The hidden power of the rocking chair

The rocking chair was part of colonial life; It was an American phenomenon. Although it made its way to the colonies via England as a lawn chair, new Americans quickly brought it into their homes as a mother-child crib device. The rocking chair became so popular with the colonists that in 1750 the American Windsor rocking chair, built in Philadelphia, became known throughout the world.

Generations of Americans grew up with the rocking chair; it was a common and functional piece of furniture in almost every home. A rocking chair provided the means to help a fussy child to sleep; calm emotional wounds; and provide comfort in times of illness. But the purpose of the rocking chair was mainly used to ensure an emotional bond between mother and child.

A baby who is rocked to sleep benefits greatly; the infant is not alone in a cradle; his mother IS the cradle; back and forth; back and forth; slowly picking up a rhythm, with the sound of a hum or a sweet lullaby. The neural network in the baby’s brain is receiving signals; everything’s fine; I’m with you; we are moving together.

Most children never get that signal. They are placed in their cribs with a bottle or pacifier and are expected to sleep. Some will cry; others will look into inner space; but that crucial intimate message is never received. Emotional stability is lost.

Today we are discovering how important the rocking chair is for psychosocial well-being; its use has spread far beyond the cradle and can be a cure for a wide range of health problems.

Studies by the University of Rochester School of Nursing and the Center for Clinical Research on Aging have shown that the gentle movement of a rocking chair releases endorphins; a chemical known to improve mood and decrease pain. The study confirms that Rocking Chair Therapy increases the quality of life of people suffering from Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

The Medical College of Virginia conducted a study showing that the relaxing motion of a rocking chair can dramatically speed up the healing process in seriously ill patients. Also, the rocking chair is now being used as a therapy for post-operative recovery.

According to Dr. Heinrich Addleheim of the Kinetic Therapy Clinic in Berlin, Germany, the rocking chair is simply amazing: “We have seen cases of patients recovering from heart attack and stroke, without any trace of permanent damage, simply because they used a rocking chair while they recovered. I’ve seen bedridden people with arthritis get up and walking within a week after regular use of the rocking chair…it’s not just a piece of furniture; it’s a remarkable medical device.”

Rocking chair therapy applies to the following:

or Dementia

or alzheimer

Autism

o Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

or stutter

Diabetes

Arthritis

or heart disease

o Surgical recovery

or Mental Illness

In closing, let’s not forget the people who have loved their rocking chairs; Napoleon, Abraham Lincoln, Mark Twain, Bertholt Brecht, Pablo Picasso, John F. Kennedy, Dwight Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan, and Benjamin Franklin.

The American colonists gave us many gifts; a great Republic, and a great chair.