Mindfulness for Relaxation and Sleep

Overview:

Students will discuss and practice two different mindful breathing practices in this lesson.

NB Curricular Connections

Explore Your World

• Strand: Well-Being – Big Idea: Physical Health and Active Participation – Skill Descriptor: Analyze personal safety and healthy practices.
• Strand: Well-Being – Big Idea: Emotional Health and Positive Identities – Skill Descriptor:
  • Explore activities that foster enjoyment and well-being.
  • Recognize that feelings and emotions can impact well-being, relationships, and the way we engage with others.

Personal Wellness 3-5

• • Strand: Wellness – Big Idea: Healthy Lifestyle – Skill Descriptor:
    • Grade 3: Analyze personal safety and healthy practices.
    • Grade 4: Describe personal safety and healthy practices.
    • Grade 5: Assess personal safety and healthy practices.
  • Strand: Mental Fitness – Big Idea: Mental Health Strategies – Skill Descriptor:
    • Grade 3: Demonstrate self-calming strategies to regulate emotional reactions.
    • Grade 4: Identify strategies for regulating emotional reactions.
    • Grade 5: Identify strategies for seeking support for self and others.
  • Strand: Mental Fitness – Big Idea: Positive Mental Health – Skill Descriptor:
    • Grade 3: Explore the importance of talking about emotions and emotional responses.
    • Grade 4: Describe the seven primary emotions and their expression.
    • Grade 5: Identify ways to manage stress and regulate emotions.

What you’ll need:

• Yoga mats (optional)
• Stuffed animals (optional)
• Small Jars for each student (plastic is best)
• Glitter (pre-portion glitter or sparkles for each student)
• Water
• Crazy glue
• Optional: clear glue, baby oil or vegetable oil
• K-5 Mindfulness Resource (PDF attached)

Instructions:

Step 1: Students will learn to begin class with a breathing regulation strategy called “shhhh” breath. Tell students they will learn a breathing technique that helps them relax and get ready for sleep. The best way to learn the “shhhhh” breath is lying down, but it can also be done seated.

Step 2: Ask students to relax and lower their gaze or close their eyes. If they have stuffed animals, they can place them on their bellies. Invite them to use their thumb to find the area on the palm of their opposite hand between the middle finger and ring finger. This is the solar plexus reflex spot, and massaging it will help with relaxation. As they inhale through their nose gently, they can push their thumb gently into the solar plexus spot. When they exhale, tell them to make the “shhhhhh” sound, breathing very slowly and gently and releasing the thumb. Continue several times to allow students to get in a calm and relaxed state.

Step 3: When they are done with this breathing practice, ask them to stretch their arms overhead to bring back a little calm energy to their bodies. Ask students why they think it helps them relax? Discuss how this breathing technique is relaxing and how they can use it at bedtime.

Step 4: The next activity in the lesson plan is making a glitter jar. To do this, have students pour sparkles and glitter into a small plastic jar with a lid. Having amounts pre-portioned or assisting students closely will reduce waste and mess. Fill the jars to the top with water and help students secure the top securely by adding a little crazy glue to the top edge before twisting it on tight. Clear glue, vegetable oil or baby oil can be added to change the viscosity of the water and add dimension.

Step 5: Ask students to shake their jars and watch the glitter as it settles back down in the water. Discuss how this can help them calm down. Does their breathing calm down as they gaze at the sparkles? What happens to their thoughts and emotions as they focus on the glitter? Some students use phones or tablets to play games to relax. What is the difference between looking at the glitter jar compared with screen time to help you relax or sleep?

Step 6: Have students take a Bear Breath while looking at their glitter jars. This can be practiced while seated or lying down. Explain to students that it is called Bear Breath because it creates a feeling of rest and peace, like a bear hibernating. Inhale for a count of 5, then hold the breath in for a count of 3. Next, exhale for a count of 5 and hold for a count of 3. Keep repeating. Like all mindfulness breathing, it takes practice!

Additional Resources:

• Bear Breath (Gonoodle) YouTube Video

Questions Related to The Labour Market and Employment Opportunities In NB:

1. Why is it so important to get enough sleep? (You need a certain amount of sleep to help you grow healthy, think clearly, manage your emotions; we need good sleep just like good food.)
2. Many people have trouble sleeping. What jobs help people improve their sleep? (Medical administrative assistant, Respiratory Therapist, Nurse, Doctor)
3. What jobs might require you to stay awake to work at night and sleep during the day? (Shift workers like police, nurses, airplane pilots, air traffic controllers, boat captains, security personnel, some restaurants, hotel staff)

Reflection Activity 

Please see the attached PDF for several choices on how you and your learners can reflect upon today’s activity.

 Global Competencies

1. Communication
2. Self Awareness