behind the head? many thanks

[@davidbernier5782]

I just read "Accessing The Healing Power of the Vagus Nerve." The book mentions that it's important to have the hands behind the head, because that way, it puts pressure on something back there. (Full disclosure: I know very little about bodies!)

[@ubershredder1989]

@@davidbernier5782 thank u!

[@PilatesOD]

I believe you will get the same benefit without the hands behind the head, but... the hands do help you keep the head centred (without the hands you are likely to move the head without realising...). Why don't you do the exercise and then play the guitar? :)

[@user-xl5ho6ov5y]

The more the merrier applies to us people as opposed to more people 😂just a hint. Thank you for this video.

[@sharellecarroll7646]

Am I the only one who never gets the yawn or swallow sensation during this exercise? I’ve been trying this for a couple weeks now and I never get any of those sensations or responses 🥺🥺🥺

[@melaniemoran3401]

it hurt my eyes and i feel no different afterward

[@cactustree505]

Cool t-shirt.

[@snehadedhia6426]

Why do I burp so much whenever U do this exercise?

[@Ian-gw2vx]

Nope, didn't work for me except made me feel dizzy when returned back to centre vision.

[@markheartland2]

I yawned just watching the video. Not that I don't like this video. I just think my vagus nerve got stimulated.

[@henley777]

I feel nothing :-\

[@Breeandfree]

Makes me feel light headed and dizzy

[@TungDao206]

Can I blink? 30 second is actually very long

[@amityounger724]

Of course it is fine to blink!!

[@artemiserectus]

I did this and fell asleep.

[@meditation5267]

Theres no video when I tried to watch

[@421whitney]

Made me a lil dizzy

[@bunnygirlmantra]

If you do it for too long like over 30 seconds. I get dizzy close to 30 seconds

[@Atithi]

👏👏👏👏👏👏👍

[@harveyanderson2838]

i TRIED ALL THE ABOVE AND ABSOLUTELY NOTHING HAPPENED!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@iamenough6958]

You may have too lie down to do this exercise

[@lovelylozano6568]

I yawned everytime i do this..

[@sarahspencer1010]

Gave me vertigo (momentarily)