5 Somatic Exercises for Stress Relief You Can Do at Home or On The Go In Less Than 5 Minutes

Stress lives in the body. We feel it in our shoulders, our jaw, our chest, that low-grade hum of tension that never quite goes away. And yet most of our stress-management strategies are brain-based: think differently, reframe, make a list, meditate (which, if your nervous system is already wired, can feel almost impossible).

Somatic movement works differently. It goes first to the body and works with sensation rather than thought. The practices below are simple, accessible and take anywhere from two to ten minutes. Wherever you are, whatever you’re wearing, pause for a moment and try one.

A note before you begin: These practices aren't about achieving anything. There's no right way to feel. Just notice what comes up.

2–4 MINUTES

1. Orienting

This one sounds almost too simple, but it's one of the most effective tools I know for calming a stressed nervous system and it's what animals in the wild do naturally after a threat has passed.

Sit or stand comfortably. Slowly—I mean reeaaalllyyyy ssslllllooowwwlyyyyy—turn your head and let your eyes move around the room. Notice colors, shapes, light. Let your gaze be soft, not searching. You're not looking for anything. You're just taking in your environment. When something catches your eye, let yourself linger there for a moment. Look at its form and try not to build a story around it.

Do this for two to three minutes. You might sigh, yawn or feel a softening in your body. If so, that's your nervous system getting the message: You’re okay, you're safe. Look around. Nothing here is a threat. And it’s okay if you feel something different or don’t feel anything at all. Invite yourself to orient to the space around you and maybe you notice your breath when you do.

3–5 MINUTES

2. Spinal Wave

Sit comfortably on a chair, a couch, the floor, wherver. Place your hands on your thighs. Breath in and feel your torso expand in all directions. And as you exhale, round your spine forward, tipping your chin toward your chest. As you inhale, slowly uncurl, letting the movement travel up through your lower back, mid-back, upper back and neck, like a wave moving up the spine.

Keep going, move with your breath. Find a pace that feels really good in your body. Open on your inhale and ound on your exhale. Let it be slow. Let yourself get curious about what you notice: space, tightness, ease, effort. Allow yourself to explore.

2–3 MINUTES

3. Grounding Through Your Feet

Stand with your feet hip-distance apart. Close your eyes or soften your gaze. Slowly shift your weight forward towards the balls of your feet—still stable, just enough to feel the shift. Then back toward your heels. Once you’ve done a few forward and back, begin to slowly, side to side. After a few rounds of breath, begin to make small circles around your feet, feeling the edges of your foundation. If it would feel good to make larger circles, go bigger. Let yourself feel the ground beneath you and get curious.

This sounds a bit mundane, and in a way it kind of is, which is the entire point. When we're stressed or anxious, we tend to be in our heads and out of our bodies. Literally feeling your feet on the floor is a direct line back to the present moment, and the present moment is almost always more manageable than wherever our brain was just living.

Use this practice to guide yourself back into the here and now.

3–5 MINUTES

4. Soothing Self-Hold

Wrap your arms around yourself—like you’re giving yourself a hug. You might place each hand on your opposite shoulder. Or choose to gently place one hand the opposite side of your neck and the other under your opposite arm, like you’re snuggling yourself. Or you could place one hand on your heart and one on your belly. Choose what feels most comforting and easeful in your body today. Feel the warmth of your own hands.

Take a few slow breaths here. If it feels okay, you might close your eyes. Notice the weight of your hands, the movement of your breath. This might feel silly at first. That's fine. Can you notice that feeling and turn your attention back to your touch?

Soothing self-touch can help regulate your nervous system. Notice any shifts from before your self-hold to now.

3–5 MINUTES

5. Shake It Out

This one might feel awkward at first or bring up feelings of self-consciousness. That’s okay.

Stand up (or maybe you’re seated to try this one). Start by shaking out your fingers and hands — loose wrists, fingers relaxed. Maybe you stay with that.

If you want to try more. Let the movement travel up your forearms, upper arms, into your shoulders. Let the shake move into your torso, your neck and head (gently), your hips, your legs. Let your whole body shake gently. These could be big movements or small ones. Different days and physical and emotional states call for different things, so try to tune in to what your body needs today.

Shaking is one of the most natural discharge mechanisms the nervous system has—it's what animals do to release stress after a frightening event. Unfortunately, society has kind of shamed us out of it. A one-minute shake can do more for your nervous system than ten minutes of you telling yourself to relax.

When you're done, gently return to relative stillness. Notice how you feel.

These practices are small. But small and consistent is far more powerful than occasional and elaborate. If even one of these becomes something you reach for on a hard afternoon instead of doom-scrolling (no judgment — I do it too), that's a win.

Try one this week. Notice what you notice. That's the whole practice.

Want to go deeper?

These exercises are a taste of what we explore in my yoga and somatic classes on Cape Cod and online. If you're looking for more personalized support, I offer 1:1 somatic sessions virtually and in person. Come as you are.