This Japanese stress relief trend lets you be a swaddled baby again
Remember when you were a baby and you didn’t have to deal with bills, work, and other stressful obligations? Well, me neither, but it sure sounds appealing at times. As it turns out, a midwife had the same thought, and came up with this Japanese stress relief trend turns you into a swaddled baby.
The therapeutic technique, called Otonamaki, is inspired by the practice of swaddling a baby, which is thought to reduce stress in infants because the method mimics the safety and security of a mother’s womb.
In the adult version, proponents of Otonamaki believe that wrapping yourself tightly in fabric will have a soothing effect because it focuses on working and warming the muscles.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xcwpJMlRSE?feature=oembed
One new mother, who tried Otonamaki to ease postpartum pain, told Reuters that she experienced warmth in her body and felt better after a 20-minute session.
If you’re claustrophobic and this practice sounds like your worst nightmare, you’ll be relieved to learn that some scientists and experts are on your side — they recommend not engaging in Otonamaki all.
It’s certainly a creative concept, but I think I’ll stick with my standby stress release techniques like exercising, meditating, and (my personal favorite) breaking out my collection of adult coloring books and gel pens.
