A Little Birdie Told Us...

Hummingbirds wings are incredibly fast, flapping at a rate of 50-80 times per second. But do they look stressed? Nope. Probably because they know the secret of humming. This time of the year is packed with back-to-school shopping, schedules and finding the perfect first day outfit. If you find yourself needing a little grounding, take a tip of our feathered friends and hum. 

Humming with your mouth closed and throat relaxed allows vibrations to reach the vagus nerve endings in your vocal cords. This activates the vagal pathway, lowering heart rate and reducing blood pressure.

Here’s how to get started. Sit comfortably, take a deep breath. As you exhale, hum a steady tone (try a mmm or ohm) for the full breath. Studies show repeating this for 2 minutes can reduce cortisol levels and increase heart rate variability. The best thing about this grounding technique is if anyone asks for where you learned this tip from you can say “a little birdie told me”.