60 Second Nervous System Hack - Somatic Healing Exercise
The magic of somatic healing.
In an ideal world, we’d be spending roughly 90% of our day in parasympathetic activity, or the body’s optimal state of relaxation & healing. But in our high stress society & with the rise of autoimmunity, many of us are spending that time in sympathetic activity, or the body’s state of fight or flight, sometimes without even realizing. And when the sympathetic nervous system is turned on for prolonged periods, the body becomes stuck in a constant state of stress. This shuts off digestion & other vital bodily processes, rewires the brain, and eventually leads to both physical & mental disease - or further damages preexisting conditions. The body begins to feel like it’s constantly under attack and healing becomes impossible. This is why nervous system regulation is key, whether you have a chronic illness or not, because the body must know that it’s safe again.
Somatic healing exercises are one of the most effective ways to put the body back into a state of rest & digest and re-regulate the nervous system. These mind-body exercises can be used in the process of healing a specific physical or mental condition, or as preventative medicine during times of heightened stress. They’re based on the idea that the body holds onto negative emotions like grief & trauma, and those emotions can manifest physically when left unresolved & repressed. Somatic therapies focus on moving & releasing that stored trauma, while also putting the body into a state of optimal health. Things like yoga, meditation, breathwork, grounding, and tapping are all modalities that fall under this category, and can be incredibly powerful physically, mentally, and emotionally when done right.
So, here’s a quick 60 second nervous system hack to save for days you’re feeling a little extra stressed or anxious, to help put the body back into a place of safety & healing:
Unclench your jaw: the jaw is one of the first areas of the body where we tense up
Move your shoulders up, back, and down, then shake your head from side to side: this removes tension & stiffness in the body
Shake out your hands, open & close your fists: this releases excess energy in the body
Move your eyes from side to side: this brings you into the present moment and prevents headaches/migraines
Stick out your tongue and take a deep exhale breath: this helps to unclench the jaw even more and relaxes muscles in the face
Close your eyes and take 3 long, deep breaths: inhale fully and exhale slowly & gently to let go of any stale air or tension that you might be holding onto without realizing
You are safe. Everything that you need to get done will get done.