3 Practices My SPED Son Intuitively Does That You Can Do Too

My son Owen has special needs. He's non-verbal and has the genetic markers for Pitt Hopkins disorder. He's a child who doesn't understand how to mimic or copy actions and takes at least 10,000 repetitions to do something at even a rudimentary level. With this in mind, I am always interested in things he does consistently. Here are 3 things he does intuitively that improve sleep, reduce stress, and decrease inflammation:

1. He practices meditation- Owen frequently sits quietly and observes. No prompts, no disciplinary timeouts. This is entirely his own doing. Studies show that meditation if done in the morning reduces stress & if done in the evening improves sleep. Regularly practicing meditation also decreases inflammation and reduces your blood pressure.

2. He practices mindfulness- Owen regularly studies the back side of water (aka the 8th wonder of the world for all of you Disney Jungle Cruise fans out there ;-). He pours water near his face at eye level and watches the light refract. He is completely immersed in this activity (couldn't resist the pun), experiencing it visually, physically, and auditorily. Mindfulness has benefits such as decreased stress, improved sleep, improved focus, and many more.

3. He practices Earthing regularly- The Earth is a giant magnet. When you regularly (15-30 minutes per day) come into physical contact with the Earth (think walking barefoot on grass or at the beach, swimming in the ocean or a river or lake, or even gardening without gloves) you reap benefits such as reduced pain & inflammation, improved sleep, faster healing, and nervous system regulation.

I had a pitching coach in college that told me, '...you can learn any thing, from any body, at any time...' I have always approached experiences with a learner's mind...especially when it comes to Owen. It's funny, these 3 simple things that come so naturally to him are 3 key things that I work on with clients. Often times people get so wrapped up in trying to 'do it right' that they don't know where to start. Just like Owen, have the confidence to make each of these practices your own. You'll feel the benefits in no time.