Somatic Exercises for Beginners: What They Are and 7 to Try
What somatic exercises are, how they differ from regular exercise, and 7 gentle somatic exercises for beginners to release tension and calm anxiety.
Published · 5 min read
Quick answer
Somatic exercises are gentle movements and practices done with close attention to sensations inside your body. Instead of focusing on fitness, they focus on noticing and releasing tension, which can help your nervous system settle. Examples include body scans, grounding, slow shaking, progressive muscle relaxation and self-holding.
For most of my life I lived from the neck up. I knew my body mostly as something that got tired, ached or let me down. The idea that it could help me feel calmer, or that it was holding feelings I hadn't processed, seemed abstract.
Somatic exercises changed that. They are some of the simplest practices I know, and some of the most surprising. You move slowly, you pay attention, and your body starts telling you things your mind had been too busy to hear.
What is somatic exercise?
"Somatic" comes from the Greek word soma, meaning the living body. Somatic exercises are movements and practices done with your attention turned inward, toward what you feel: warmth, tension, pressure, tingling, heaviness, ease.
The idea behind them is that stress and difficult experiences are not only stored as thoughts. They also show up as patterns in the body: a clenched jaw, a held breath, shoulders that never quite drop. Somatic practices work "bottom up", using the body to calm the mind, rather than "top down", using thoughts to change feelings.
One of the best-known approaches, Somatic Experiencing, guides people to pay attention to internal sensations and body movement as a way to resolve the effects of stress and trauma (Payne, Levine and Crane-Godreau, 2015). The research on specific somatic therapies is still developing, but the core idea, that attending to the body can help regulate it, is shared by many well-studied practices.
How is somatic exercise different from regular exercise?
| Regular exercise | Somatic exercise |
|---|---|
| Goal is fitness, strength or performance | Goal is awareness and regulation |
| Often fast and effortful | Slow and gentle |
| Attention often outward (music, reps, mirror) | Attention inward (sensation) |
| Pushing through discomfort | Noticing discomfort and easing off |
Both are valuable. Regular exercise is excellent for burning off stress. Somatic exercise teaches your body that it is safe to soften.
7 somatic exercises for beginners
Wear comfortable clothes, find a quiet spot and move slowly. There is no wrong way to feel.
1. The body scan
- Lie down or sit comfortably and close your eyes if that feels OK.
- Bring your attention to your feet. What do you notice? Warmth, coolness, pressure, nothing at all?
- Slowly move your attention up through your legs, belly, chest, hands, arms, shoulders, neck and face.
- Don't try to change anything. Just notice.
Takes: five to ten minutes. Good for: reconnecting with your body and noticing hidden tension.
2. Grounding through the feet
- Stand or sit with your feet flat on the floor.
- Press your feet gently into the ground and feel the floor push back.
- Rock slowly forward onto your toes and back onto your heels.
- Come to stillness and feel your weight being held.
Takes: one to two minutes. Good for: anxiety, racing thoughts, feeling "up in your head".
3. Progressive muscle relaxation
- Starting with your feet, tense the muscles for five seconds.
- Release suddenly and notice the difference for ten seconds.
- Move up through calves, thighs, belly, hands, arms, shoulders and face.
In a randomised study, twenty minutes of recorded progressive muscle relaxation increased feelings of relaxation compared with a control group, and showed a steady trend toward physical relaxation too (Toussaint et al., 2021).
Takes: ten to fifteen minutes. Good for: physical tension and trouble sleeping.
4. Gentle shaking
- Stand with your knees soft.
- Begin to bounce gently through your knees, letting your arms, hands and shoulders loosen.
- Let the shaking grow or stay small, whatever feels right, for one to two minutes.
- Stop and stand still. Notice the tingling and aliveness in your body.
Takes: two to three minutes. Good for: releasing restless, stuck energy after a stressful event.
5. Self-holding
- Place one hand on your forehead and the other on your chest.
- Breathe slowly and stay until you feel a shift, perhaps a deeper breath or a softening.
- Then move the top hand to your belly, keeping the other on your chest, and repeat.
Takes: three to five minutes. Good for: overwhelm, loneliness and emotional moments.
6. Pendulation
- Notice a place in your body that feels uncomfortable, perhaps tight or heavy.
- Now find a place that feels neutral or pleasant, such as your hands or feet.
- Slowly move your attention back and forth between the two, staying a few breaths in each.
Takes: three to five minutes. Good for: building the ability to feel difficult sensations without being swallowed by them.
7. Voo breathing
- Take a comfortable breath in.
- On the exhale, make a low "voooo" sound, like a foghorn, letting it vibrate in your belly.
- Repeat five to ten times, then rest and notice.
Takes: two minutes. Good for: calming the body through a long, vibrating exhale. You will find more breath-based options in these vagus nerve reset exercises.
Somatic exercises for anxiety
When anxiety is high, choose exercises that bring your attention outward and down, rather than deep inside:
- Grounding through the feet, because it gives your mind something solid to hold.
- Self-holding, because touch is a powerful signal of safety.
- Voo breathing, because it lengthens the exhale.
- Orienting: slowly look around the room and name what you see.
Avoid long, silent body scans in the middle of a panic. They can make you more aware of uncomfortable sensations. Save them for calmer times.
How often should you practise?
A little, often. Ten minutes a day is a great place to start, and even two minutes counts. Many people like a short practice in the morning and a body scan before sleep. Over time, you will start to notice tension earlier and release it more easily throughout the day, which is the real goal. For more ideas on building a daily practice, read how to regulate your nervous system.
A note on safety
Somatic exercises are gentle, but slowing down can bring up feelings. That is normal. If you feel overwhelmed, stop, open your eyes, feel your feet on the floor and look around the room. If you have a history of trauma, or sensations feel frightening, work with a qualified, trauma-informed therapist rather than alone. And if you have pain or a medical condition, check with your doctor before trying new movements.
These practices support wellbeing. They are not a substitute for medical or mental health care. If you recognise many of the signs of a dysregulated nervous system, professional support alongside daily practice can make a real difference.
Frequently asked questions
Do somatic exercises really work?
Research on specific somatic therapies is still developing, but related practices, such as progressive muscle relaxation, slow breathing and body awareness, have been shown to increase relaxation. Many people find somatic exercises help them notice and release tension they didn't know they were holding.
Why do I feel emotional after somatic exercises?
Emotions are felt in the body, so when you slow down and pay attention to sensation, feelings that were held back can surface. A few tears, yawning or shaking is common and often a sign of release. If emotions feel overwhelming, stop, ground yourself and consider working with a trauma-informed practitioner.
How long until I see results from somatic exercises?
Many people feel calmer after a single session. Longer-term changes, like noticing tension earlier and recovering from stress faster, usually build over a few weeks of regular practice.
Are somatic exercises good for anxiety?
They can be a helpful support. Grounding, slow breathing and self-holding give your body direct signals of safety, which can ease anxious feelings. They are not a replacement for professional treatment if anxiety is persistent or severe.
Sources
- Payne, Levine and Crane-Godreau (2015). Somatic experiencing: using interoception and proprioception as core elements of trauma therapy. Frontiers in Psychology.
- Toussaint et al. (2021). Effectiveness of Progressive Muscle Relaxation, Deep Breathing, and Guided Imagery in Promoting Psychological and Physiological States of Relaxation. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
Written by
Akhila Adishwara WijetungaAkhila is the founder of Nyvara and the author of Unf*ck Your Vibe, a framework that blends nervous system science with spiritual practice. She built Nyvara after burning out at the height of her career, to find her way back to herself.
This article is for education and personal growth. It is not medical or psychological advice and does not replace care from a qualified professional. If you are in crisis, contact your local emergency number.
