7 Benefits of Rocking Chairs to Improve your Life
The rocking chair is a classic piece of furniture that has been around for centuries. When you consider the health benefits of rocking chairs, it’s easy to see why they are so popular.
You might have wondered if rocking in a chair is good for you and what benefits might it bring. Rocking chairs can be used in many ways and provide many benefits, including: alleviating back and knee pain, calming and relaxing, soothing your baby during nursing time, reducing stress levels from everyday life – just to name a few!
Read on to learn more about the many benefits of rocking chairs, some of which might lead you to look one for yourself if you don’t have it yet!
1 - Benefits for Nursing Mothers
There is a reason why so many companies such as Babyletto or Delta Children offer different types of nursery rocking chairs. After all a comfy and gentle rocking motion is the most lifelike feeling of a womb for a baby. Which is why it helps he or she feel safe and cozy and thus more likely to calm down and be nursed.
A rocker is the best furniture for mothers who want to nurse their babies. Using a rocking chair facilitates breastfeeding whenever they get fussy or are hungry, especially after a C-section surgery.
Interested in getting a nursery rocker? check our best nursery rockers and gliders selection. Don’t hesitate to check our nursery rocking chairs category to read more insightful posts on the matter.
2 - Soothing and sleeping your baby allows for better rest
The smooth, rhythmic rocking motion will soothe the baby and help it sleep better. This works well if you have a fussy child who doesn’t want to settle down when it’s time to sleep.
The steady and repetitive movement mimic the mother’s heartbeat, which is what lulls and soothes most babies. Additionally, when you nurse in a rocking chair your baby will be at eye level with you – making it easier for them to suckle and latch on properly without causing neck strain or back pain.
The gentle motions of the chair will comfort and soothe them, potentially saving you from getting up multiple times throughout the night and thus getting more rest and sleep time. This provides a better life balance for working moms.
Overall, a rocking chair allows for a better parenting experience, which tightens emotional bonding with your little one.
3 - Reducing Stress of everyday life
Using a rocking chair frequently is a great way to reduce stress, that generates like it or not, in everyday life. You can sit down and rock yourself for a few minutes each day after work or between activities. Rocking will help you to relax and unwind, allowing you to take deep breaths rather of worrying about what’s stressing you.
A rocking chair can be your best ally in dealing with anxiety, depression or even dementia, by reducing everyday stress. The moderate back-and-forth motion will help distracting you from overthinking, which tends to worsen anxiety symptoms, that may generate bowel dysfunction with time.
Rocking is also a great furniture for enabling yourself to relax after a difficult day at work when it’s hard to keep anxiety at bay.
There are many ways of relaxing in a rocking chair for example: reading a good book, knitting, breathing fresh air in the porch or patio, hearing your favorite music while looking through the window or simply sharing nice times with loved ones. Getting a higher quality time releases endorphins and is great for boosting your mood and generating balance in your emotional life.
4 - Benefits of Rocking Chairs on Your Back and Knees
Rocking chairs offer health benefits that are especially important if you suffer from back or knee pain due to aging, health conditions such as osteoarthritis or find yourself in post-surgery recovery.
President John F Kennedy was an avid user of rockers, as he suffered from both a chronic back medical condition and had several back injuries. He was advised by his doctor to use them as a therapeutic prescription to prevent and alleviate his back pain. As a result, every main area of the White House had a rocking chair.
The moderate, rhythmic rocking motion serve as a mild exercise that help stretching muscles that are chronically contracted as a result of sitting for lengthy periods. This is you will find it easier to get up from your rocker as opposed from a regular chair.
The subtle movements mimic the motions we make while walking which helps to stretch out our muscles more fully than if we were sitting without moving.
5 - Rocking in a chair increases blood circulation in lower body parts
Rocking on a chair will help blood flow more easily and quickly from the legs back to your heart. This is important for people that suffer from low blood pressure, as it keeps the blood flowing relatively vigorously from the feet up towards your core. After all, using a rocking chair burns an estimate of 150 calories an hour.
Using a rocking chair stimulates the body and cell metabolism and increases blood circulation.
For people that spend a lot of time sitting, blood circulation is reduced in lower body parts. This condition also puts them at greater risk for blood clots and cardiovascular diseases with time (Mayo Clinic).
Rocking chairs can help to resolve this common health problem by naturally improving blood flow when rocking frequently. In fact, the smooth feet and leg pushing motion works together to activate blood flow in the legs.
For people that have experienced blood clots, rocking on a chair is an excellent way to improve blood circulation. It also prevents blood clot formation from happening again by keeping blood flowing more dynamically throughout your body without having any sudden breaks.
6 - Rocking is positive for mental health
While rocking chairs have been a popular piece of furniture for a long time, many individuals are unaware of the advantages they may provide for the brain. People suffering from depression and anxiety can benefit from rocking while working on other things or just relaxing while reading a book.
The back-and-forth movement stimulates feelings of well-being as it releases endorphins in the brain and relieves pressure, which is fundamental for generating balance in your life.
Studies today demonstrate that a rocking chair may actually do far more in terms of physical and mental health. ”People who are suffering mental illness and physical problems such as arthritis, back pain, Alzheimer’s, dementia, (to name a few) can benefit from a rocking chair. Rocking is a mild type of exercise” (Seniors Rocking to Good Health, March 1989 American Journal of Sports Medicine).
7 - effortless exercise for seniors strengthen joints and relieves arthritis
Seniors who suffer from arthritis, inflammation, or joint pain, especially on the knees, might have trouble getting exercise. This is why, instead of having to seat in a traditional chair or lay-down, seniors have the possibility, through rocking, of increasing their physical activity by pursuing a mild and repetitive push movement.
It is a form of physical activity that stimulates bone density without raising high impact vibrations on joints and the spine as it would do if you were to jog or run.
It’s an easy way for seniors to articulate their lower body, all while seated in a comfortable rocker. Plus, they may also complement their rocking with their favorite hobby, such as knitting or reading.
Furthermore, patients recovering from surgical procedures on their lower body regions may speed up their healing by doing physical therapy in a proper rocker.
Rockers are available in many different styles and dimensions to fit the sitting needs of elderly with arthritis, muscular dystrophy or a particular disability who may not be able to sit still for long periods of time without discomfort.
Conclusion: Using a rocking chair is good for you!
Rocking chairs are perfect for anyone, no matter what their age or activity level. The health benefits of rocking chairs are wide-ranging and can address many different needs.
From recent mothers who need to nurse and sleep in comfort, seniors with aches and pains from arthritis and knee joints, 9 to 5 workers who are tired from sitting still all day long at work or simply anyone that wishes to rock out the stress at the porch – there’s a rocking chair that will meet your specific needs!
If you’re not sure which type of rocker best suits your lifestyle or feel like they may be too expensive right now, don’t hesitate to contact us! Our team would love to help you find the ultimate high quality rocking chair for your budget.
