Aug 20, 2025

Somatic Exercises: The New Way to Release Stress Stored in Your Body

Aanya Mehta

What are Somatic Exercises?

Unlike regular workouts, somatic exercises focus on awareness and slow, intentional movement rather than strength or speed.

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Stress Gets Stored in The Body

Chronic stress can create muscle tightness, shallow breathing, and body stiffness. Somatic work helps undo these patterns.

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Release Tension Through Awareness

By paying attention to subtle sensations, you can retrain your nervous system to let go of habitual stress responses.

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Do it Anywhere

You don’t need equipment, just 10 minutes a day in a quiet space to notice how your body feels and moves.

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Nervous System Reset

Somatic exercises calm the sympathetic fight or flight response, shifting you into the rest and digest state.

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Benefits Beyond Stress Relief

These mindful movement practices also help stretch the body, make you focus on breath, and also know your body better.

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Examples of Somatic Exercises

Some of these exercises include Pilates, dance, yoga, tai chi, qigong, and meditation.

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