You know that feeling when stress lingers in your body - a tight chest, shoulders creeping towards your ears, a jaw that just won’t unclench? For many of us, a workout is the go-to way to shake that tension off, and it does work; movement is proven to help reduce stress hormones and boost mood.
But here’s the flip side: not all forms of exercise are calming for your system. High-intensity training or heavy lifting can sometimes add more strain, especially if your body is already running on empty (and that’s before even mentioning DOMS). Research has shown that intense exercise can spike cortisol, your primary stress hormone ,which is not ideal if you’re already overloaded [1].
That’s where somatic exercises come in. These gentle, awareness-based movements help regulate the nervous system by increasing mind-body connection and combining breath with slow movement and stillness. Instead of chasing reps or sweating buckets, somatic workouts encourage you to release stored tension and get out of your head and back into your body.
Better still, you can do them anywhere - at home before bed or after waking up, on a work break, or even in the car after a stressful commute or phone call! It’s like a reset button for whenever you feel your body holding on to stress.
So whether you’re looking to ease stress, release tension, or simply feel more present, somatic movement might be the missing piece in your training toolkit.
What Are Somatic Workouts?
Somatic workouts are slow, mindful movements designed to release stored tension, reconnect you with your body, and retrain habitual movement patterns through mind-body awareness.
Think of somatic exercises as the opposite of a push-to-the-limit HIIT class. They’re slower, intentional movements designed to retrain how your body holds tension. Instead of working out to burn calories, push weights, or beat your personal record, the goal is awareness: noticing how your body feels, moves, and responds.
The science supports what we all know and feel about how tension shows up in our bodies - stress and emotions don’t just live in the mind, they show up physically too. When your nervous system gets stuck in “fight or flight,” muscles stay braced, long after the stress has passed. Neuroscience research even shows that chronic stress alters muscle tone and posture by keeping the body in a semi-defensive state (always tense) [2].
Somatic movement works like a reset button, signalling safety to your nervous system and teaching the body how to let go.
Examples of mind-body practices with somatic elements:
Pilates - controlled, mindful movements that explore body awareness.
Tai Chi - slow, flowing sequences tied to deep breathing and meditation.
Dance-based movement - intuitive movement that follows sensation & play, not structure, and increases serotonin [3].
Somatic yoga - less about perfecting poses, more about noticing how each one feels and releasing emotions through movement.
If yoga feels too rigid or strength training feels too intense, somatic workouts offer a softer middle ground, still movement, but movement designed to soothe.
Somatic Exercises to Try at Home, Or On The Go.
A motivating factor of somatic workouts is that you don’t need equipment, a studio, or even a mat to give them a try, which can make all the difference when you’re in a state of heightened stress and needing immediate relief.
The beauty of somatic movements is how portable they are. You can use them first thing in the morning to gently wake up your body, in the middle of a stressful workday when your shoulders have crept toward your ears, after a tough workout to help calm down your nervous system, or right before bed to signal to your body it’s safe to rest. Even a 1–2 minute reset in the car after a long commute can make a noticeable difference.
A little space and a few breaths can be enough. Before you start, take 2–3 slow, deep breaths, set a small intention (e.g. “notice”), and tuck your phone out of sight for the few minutes you’ll give yourself.
How long?
Micro-reset: 1–3 minutes (desk/stress moment).
Short session: 5–10 minutes.
Full practice: 10–20 minutes.
Aim to practice daily, or at least 3×/week. If you’re stressed right now, even one 60-90 second reset helps.
Beginner-friendly somatic exercises
Arch & flatten:
Start: Lie on your back, knees bent at a 90-degree angle, feet hip-width apart and flat on the ground. Arms rest by your sides. Head relaxed.
Cues:
Place one hand under your lower back so you can feel the small space.
Arch: Inhale, gently tilt your pelvis forward so a small arch appears in your lower back. Don’t push through the feet here (like a glute bridge); this is a small movement. You may feel the front of your hips open slightly.
Flatten: Exhale slowly and tuck the pelvis under so the lower back becomes flatter against your hand/floor (imagine zipping your tailbone toward your ribs). Shoulders and upper back stay grounded.
Tempo & reps: 6–8 slow reps. Count 3-4s on each inhale/exhale. Pause 2–3s at each end and notice the sensation in your lower back and belly.
What to feel: A gentle rocking in the pelvis, small shifts in the lower spine, directing your breath into the belly. If you feel pain, reduce the range.
Progression: Add a 3–5 second hold on the flattened position and notice if the lower back softens after release.
Progressive muscle relaxation:
Start: Lying or seated, feet supported. Close your eyes. Starting at your feet, tense one muscle group for 5 seconds, then release.
Cues:
Move from feet → calves → thighs → glutes → lower back → abdomen → chest → hands/arms → shoulders → neck → jaw → face.
For each group: inhale and tense gently (about 50% effort) for 4-6s, then exhale and fully release.
After release, rest for 8-12s and scan the area for warmth or a feeling of lightness.
Rounds: 1 full body release (2 if you have time).
What to feel: The contrast between clench and soft, you’re teaching yourself an awareness between gripping and letting go.
Tip: Keep tension gentle; the point is recognition, not strain.
Body scanning:
Start: Lying on your back or seated upright. Close your eyes or soften your gaze. Where do you feel tight? Heavy? Warm? Simply noticing can help release hidden tension and relax.
Cues:
Slowly move attention from the crown of your head → forehead → eyes → jaw → neck → shoulders → arms → chest → belly → pelvis → thighs → knees → calves → feet.
At each spot, ask: “What’s the temperature? Does it feel tight, heavy, light?” Stay 5–10s per area. Breathe into any tight spots.
Duration: 5–10 minutes. For a micro version, scan only head → chest → belly → feet (1–2 mins).
What to notice: Subtle sensations (tingle, warmth, pull). Don’t try to change them, just being aware of how your body is feeling itself starts the shift.
Grounding techniques:
Recentre yourself fast with this simple way to feel grounded and come back into yourself when your mind is racing.
Start: Seated or standing with your feet hip-width.
Cues:
Press all four corners of each foot into the floor (heel, outer edge, inner ball, big toe). Feel how the weight distribution is spread out.
Place one hand over your heart or on your belly and breathe into that hand for 6 slow breaths.
Timing: 6 slow breaths or 30-60 seconds.
What to feel: The solidity underfoot, the expansion under your hand, and a softening around the shoulders. Use this when you’re flustered; it’s a quick safety signal for the nervous system.
Diaphragmatic breathing:
Deep belly breaths cue your nervous system to relax and shift your focus to your breath only.
Start: Lying on your back with knees bent or seated upright. Place one hand on belly, one on chest.
Cues:
Inhale slowly for 4s, letting the belly rise under your bottom hand while the chest stays relatively still.
Exhale for 6s and draw the belly gently in. Aim for a slightly longer exhale (2:3 or 4:6 ratio).
Reps: 6–10 breaths. Repeat in microbursts throughout the day whenever you need a reset.
What to notice: Slower heart rate, softer jaw, less shoulder tension. This stimulates the vagus nerve and helps shift you toward feelings of restfulness.
Shoulder release:
Notice how your upper body softens.
Start: Seated or standing, arms relaxed by your side.
Cues:
Inhale and shrug shoulders gently toward ears (up as far as is comfortable). Hold for 2–3s and don’t clench the neck.
Exhale and let your shoulders drop long and heavy. Pause and feel the space behind the neck and top of the shoulders.
Reps: 6-10 slow repetitions. After a few rounds, add small scapular circles (forward/back) to notice freedom around the shoulder blades.
What to feel: Release under the traps, less jaw tightness, more length through the neck. If dizziness occurs, pause.
Spinal release:
Imagine untangling stiffness along your spine.
Start: Standing with feet hip-width apart or seated tall. Keep your knees soft.
Cues for standing roll-down:
Hinge from the hips, chin soft to chest. Imagine peeling the spine down, vertebra by vertebra. Let arms hang heavy. Keep knees micro-bent. Pause at the bottom where it feels safe.
To come up, stack slowly: feel the pelvis tilt, then lumbar, then thoracic, then cervical, and finish by bringiny yourself up to standing, eyes looking ahead.
Cues for seated version:
Tilt pelvis forward/back to find neutral, then perform the same slow articulation from pelvis → ribs → chest.
Reps: 5–8 slow rolls. Pause at the bottom for 5–10s and breathe, letting your head hang heavy.
What to notice: Any segments that feel sticky or free. Movement often unlocks small “stuck” sensations between vertebrae.
Pandiculation (stretch + release):
Think of this as a big yawn-like stretch and letting go.
Start: Lying or seated. Pick one area to stretch and tense (e.g., upper back, arms, legs).
Cues:
Gently lengthen your body (like you do in a long yawn) and slightly tense the target muscles - not a full maximal contraction. Hold for 2–3s.
On a long exhale, let go completely and allow the area to soften and maybe even tremble briefly. Rest and notice new ease.
Reps: 3–5 per area. Work each side one at a time, if needed, aka stretching one arm out at a time.
What to feel: A real difference after release, less heavy or more fluid movement. This is a classic somatic reset we often do involuntarily, especially after just waking up.
Somatic walking:
Walking with purpose. Notice how your arms naturally swing and turn a stroll into mindful movement.
Start: Any walk (commute, park, office). Slow your usual pace by 10–20%.
Cues:
Notice heel strike → midfoot → toe-off. Feel subtle rotations up through the pelvis. Observe the opposite arm swing.
Keep the breath natural; if the mind wanders, refocus on the foot under the opposite hand for one breath.
Duration: 3–10 minutes. Even 1 mindful lap around the office helps.
What to notice: Small shifts in stride length, ease in the hips, and how the chest and shoulders respond. Somatic walking becomes both movement and a check-in.
Workout tip: If you’re someone who loves yoga or mobility, you’ll likely enjoy somatics and could try switching your existing practice to a more somatic-focused one. If HIIT or heavy lifting is your go-to in the gym, try adding a short somatic session (5-10 minutes) or full practice (10-20 minutes) on rest days to balance out the intensity and help you let go of unwanted tension.
Benefits of Somatic Exercises
Stress relief
A key benefit of somatic exercise, and a reason many turn to slowing things down, is to help with stress relief. Work, daily stressors, life events, and physical stress can all build up the allostatic load on the body (wear and tear) [4]. Body awareness practices like somatic yoga, grounding techniques, body scans, conscious breathing, and hug-and-release exercises help you tap into your body’s natural ability to calm down and regulate, lowering cortisol (the stress hormone) and, in turn, easing muscle tension.
Reduce muscle tension & pain
Gentle, mindful movements help your body release physical and emotional tension stored in your body. Repetitive stress, poor posture, and even emotional strain can cause muscles to “freeze” into tight patterns. Somatic movement works by retraining the brain-to-muscle connection, helping the body learn to let go of unnecessary tension.
Research also shows that somatic practices can improve sensorimotor control and reduce muscular rigidity over time - for example, a clinical trial on people with chronic lower back pain found that practicing slow, controlled somatic movements significantly reduced pain and improved functional mobility. By retraining movement patterns and increasing proprioception (the body’s sense of itself in space), somatic workouts have been shown to ease chronic pain, including lower back pain, neck tension, and fibromyalgia symptoms [5].
Nervous system regulation
Somatic exercises activate the parasympathetic nervous system - the body’s “rest and digest” state, helping the body relax and regulate stress levels. Studies have found that body-awareness therapies reduce anxiety and improve resilience by calming overactive stress responses. So if you’re shifting weights in the week, slowing down can actually help in the long run by improving your resilience levels.
Mind-body awareness
Unlike conventional gym training, somatic workouts emphasize how movement feels, not how it looks. This builds mind-body awareness and the ability to notice internal signals like breath, heartbeat, and subtle shifts in muscle engagement. Improved interoception (internal awareness) has been linked to better emotional regulation and lower stress levels, helping you show up more present in daily life [2].
Boost functional movement & posture
Because the method focuses on unlearning inefficient patterns, many people notice improvements in coordination, balance, and posture. This makes everyday movements like walking, sitting, and lifting feel more natural and less strained. So if you’re always aware of how tense your body feels sitting at your desk, somatic movements may be the release you need to let go of these thoughts and feel better in the process.
Many lifters and runners report that after adding somatics, they move more freely during training. Why? Because their body isn’t locked in a tense, pent-up state, it’s learned how to let go of tension and soften into movement.
How To Use Somatic Workouts for Stress & Recovery
Picture this: It’s been a long day, your body feels heavy, and your mind is racing. Instead of pushing through a hard workout, a somatic session can act like a reset button and can help you let go of tension you didn’t even know you were holding on to.
Use them as:
Rest-day recovery (10-15 minutes)
Perfect between heavy lifts or runs, somatic exercises reframe your active recovery and set you up to move better.
Start with a 2-minute body scan in stillness.
Next, lie on your back and practice 5 slow rounds of arch & flatten to release your lower back.
Move into spinal release roll-downs and shoulder release shrugs (3–4 times, slow tempo).
Finish with progressive muscle relaxation to fully let go.
You’ll prime your body for your next training session by easing stiffness and restoring mobility.
Evening wind-down (5-10 minutes):
Gentle movements and deep breathing before bed can help you relax, let go, and sleep better.
Begin with progressive muscle relaxation from toes to jaw (1 round through the body).
Add 2 minutes of diaphragmatic breathing with one hand on the belly.
End with a slow pandiculation stretch + release to fully soften into rest.
Creates a calming of your nervous system, making it easier to fall asleep.
Pairing with strength (3-5 minutes, post-lift):
Balance intensity with soft movements so that you don’t hold on to extra tension on top of DOMs.
After your workout, try shoulder release shrugs (5–6 reps).
Add grounding techniques: stand tall, feet planted, hands on chest, breathe deeply for 1–2 mins.
Finish with a short somatic walk as your cooldown.
Helps your body “let go” of training tension so DOMs don’t feel compounded by stress.
Think of it less like exercise, more like nervous system training, and adding calmness to your routine in a world that rarely encourages us to slow down and take a breath.
Somatic Exercise FAQ's
Are somatic exercises the same as yoga?
Somatic exercises aren’t the same as yoga, although you can practice yoga in a somatic-based way. Yoga follows structured poses, while somatic movement is more intuitive and sensation-led.
So what is somatic yoga?
Somatic yoga uses slow, gentle movements, breath-work, and body scans to help you reconnect with your body, release physical tension, and stored emotions. Hip-opening poses are often used to help movers release stored tension in the hips, which can often lead to an emotional response such as tears, joy, or laughter.
Is somatic yoga the same as yin yoga?
Somatic yoga isn’t quite the same as yin yoga, but they do share some overlaps, which is why people often mix them up.
Somatic yoga is more about sensation and awareness than the shape of the pose. It draws on somatic principles, focusing on slow, mindful movements, gentle stretching, and tuning into how your body feels moment by moment. The “goal” isn’t to achieve a perfect posture but to retrain movement patterns, release stored tension, and regulate the nervous system.
Yin yoga, on the other hand, is based on holding passive stretches for longer periods of time (typically 3–5 minutes per pose). The focus is on lengthening connective tissues like fascia and joints rather than muscle, and it’s rooted in traditional yoga philosophy.
How often should you do somatic workouts?
Incorporating somatic exercises into your routine for just 10 minutes a day could really help. Try adding short mind-body exercises into your weekly routine; this could be as part of a morning or evening wind-down routine, on active recovery days, or just throughout the day when you feel like your nervous system needs a little reset or your stress levels are getting too high.
Do somatic exercises really work?
Yes, somatic exercises do really work. Research and anecdotal evidence show they reduce stress, reduce physical tension, regulate the nervous system, and support recovery. Ongoing research continues to look into somatic movement for easing chronic pain, improving mood, and processing trauma.
Final Thoughts
Somatic workouts aren’t the type of workouts that will leave you feeling pumped, but they can leave you feeling lighter, calmer, and more connected. Somatic exercises should be added to your regular routine to relieve stress, tension, pain and encourage healthy nervous system regulation. Those tough emotions? Dealing with it. Stored tension? Releasing it. So on days when intensity feels like too much, try giving your nervous system the workout instead.
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References:
[1] Hill, E. E., Zack, E., Battaglini, C., Viru, M., Viru, A., & Hackney, A. C. (2008, July). Exercise and circulating cortisol levels: the intensity threshold effect. Journal of Endocrinological Investigation, 31(7), 587-591. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03345606 PubMed
[2] Guidi, J., Lucente, M., Sonino, N., & Fava, G. A. (2021). Allostatic Load and Its Impact on Health: A Systematic Review. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 90(1), 11-27. https://doi.org/10.1159/000510696 PubMed
[3] Lopez-Nieves, I., & Jakobsche, C. E. (2022, June 23). Biomolecular Effects of Dance and Dance/Movement Therapy: A Review. American Journal of Dance Therapy, 44, 241-263. Springer Link
[4] Meehan, E., & Carter, B. (2021). Moving With Pain: What Principles From Somatic Practices Can Offer to People Living With Chronic Pain. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, Article 620381. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.620381 PubMed
[5] Mehling, W. E., Gopisetty, V., Daubenmier, J., Price, C. J., Hecht, F. M., & Stewart, A. (2009, May 19). Body awareness: Construct and self-report measures. PLoS ONE, 4(5), e5614. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0005614 PLOS
