What Are Somatic Exercises and How Do They Benefit the Nervous System?
In the hustle and bustle of modern life, stress and tension show up often. Many people never take the time to come down from stress in a healthy way, and the effects add up over time. Our bodies bear the brunt of this, as muscles tighten, posture suffers, and aches and pains become all too familiar. Traditional approaches to relieving these issues often focus solely on physical symptoms, neglecting the intricate relationship between body and mind. However, a growing body of research and practice suggests that somatic exercises offer a holistic solution by addressing not only the physical manifestations but also their root in the nervous system.
Understanding Somatic Exercises
Somatic exercises, rooted in somatic education, focus on enhancing bodily awareness and promoting conscious control over muscular tension, movement patterns, and the state of our nervous system. Unlike traditional exercise routines that primarily target muscle strength or flexibility, somatic exercises delve deeper, engaging with the sensory-motor system to release chronic tension and restore balance within the nervous system.
The Role of the Nervous System
At the core of somatic exercises lies an understanding of the nervous system's pivotal role in regulating muscular function and overall well-being. The nervous system comprises the central nervous system (CNS), which includes the brain and spinal cord, and the peripheral nervous system (PNS), consisting of nerves that extend throughout the body. One key component of the peripheral nervous system is the autonomic nervous system (ANS), responsible for involuntary bodily functions such as heart rate, digestion, and the stress response. The ANS further divides into the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches, which respectively govern the "fight or flight" and "rest and digest" responses.
The Impact of Stress
In our fast-paced lives, chronic stress often triggers the sympathetic nervous system, leading to prolonged states of heightened arousal. If we don’t properly recover from this after the stressful situation has passed, by discharging that energy from our bodies and shifting back into the parasympathetic state, then over time this can lead to nervous system dys-regulation. This constant activation can result in muscle tension, shallow breathing, and a range of physical discomforts. Practicing somatic exercises offers a potential pathway to counteract the effects of stress by engaging the parasympathetic nervous system, facilitating relaxation and restoring balance.
Trauma and the Nervous System
There has been a lot of study in recent years into the connection between past traumatic experiences and the effects they have on our physical bodies. The work of Peter Levine, PhD. has been heavily focused on this topic, which states that trauma is stored in the nervous system. If the body does not discharge the energy after a traumatic event, it then gets stored in the nervous system. Traumatic experiences have the power of wiring the nervous system based on the feedback it received from the traumatic event. Unresolved trauma can wire the nervous system to be stuck in a state of sympathetic dominance, and cause us to overreact to things that aren’t truly a threat to our survival, but are simply perceived that way by the nervous system.
The Practice of Somatic Exercises
Somatic exercises encompass a variety of techniques aimed at reprogramming the nervous system's response to stress and tension. Some of these may include:
Grounding and Anchoring Techniques- Focused on grounding you to the present moment and feeling a sense of safety within your body
Sensory Awareness- Central to somatic exercises is the cultivation of sensory awareness, allowing individuals to tune into bodily sensations and subtle cues. Through mindful movement and exploration, practitioners learn to identify areas of tension and release habitual holding patterns.
Pandiculation- This involves a conscious contraction followed by a slow, controlled release of muscles. This process mimics the innate behavior of animals stretching upon waking, signaling the nervous system to reset muscle length and reduce unnecessary tension.
Mindful Movement Practices- Somatic movement practices, such as gentle yoga and the Feldenkrais Method, emphasize slow, deliberate movements performed with focused attention. By engaging in gentle, exploratory motions, individuals can rewire neural pathways, promoting smoother, more efficient movement patterns.
Practicing somatic techniques like these is a great way to calm down an overactive nervous system. Practicing somatic exercises helps bring awareness to the body and facilitates in releasing tension, stress, and stored trauma from the nervous system. Practicing certain somatic techniques can assist us in finding safety and containment within our bodies. In time, this can actually help to retrain the nervous system and increase our body’s resistance to stress, and our capacity for handling stressful situations in the future.
