7 Somatic Exercises for Stress Relief
- Claire Sankey
- Aug 5, 2025
- 5 min read
Updated: 19 hours ago
In today’s fast-paced world, many of us live with chronic stress, tension, and nervous system overload. This can show up as anxiety, restlessness, tight muscles, agitation, or a feeling of being constantly “on edge”.
Somatic exercises for stress relief offer a gentle, body-based way to release stored tension and support nervous system regulation.
Contents:
Why Somatic Exercises help Regulate Stress:
When stress activates our fight or flight response, the body prepares for movement. Without completing that movement, stress energy can remain held in the body.
Somatic exercises work with the body’s natural intelligence, using slow, mindful movement to restore a sense of safety, ease, and connection.
Its no surprise then that incorporating stress relieving somatic exercises into my daily routine significantly eases my stress levels. Somatic exercises are more than just exercise; it fosters a deeper connection with our bodies, guiding us towards relaxation and safety in the body. Here, I'm excited to share seven effective somatic exercises that have transformed my approach to stress management. I hope your body will be as grateful as mine for the movement medicine!
Somatic Exercise 1: Spinal Twists
Why Spinal Twists Help with Stress:
Spinal twists aren't just fun - they also promote better circulation and digestion, while also relieving tension from the back, shoulders and hips. Spinal twists are a somatic exercise that can improve your spinal mobility as well as your circulation and digestion. The side to side movement also has a regulating effect on the nervous system, helping us to shift out of fight/flight or freeze.
How to Practice Spinal Twists:
Stand with your feet a little wider than hip-width apart, let your arms hang loosely
Start gently swinging your arms side to side to encourage a gentle twisting through the spine.
Continue for 3-5 minutes.
Somatic Exercise 2: Cat-Cow Stretch
Why Spinal Twists Help with Stress:
The Cat-Cow stretch is a gentle yet effective way to relieve back tension and supports nervous system regulation by releasing the back muscles and signalling safety to the body through the smooth rhythmic movements. This simple somatic exercise improves spinal flexibility and circulation, making it a fantastic daily practice.
How to Practice Spinal Twists:
Begin on all fours, keeping your hands aligned with your shoulders and knees beneath your hips. As you inhale, arch your back (cow position) by lifting your head and tailbone. Exhaling, round your spine (cat position) by tucking your chin and pelvis. Alternate between these two postures for one to two to five minutes.
Somatic Exercise 3: Shoulder Rolls
Why Shoulder Rolls Help with Stress:
Shoulder rolls are a quick way to release tightness in the shoulders which often hold on due to their role in our fight or flight response. This somatic exercise supports nervous system regulation by relieving tension held in the shoulders and neck, areas that commonly hold stress. Shoulder rolls can also help improve our posture!
How to Practice Shoulder Rolls:
Sitting or standing:
as you inhale; lift your shoulders forwards and up toward your ears,
as you exhale, then roll them back and down in a circular motion.
Do this for eight to ten rolls before switching directions.
Somatic Exercise 4: Window Wipe Knees
Why Window Wiping Knees Helps with Stress:
When we are stressed, we often feel like we want to run away from the situation (or people!) who are stressing us out! This is our flight response and it tends to impact our lower body - especially our hips as our big running power houses. That's why stress can be felt as tension and tightness in the hips. Window wiping the knees side to side is a calming somatic exercises to relieve this tension, and it can also help to release the lower back whilst regulating the nervous system with calming rocking movements.
How to Practice Window Wipe Knees:
Lying down with your knees bent and your feet a little wider than hip width apart, flat on the floor, arms out wide or resting on your torso.
As you exhale, gently lower both knees to one side
inhale to lift them back to centre
continue "window wiping" side to side for 3-5 minutes.
Somatic Exercise 5: Neck Rolls
Why Neck Rolls Help with Stress:
Neck rolls are a relaxing somatic exercise to help release stress held in the neck. When our bodies feel safe and relaxed, our necks are loose and fluid - allowing us to turn towards what or who interests us and engage with the world. When we are stressed our necks can do the opposite and feel tight and stuck - reducing our mobility and feeling of connection. This practice supports nervous system regulation by relieving tension and stuckness in the neck and signalling safety as we regain fluid movements.
How to Practice Neck Rolls:
Sitting or standing, begin by gently lowering your chin to your chest.
as you inhale, gently roll your head to the left so your left ear moves towards your left shoulder
as you exhale, roll back to centre - chin to chest.
repeat on the right side.
Repeat 8-10 times, paying close attention to the sensations and pausing with any sticky areas that feel like they need a longer stretch.
Somatic Exercise 6: Swaying
Why Swaying Helps with Stress:
Swaying gently side to side has a regulating effect on the nervous system - this is because it it uses soothing rhythm to engage both sides of the body - much like how we might have been soothed with rocking when we were babies.
How to Practice Somatic Swaying:
For this somatic exercise, stand with your feet firmly planted a little wider than hip width apart, or sit with your spine self supported and sway your body from side to side. Allow your arms to hang, letting gravity guide your movements.
Somatic Exercise 7: Shake out
Why a Somatic Shake Out Helps with Stress:
Sometimes what our body needs is a little more vigorous. Have you ever noticed how frequently animals shake out their bodies? That's because they instinctively know how to let go of excess stress energy. If you're feeling agitated and finding it hard to relax, I highly recommend giving the somatic exercise of shaking a go (putting on Taylor Swift's 'Shake it off' is optional but encouraged!) This practice supports nervous system regulation by releasing excess energy, loosening tight muscles and metabolising stress hormones.
How to Practice Somatic Shake Out:
Stand with your feet hip width apart with your arms by your side.
start to shake and bounce your body, starting with the feet, legs, and working your way up to your hips, arms, hands, head and neck. Until your whole body is involved. Turn up the energy as vigorously as you feel comfortable with and then when you are ready bring it back down to a gently shake, sway and then stillness. Notice the sensations of energy movement in your body.
Embracing Somatic Exercises for Stress Relief
Incorporating these somatic exercises into your daily routine can lead to lasting stress relief and a renewed connection with your body. Remember to approach each movement with mindfulness and kindness. Whether you need to unwind after a busy day or seek peace in moments of chaos, these accessible practices offer simple yet effective ways to unwind.
I encourage you to explore lots of different somatic exercises to uncover which ones resonate most with your body, so you can create an enjoyable and personalised somatic stress relief tool kit for yourself.
Ready to Explore Somatic Exercises for Stress, Anxiety & Trauma Recovery?
If you’re curious to go deeper into somatic movement and nervous system regulation, you may like my structured online programme Somatic Self Healing, which offers step by step guided practices and education to support stress, anxiety, and trauma recovery.