Benefits
BRAIN DEVELOPMENT
"Rocking provides the child with all the important tactile stimulation that the child needs for optimal brain development. I can't overestimate the importance of tactile stimulation.”
- Dr. Edward Zigler | Yale University
- Dr. Edward Zigler | Yale University
Dementia
“Patients with Alzheimer's disease who rock for 1-2 hr per day in a rocking chair demonstrate significant improvements in depression, anxiety, and balance and a decrease in pain medication usage.”
- Binghamton University
- Binghamton University
ADHD
“The study of pre-teens and teenagers examined how movement — its intensity — correlated with accuracy on cognitively demanding tasks. Participants who moved more intensely exhibited substantially better cognitive performance.”
- University of California
- University of California
Stress / Anxiety
“When I have a couple, or parents or even friends where one or both individuals experience anxiety, stress, PTSD… I teach them how to do therapeutic rocking.”
- Leslie E. Korn | Ph.D., MPH, LMHC, ACS, NTP
- Leslie E. Korn | Ph.D., MPH, LMHC, ACS, NTP
SLEEP
"People fall asleep faster when rocking. Additionally, they showed improvements in memory consolidation and spent more time in non-REM sleep.”
- University of Geneva
- University of Geneva
Back Pain
“Use a rocking chair as one of several back pain remedies that make up a larger back pain relief program. This is an excellent adjunct to spinal decompression for bulging disc treatment.”
- Dr. Barry L. Marks
- Dr. Barry L. Marks
Cerebral Palsy
"Gentle rocking can help your child with cerebral palsy get accustomed to shifting their weight, adjusting their posture, and feeling more at ease in motion."
- Flint Rehab
- Flint Rehab
SOOTHING
"One essayist suggests that all one needs to relieve stress and improve one’s overall health is to hold a baby and rock. The questions surrounding relaxation is not whether we should occasionally sit in a rocker, but how long we should do this."
- Amy Gagliardi | Yale University
- Amy Gagliardi | Yale University
AUTISM
“Every autistic child should have a rocker in his/her room."
- Anna Jean Ayres | Occupational therapist, educational psychologist and advocate for individuals with special needs. Known for her work on sensory integration (SI) theory.
- Anna Jean Ayres | Occupational therapist, educational psychologist and advocate for individuals with special needs. Known for her work on sensory integration (SI) theory.
Labor
"Rocking is healthy for the mother as well as for the baby. Women who rock their infants in a rocking chair for 1 hour a day recover faster after cesarean delivery."
- Amy Gagliardi | Yale University
- Amy Gagliardi | Yale University
NERVOUS SYSTEM
"After extensive studies, NASA determined that the most effective procedure to bring back the livelihood of the autonomic nervous systems post extended time in space was to rock and bounce returning astronauts."
- NASA
- NASA
Cognitive
“The rocking motion soothes the brain and facilitates concentration along with the ability to think logically, which provides overall better cognitive processing.”
- Gerry Vassar | President/CEO, Lakeside Educational Network
- Gerry Vassar | President/CEO, Lakeside Educational Network
PAIN MANAGEMENT
"Rocking can tap into the parasympathetic nervous system. This is the sedative side of the nervous system and therefore good for pain management.”
- Physiotherapist Brad Beer | AMAZON Best Selling Author
- Physiotherapist Brad Beer | AMAZON Best Selling Author
Depression
“During my clinical fellowship at a Harvard teaching hospital, I rocked patients who were suicidal and called 'borderline' (they were really trauma survivors).”
- Leslie E. Korn | Ph.D., MPH, LMHC, ACS, NTP
- Leslie E. Korn | Ph.D., MPH, LMHC, ACS, NTP
CONCENTRATION
“The student who was bouncing was providing themselves with additional sensory stimulation and the child who was rocking was calming themselves and thus decreasing sensory stimulation; both were able to improve their learning outcomes.”
- Georgia State University
- Georgia State University
FIBROMYALGIA
“Rocking can ease chronic pain. A group of women with fibromyalgia, rocked for 10 minutes, 3 times weekly, for 16 weeks. They reported a sense of calmness and said that helped manage their pain."
- University of North Carolina at Greensboro
- University of North Carolina at Greensboro
SUBSTANCE ABUSE
"Rocking helps self-soothe urges and desires to drink. A significant association was observed between a greater number of minutes spent rocking with fewer urges and desires that are connected with the intent and plan to drink."
- University of Alabama | VA Medical Center
- University of Alabama | VA Medical Center
VERTIGO
“Vestibular rehabilitation therapy, such as rocking, can help patients with vestibular dysfunction, such as vertigo and episodes of dizziness.”
- Baylor College of Medicine
- Baylor College of Medicine
POST OPERATION
"A study looked at how long it took patients who’d undergone surgery for abdominal cancer to pass gas, a process that’s indicative of their recovery. The group who rocked post-surgery passed gas 16.8 hours earlier than those who didn’t."
- University of Texas M.D.
- University of Texas M.D.
ARTHRITIS
"Rocking can reduce the impact of diseases such as arthritis. This is because the increased blood flow sends more oxygen to the joints while the relaxation effect boosts the immune system."
- Jane Chitty | Writer | Healing Natural Oils
- Jane Chitty | Writer | Healing Natural Oils
Balance
“A gentle rocking motion helps stimulate the vestibular system, which helps maintain balance.”
- School of Nursing at the University of Rochester
- School of Nursing at the University of Rochester