Bilateral Stimulation
Ever found yourself pacing when you’re overwhelmed? Tapping your fingers while you vent? Going for a walk and somehow feeling more clearheaded afterward?
That’s bilateral stimulation in action — a quiet, natural regulation tool your body’s probably been using for years without you even realizing it.
Bilateral stimulation (BLS for short) is a simple practice that engages both sides of the body or brain in rhythmic, alternating motion. And it’s surprisingly powerful — especially when you’re feeling anxious, frozen, overwhelmed, or like your thoughts won’t stop spinning.
Whether you’re working with trauma, ADHD, anxiety, or just a nervous system that needs a little coaxing back toward center, BLS can help you settle, integrate, and come home to yourself — no fancy tools required.
What is Bilateral Stimulation?
Bilateral stimulation (BLS) is any rhythmic activity that alternates left and right in a way that engages both hemispheres of the brain and both sides of the body.
This can look like:
Walking
Tapping one side of the body, then the other
Rocking side to side in a chair
Moving your eyes left to right
Listening to alternating sounds (a.k.a. binaural beats) in headphones
It’s often used in trauma therapy (like EMDR) to help people process overwhelming experiences without becoming flooded. But you don’t need to be in therapy — or even talking about anything intense — to benefit from it.
Sometimes your body just needs a little rhythm to regulate. Something simple. Repetitive. Grounding. Like a parent rocking a baby. Like waves hitting the shore.
You may have already used this without knowing it — like when you start pacing or swaying without meaning to. That’s your body trying to soothe itself. BLS just makes that soothing intentional.
How does Bilateral Stimulation work?
Your nervous system loves rhythm. It’s one of the most ancient forms of regulation we have — woven into the way we breathe, walk, drum, rock, and hum.
When you stimulate the left and right sides of your body in a back-and-forth pattern, your brain gets a gentle cue to shift out of survival mode and move toward a more integrated, regulated state.
Here’s what we know about how it helps:
🔄 It engages both brain hemispheres. When you're stressed or dissociated, your brain can go lopsided — stuck in loops or frozen in silence. BLS helps the two sides start “talking” again.
🌬️ It soothes hyperarousal (fight/flight) by giving your body something repetitive and predictable to focus on.
🫀 It can activate your parasympathetic nervous system — your body’s rest-and-digest mode — without needing to sit still or “think calming thoughts.”
🧠 It supports trauma processing and integration — especially when paired with therapy, reflection, or somatic tracking.
And here’s the best part: you don’t have to consciously “understand” or “work through” anything for it to help. The rhythm does the work.
When you rock side to side, your body says, “I’m here. I’m safe enough. I can move now.” It’s like a nervous system lullaby — one that helps you stay present without having to explain yourself.
When to Use It (And What It’s Good For)
Bilateral stimulation is a powerful way to reset fwhen you're feeling dysregulated, but not quite sure what you need. It gives your body something to do, and gives your brain a break from trying to fix everything.
This practice can be especially helpful when you’re feeling:
Anxious, activated, or spiraling (Like your thoughts are racing and your body’s buzzing)
→ BLS can help your system downshift without requiring stillness or deep focus.Frozen, foggy, or disconnected (Like you’re floating outside your body or everything feels far away)
→ The movement + rhythm can gently invite your awareness back in.Emotionally overwhelmed or flooded
→ If you’ve had a fight, cried hard, or are sitting with big emotions, BLS can help your system process and integrate.Shame spiraling or looping thoughts
→ The repetitive movement disrupts those mental grooves so you can get some perspective.Prepping for or recovering from therapy / a hard convo / intense journaling
→ BLS helps you ground and discharge the emotional static before it gets stuck.
Try using it if:
You struggle to meditate or sit still
You feel “too much in your head”
You’re trying to stay present while reflecting on something hard
You want a go-to tool that works without needing words
How to Do It
There’s no one right way to do bilateral stimulation. It can be gentle or active, subtle or expressive.
The key is alternating left and right sides of the body or brain in a rhythm that feels steady and safe.
Here’s a menu of ways to try it — from softest to boldest, so you can meet yourself right where you are:
🔸 Low Key / Seated Options
Butterfly Tap — Cross your arms over your chest and gently tap your upper arms or shoulders, one side at a time. Left… right… left… right… (Bonus: pair with affirming words, like “I’m here,” “It’s okay,” “I can stay.”)
Knee/Thigh Tap — Sit and alternate tapping your left and right thighs with your hands.
Pass the Ball — Grab a small item and pass it back and forth between your hands.
Audio BLS — Listen to binaural or alternating audio with headphones. (Search “bilateral stimulation” on Spotify or YouTube!)
🔹 Movement-Based Options
Intentional Walking — Walk slowly and notice the alternating steps: left, right, left, right. You can even sync your breath or a mantra to the rhythm.
Rocking — Stand or sit and gently sway side to side, like you’re rocking a baby. (Which, remember… you are 🐣🫶)
🔥 Creative / Sensory Options
Coloring or Drawing with Both Hands — Alternate lines, dots, or shapes with your left and right hand.
Toe Wiggles — Lay down and alternate wiggling your toes left-right-left. Weirdly soothing, I swear.
Tactile Touch — Brush, squeeze, or tap each arm or leg one at a time. Bonus if you use texture — soft fabric, warm compress, cool stone.
Start with 1–2 minutes and see how your body responds. If it helps? Keep going. If it’s too much or makes you feel disconnected — pause. Come back to warmth, grounding, or something slower.
Tips for Safe & Effective BLS
Bilateral stimulation is simple, but powerful — and like anything powerful, it deserves care.
Go slow. If you’re new to this, even a minute of tapping or walking with awareness is enough.
Stay present. If you start to drift, dissociate, or feel overwhelmed, pause and reconnect with your surroundings.
Track your edges. If something feels too intense or suddenly “off,” trust that. Regulation isn’t about pushing through — it’s about tuning in.
And remember, the magic is in the integration… Don’t rush off afterward. Let your body catch up. Notice: What changed? What softened? What’s different now — even if just a little?
Even if the shift feels subtle, your system still felt it. You showed up. You stayed. You offered your body a rhythm it could trust.
That’s regulation. That’s resilience. That’s rewiring.
Want more ways to clear your head?
I’ve got a whole library of mind-body magic waiting for you✨