Last updated: October 2026
Somatic exercises are slow, gentle movements done with your attention on how your body feels from the inside, rather than on reps, calories or form. Think slow shoulder rolls, long out-breaths and gentle shaking. They can be a calming way to notice and ease tension, but direct research is limited and they don’t replace therapy.
Below: a 10-minute beginner routine, somatic exercises for anxiety, the nervous system and sleep, why trauma needs care, the weight loss trend and what the evidence says.
What are somatic exercises?
“Soma” is Greek for the living body. The word “somatics” was coined in 1976 by Thomas Hanna, a philosophy professor and movement teacher, to describe the body as you experience it from the inside. Today “somatic exercise” is a broad label for any movement practice where the focus is on feeling rather than performing.
A classic Hanna-style move is pandiculation: slowly tightening a muscle, then releasing it even more slowly, a bit like the stretch-and-yawn a cat does after a nap. Hanna believed many aches come from muscles the brain has “forgotten” how to relax (“sensory-motor amnesia”), a theory rather than established physiology.
| Somatic exercise | Typical workout | |
|---|---|---|
| Pace | Very slow | Moderate to fast |
| Focus | Sensations: warmth, tension, breath, weight | Reps, form, heart rate, calories |
| Effort | Low; never forced | Often challenging |
| Goal | Awareness and ease | Fitness, strength, performance |
| Examples | Pandiculation, body scan, slow rocking, mindful walking | Running, HIIT, weights |
Yoga, tai chi, Pilates and walking can all be done somatically if you slow down and pay attention to how they feel. It overlaps a lot with mindfulness, just with more movement.
Somatic exercises for beginners: a 10-minute routine
You need a chair and a mat or carpet. Move at half the speed you think you should. Nothing should hurt: if it does, make the movement smaller or skip it.
- Arrive (1 minute). Sit on a chair with both feet on the floor. Notice where your body touches the seat and the floor, and what feels tight, heavy, warm or easy. Don’t change anything yet.
- Long out-breath (1 minute). Breathe in gently through your nose for a count of 4, then out through softly pursed lips for a count of 6 to 8. Let your shoulders drop on each out-breath. Repeat about 6 times.
- Slow shoulder shrug (1 minute). Breathing in, lift your shoulders slowly towards your ears over about 5 seconds. Then lower them over 10 seconds until they feel completely heavy. Notice the difference. Repeat 3 times.
- “Yes” and “no” neck (1 minute). Very slowly nod your head a few centimetres up and down, as if saying yes. Then slowly turn it a little left and right, as if saying no. Keep it to about half your normal range and stop well before any strain.
- Seated cat and cow (1.5 minutes). Hands on your knees. Breathing in, gently tip your pelvis forward and let your chest lift. Breathing out, round your back and let your head drop forward. Move as if through honey. Do 6 to 8 slow rounds.
- Lying arch and flatten (1.5 minutes). Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat. Breathing in, gently arch your lower back a little away from the floor. Breathing out, slowly press it towards the floor and then let it go completely. Do 6 rounds, making each release slower than the last.
- Shake out (1 minute). Stand up. Loosely shake your hands, then your arms, then each leg in turn, then gently bounce through your knees. Keep it soft and floppy, then stand still for a few breaths and notice any tingling or warmth.
- Orient and settle (2 minutes). Slowly turn your head and let your eyes wander around the room, landing on a few things you like the look of. Then place one hand on your chest and one on your belly and take 5 slow breaths. Notice how your body feels compared with when you started.
The point isn’t to perform each move perfectly but to notice the before and after. Over time, many people start to spot tension earlier in the day, when it’s easiest to let go of.
How long and how often?
There’s no research-backed “dose” for somatic exercise, so treat this as a sensible starting point:
| If you want to… | Try | When |
|---|---|---|
| Build the habit | The 10-minute routine above | Once a day for 2 to 4 weeks |
| Reset in a stressful moment | Long out-breath plus orienting (steps 2 and 8) | 2 to 3 minutes, as needed |
| Ease desk tension | Shoulder shrug and neck moves (steps 3 and 4) | Every hour or two |
| Wind down for sleep | The in-bed routine below | 5 to 10 minutes before lights out |
Somatic exercises for anxiety
Anxiety is felt in the body as much as the mind: a racing heart, shallow breathing, a tight chest or jaw. Somatic exercises give you something physical to do when your thoughts won’t settle. Try these:
- Long out-breaths. Breathe out for longer than you breathe in. See box breathing for another pattern.
- Orienting. Slowly look around and name 5 things you can see.
- Pushing against a wall. Press your palms firmly into a wall for 10 seconds, then release.
- Feet on the floor. Press your feet down and notice the floor holding you up.
What does the evidence say? There are few trials of “somatic exercise” for anxiety as such. But a 2018 review of 8 randomised trials found yoga had small short-term benefits for people with raised anxiety, though not clearly for diagnosed anxiety disorders. A 2008 review of 27 studies found relaxation training (including muscle relaxation and meditation) had a medium-sized effect on anxiety.
They can be a helpful part of your toolkit alongside the approaches in how to deal with anxiety. If you look fine on the outside but can’t switch off, see high-functioning anxiety. For a panic attack in the moment, see how to stop a panic attack.
Somatic exercises for the nervous system
“Nervous system regulation” is the main reason somatic exercise has taken off online. Stress switches on your “fight or flight” response; slow movement and breathing help you shift back towards “rest and digest”.
Our guide to nervous system regulation ranks 8 techniques by evidence, including sleep, exercise and time with people. Somatic exercises are the movement-based part of that picture, not the whole of it.
The best-supported ingredient is breathing. In a 2023 Stanford trial, 5 minutes a day of exhale-focused breathing for a month improved mood and lowered breathing rate more than mindfulness meditation did.
You’ll often see somatic exercises sold as a way to “tone” or “reset” the vagus nerve. Slow breathing does influence heart rate, partly through the vagus nerve, but claims that specific moves reset it, or “heal” your nervous system in 28 days, aren’t backed by research. If you often feel wired or overloaded, see feeling overstimulated and stress symptoms.
Somatic exercises for sleep
Try this in bed with the lights low:
- Body scan (2 minutes). Lying on your back, move your attention slowly from your toes to the top of your head, noticing each area without trying to fix it.
- Squeeze and melt (3 minutes). Gently tighten your feet for 5 seconds, then release over 10 seconds. Move up through calves, thighs, hands, shoulders and face.
- Knee sway (1 minute). Knees bent, feet flat, let both knees drift slowly to one side and back, a small, lazy movement.
- Long out-breaths (2 minutes). In for 4, out for 6 to 8, until you feel heavy.
Step 2 is close to progressive muscle relaxation. A 2026 review of 14 randomised trials with 957 adults found it improved self-reported sleep quality, though the effect in over-55s was less certain. For a lying-down practice with no movement at all, try yoga nidra, and if your mind races when your head hits the pillow, see anxiety at night.
Some people pair their wind-down with a warm drink. Our Magnesium Glycinate Sleep Complex is a berry-flavoured evening drink with magnesium, glycine and L-theanine. Magnesium contributes to normal muscle function and to the normal functioning of the nervous system. It isn’t a treatment for anxiety, sleep problems or trauma.
Somatic exercises for trauma: read this first
Important: if you have flashbacks, nightmares, feel constantly on edge or numb, or avoid reminders of what happened, talk to your GP or refer yourself to NHS Talking Therapies. Exercises from social media are not a treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
“Release trauma stored in your hips” is everywhere online. Trauma does affect the body: tension, a jumpy startle response and poor sleep are common. But the idea that a stretch or video can release trauma isn’t supported by evidence, and stirring up traumatic memories without support can make things feel worse.
NICE guidance on PTSD (NG116) recommends trauma-focused CBT for adults, and EMDR (eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing) for trauma more than 3 months ago, usually over 8 to 12 sessions with trained practitioners. Adults can refer themselves to NHS Talking Therapies without seeing a GP.
Somatic exercises can fit in as gentle everyday support, such as a calming breath before bed, ideally with a therapist’s guidance and never instead of therapy.
What is somatic experiencing?
Somatic Experiencing (SE) is a specific, trademarked body-based therapy for trauma developed by the American psychologist Peter Levine and set out in his 1997 book Waking the Tiger. It’s not the same as somatic exercises at home. A trained practitioner guides you to notice bodily sensations and build up resources that feel safe or reassuring, approaching traumatic memories indirectly and very gradually rather than reliving the whole event.
The evidence so far:
- The first randomised trial, published in 2017, included 63 people with PTSD. Those who had 15 weekly SE sessions had a large drop in PTSD symptoms and depression compared with a waiting list.
- A 2021 scoping review found 16 relevant studies with preliminary positive findings for PTSD symptoms and wellbeing, but rated overall study quality as mixed and called for better trials.
The limitations: the trial was small and compared SE with no treatment, not with trauma-focused CBT or EMDR, so we don’t know how it compares with the therapies NICE recommends, and SE isn’t among them. If you’re interested, look for a therapist registered with a recognised UK professional body and ask how SE fits alongside proven treatments.
Somatic yoga, walking and shaking (TRE)
| Practice | What it is | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Somatic yoga | Slow yoga with the emphasis on sensation, small movements and rest rather than poses | Moderate for yoga generally (stress, anxiety); little on “somatic yoga” itself |
| Somatic walking | Walking slowly while noticing your feet, weight shift, breath and surroundings | Regular activity is well proven for health; the mindful element is less studied |
| Shaking or TRE | Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercises: a set of stretches followed by lying down and letting the legs tremble | Early and mixed quality |
Shaking (TRE): a 2026 scoping review of 22 studies, mostly in stressed or trauma-exposed groups, and found possible benefits for mood, anxiety-related sleep problems and thinking skills, but the studies were not consistently rigorous. Keep it gentle, stop if you feel overwhelmed, and if you have trauma, learn it with a trained practitioner.
Somatic walking is the easiest to start: leave your phone in your pocket, walk a little slower than usual and notice each foot meeting the ground. It also counts as exercise, one of the best-proven ways to relieve stress.
Do somatic exercises help with weight loss?
Not directly, despite the adverts. “28-day somatic challenges” with before-and-after photos are all over social media, but there are no good trials showing somatic exercise causes weight loss, and slow floor movements use very little energy compared with brisk walking, cycling or strength work.
You’ll also see claims about “cortisol belly” or a “cortisol detox”. Many people eat differently when stressed or short of sleep, so better stress and sleep may make healthy habits a little easier. That’s indirect and modest, not fat loss from the exercises. See how to lower cortisol naturally for what actually has evidence.
If weight loss is your goal, the NHS advice is at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week (or 75 minutes of vigorous activity), plus strength exercises on at least 2 days, alongside changes to what you eat. Somatic exercise can be a gentle extra, especially if harder exercise feels daunting right now.
Do somatic exercises work?
They may help you feel calmer and less tense, but there’s very little research on somatic exercise itself. Most of the evidence comes from related practices:
| Related practice | What the research suggests | Strength |
|---|---|---|
| Progressive muscle relaxation | Better self-reported sleep quality; less anxiety | Moderate |
| Slow, exhale-focused breathing | Better mood, slower breathing rate | Promising (one month-long trial) |
| Yoga | Small short-term benefits for raised anxiety | Moderate |
| Mindfulness-based stress reduction (includes body scans) | Less stress and anxiety in healthy adults | Moderate |
| Somatic Experiencing (therapy) | Fewer PTSD symptoms vs waiting list | Early (one small trial) |
| Shaking (TRE) | Possible benefits for mood and sleep | Early, mixed quality |
| Somatic exercise for weight loss | No good evidence | None |
That’s a fair basis for trying them for everyday stress and winding down, not for claims that they cure anxiety, heal trauma or change your body shape. If stress has been building for months and you feel exhausted and detached, see burnout symptoms.
Safety: when to stop
Somatic exercises are gentle and safe for most adults, but take care if any of these apply:
- Injuries, joint or back problems. Keep movements small and pain-free; check with your GP or physiotherapist if you’re recovering from injury or surgery.
- Pregnancy. Speak to your midwife about what’s right for you. The NHS advises avoiding lying flat on your back for more than a few minutes in later pregnancy, so do the lying moves on your side or seated instead.
- Dizziness. Long out-breaths and getting up from the floor can make you light-headed. Breathe normally and sit down if you feel dizzy.
- Trauma. If an exercise brings up flashbacks, panic, numbness or a sense of being “not really there”, stop, open your eyes, look around the room and put your feet on the floor. Then talk to your GP or a trauma-trained therapist before trying again.
Stop any exercise that causes pain, and see a GP about new or worsening symptoms rather than trying to stretch them away.
When to get help
See a GP if stress, anxiety, low mood or poor sleep is affecting your daily life or has lasted more than a few weeks. Adults in England can refer themselves to NHS Talking Therapies for anxiety, PTSD and depression. If you feel unable to cope or have thoughts of harming yourself, call 999, NHS 111 or Samaritans free on 116 123.
FAQs
What are somatic exercises?
Slow, gentle movements done with your attention on how your body feels from the inside, such as slow shoulder shrugs, long out-breaths, body scans and gentle shaking. The focus is on sensation, not reps or calories.
What is the best somatic exercise for beginners?
A slow shoulder shrug: lift your shoulders over 5 seconds, then lower them over 10, noticing how they feel. Pair it with a few long out-breaths. The 10-minute routine in this guide is a simple place to start.
Do somatic exercises really work?
They may help you feel calmer and less tense, but there’s little research on somatic exercise itself. Most of the evidence comes from related practices like progressive muscle relaxation, slow breathing and yoga, which have reasonable evidence for stress and sleep.
Can somatic exercises release trauma?
There’s no good evidence that exercises on their own release trauma. NICE recommends trauma-focused CBT or EMDR for PTSD. Gentle somatic work can support you day to day, ideally with a therapist’s guidance.
Do somatic exercises help you lose weight?
Not directly. There are no good trials showing weight loss, and gentle movements use little energy. They may make stress and sleep easier to manage, which can help healthy habits, but they’re no substitute for regular activity and diet changes.
What is the difference between somatic exercises and somatic experiencing?
Somatic exercises are general body-awareness movements anyone can try at home. Somatic Experiencing is a specific trauma therapy developed by Peter Levine and delivered by trained practitioners.
How often should you do somatic exercises?
Around 10 minutes a day is a good start, plus a couple of minutes whenever you feel tense. A few minutes most days is more useful than an occasional long session.
Sources
- Brom D et al (2017). Somatic Experiencing for posttraumatic stress disorder: a randomized controlled outcome study. Journal of Traumatic Stress.
- Kuhfuß M et al (2021). Somatic experiencing: effectiveness and key factors of a body-oriented trauma therapy, a scoping literature review. European Journal of Psychotraumatology.
- Roos LAJ et al (2026). Trauma Releasing Exercises as a treatment technique: a scoping review. Occupational Therapy in Health Care.
- Cramer H et al (2018). Yoga for anxiety: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Depression and Anxiety.
- Manzoni GM et al (2008). Relaxation training for anxiety: a ten-years systematic review with meta-analysis. BMC Psychiatry.
- Li K et al (2026). The effects of progressive muscle relaxation on sleep quality in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Public Health.
- Khoury B et al (2015). Mindfulness-based stress reduction for healthy individuals: a meta-analysis. Journal of Psychosomatic Research.
- Balban MY et al (2023). Brief structured respiration practices enhance mood and reduce physiological arousal. Cell Reports Medicine.
- NICE. Post-traumatic stress disorder (NG116).
- NHS. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): treatment.
- NHS. Physical activity guidelines for adults aged 19 to 64.
- NHS. Exercise in pregnancy.
This guide is general information, not medical advice. Evopure makes the Magnesium Glycinate Sleep Complex.
