Top 15 Somatic Workouts for a Less-Stressed Nervous System to adopt in 2025
In a world buzzing with notifications, deadlines, and a relentless pressure to do more, it's no wonder so many of us feel chronically stressed, anxious, and disconnected from our own bodies. We're living in our heads, scrolling through life while our physical selves carry the silent burden of our stress. This tension manifests as tight shoulders, shallow breathing, digestive issues, and a nervous system stuck in a perpetual state of "fight or flight." But what if the key to unlocking calm wasn't in another productivity app, but within the very body you inhabit?
Welcome to the world of somatic workouts. The word "somatic" simply means "relating to the body." These aren't your typical high-intensity, calorie-torching exercises. Instead, somatic workouts are gentle, mindful practices designed to reconnect you with your body's internal sensations (a sense called interoception). They work from the inside out, helping you listen to your body's signals, release stored tension, and teach your nervous system that it is safe to relax. By focusing on how a movement feels rather than what it looks like, you begin to heal the mind-body split and regulate your stress response at its root.
As we look ahead to 2025, it’s time to move beyond just managing symptoms and start tending to the core of our well-being. This list is your comprehensive guide to the top 15 somatic practices that can fundamentally shift your relationship with stress. Forget "no pain, no gain." The new mantra is "awareness, release, and regulate." Let's dive in.
1. Somatic Shaking (TRE®)
Tension & Trauma Releasing Exercises (TRE®) are based on the simple, profound observation that mammals in the wild instinctively shake to release the excess energy and adrenaline from a stressful event. Humans have this same natural mechanism, but we often suppress it due to social conditioning. TRE® involves a series of simple exercises that gently fatigue the muscles, encouraging a natural, therapeutic tremor to begin in the body.
This shaking, or neurogenic tremoring, originates deep in the core of the body and reverberates outwards, releasing stored muscular tension and calming the nervous system from the brainstem down. It’s a powerful way to discharge old stress and trauma that has been "stuck" in your tissues. The process feels deeply relaxing and restorative, like hitting a reset button for your entire system.
- How to Try It: Lie on your back with your knees bent and the soles of your feet together, letting your knees fall out to the sides in a butterfly position. Slowly lift your pelvis an inch or two off the floor and notice if a gentle tremor begins in your legs or pelvis. Play with the height and angle of your hips to find the "sweet spot" for the shaking. Allow it to happen without judgment for 5-10 minutes.
2. Mindful Walking
You walk every day, but how often are you truly present for it? Mindful walking turns this mundane activity into a powerful somatic practice. Instead of being lost in thought about your to-do list, you bring your full attention to the physical sensations of walking. This anchors you firmly in the present moment and the reality of your body.
The focus is on the feeling of your feet making contact with the ground, the subtle shift of weight from one leg to the other, the rhythm of your breath, and the gentle swing of your arms. This practice cultivates grounding, which is the feeling of being stable and connected to the earth. For a nervous system that feels frazzled and unmoored, grounding is a powerful antidote.
- Tip: Find a quiet place where you can walk back and forth for 10-20 paces. For the first few minutes, walk slowly and place all your attention on the soles of your feet. Notice the sensation of the heel striking the ground, the foot rolling forward, and the toes pushing off. It's a simple yet profound way to get out of your head and into your body.
3. The Feldenkrais Method®
Developed by Dr. Moshé Feldenkrais, this method uses gentle, deliberate movements to reorganize your posture, flexibility, and coordination. It’s less about stretching muscles and more about retraining the brain and nervous system to discover new, more efficient, and comfortable ways of moving. Most of us hold habitual tension patterns that we're not even aware of—the way we clench our jaw, hike up one shoulder, or brace our back.
Feldenkrais "Awareness Through Movement" lessons guide you through sequences of movement that help you notice these habits. By exploring movement in a slow, curious, and non-striving way, you give your nervous system a chance to let go of old patterns and find easier alternatives. The result is often a surprising sense of lightness, freedom, and reduced chronic pain.
- Example Exercise: Lie on your back and very slowly, gently, begin to roll your head a tiny bit from side to side. Don't try to stretch. Instead, make the movement as small and effortless as possible. Notice which parts of your neck, shoulders, and back are involved. This focus on subtle sensation is the essence of Feldenkrais.
4. Yin Yoga
While many forms of yoga can be somatic, Yin Yoga is particularly suited for nervous system regulation. Unlike active (Yang) styles, Yin involves holding passive floor-based poses for longer periods—typically 3 to 5 minutes or more. This extended hold goes beyond stretching the muscles and targets the deeper connective tissues, like ligaments, bones, and fascia.
Holding these poses in stillness creates a gentle, therapeutic stress on the tissues, which encourages them to become longer and stronger. Somatically, this practice teaches you to sit with discomfort and watch sensations arise and pass. It activates the parasympathetic "rest and digest" branch of your nervous system, promoting deep relaxation and releasing tension stored in the fascia, where emotional memory is often held.
- Pose to Try: The Butterfly Pose. Sit on the floor, bring the soles of your feet together, and let your knees drop out to the sides. Gently fold forward, rounding your spine and relaxing your neck. Support your head with a block or bolster if needed. Hold for 3-5 minutes, breathing deeply into your back and hips.
5. Qi Gong
Qi Gong (pronounced "chee-gong") is an ancient Chinese practice that translates to "life energy cultivation." It combines slow, graceful, flowing movements with deep breathing and a meditative state of mind. The goal is to optimize the flow of "Qi" or life force throughout the body, improving health and well-being.
From a somatic perspective, Qi Gong is a masterclass in interoception. The movements are designed to help you feel the subtle energy and sensations within your body. Practices like the "Inner Smile" (visualizing a smile in your organs) and the "Six Healing Sounds" directly target organ systems to release stored negative emotions and stress. It’s a gentle yet powerful way to harmonize your body's energy and soothe your nervous system.
- Getting Started: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. As you inhale, slowly raise your arms in front of you to shoulder height, palms down. As you exhale, slowly lower them back down. Coordinate the movement with your breath. Repeat this 10 times, feeling the movement of energy through your arms.
6. Somatic Tracking
Somatic tracking is a core skill for developing body awareness. It’s the practice of bringing a curious, non-judgmental attention to a specific physical sensation in your body. This is different from intellectualizing or analyzing the sensation ("my shoulder is tight because I was hunched over my desk"). Instead, you simply explore its raw sensory qualities.
You might ask yourself: Where exactly is the sensation? What is its size and shape? Does it have a temperature? Is it vibrating, pulsing, or still? Does it change as I pay attention to it? By simply tracking the sensation without needing it to go away, you often create the conditions for it to release on its own. This teaches your brain to stop interpreting every intense sensation as a threat, which is key to down-regulating anxiety.
- How-To: Sit quietly and scan your body for a place of tension or discomfort. Choose one spot. Gently bring your attention there. Instead of judging it as "pain," simply describe its qualities to yourself. "It's a dull ache, the size of a golf ball, located behind my right shoulder blade. It feels warm and heavy." Stay with it for a few minutes, just observing.
7. Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR)
PMR is a classic somatic technique that involves systematically tensing and then releasing different muscle groups throughout the body. The practice is incredibly effective because it highlights the contrast between tension and relaxation. Many of us are so used to being tense that we don't even notice it anymore—it’s just our baseline.
By intentionally creating tension in a muscle group (like clenching your fist) for 5-10 seconds and then completely letting it go, you become acutely aware of what deep relaxation feels like. You work your way through the entire body—feet, legs, torso, arms, hands, face—learning to consciously release stored physical stress. It's a direct and easy-to-learn method for calming both body and mind.
- Quick Practice: While sitting at your desk, curl your toes and tense your feet as tightly as you can for 10 seconds. Then, release completely and notice the feeling of warmth and heaviness as the muscles let go. Move up to your calf muscles, then your thighs, and so on.
8. Body Scan Meditation
Similar to PMR but without the tensing phase, the body scan is a mindfulness practice that involves bringing your attention to each part of your body in sequence, from your toes to the top of your head. As you "scan," you simply notice any sensations—warmth, tingling, pressure, coolness, or even a lack of sensation—without judgment.
This practice is powerful for reconnecting a mind that is often detached from the body. It trains your attention and builds your capacity for interoception. For those who find traditional meditation difficult because their minds are too busy, the body scan provides a physical anchor for their focus. It's a foundational somatic practice for inhabiting your body more fully.
- Pro Tip: You can find countless guided body scan meditations online (ranging from 10 to 45 minutes). Using a guide is a great way to start, as it keeps you on track and prevents your mind from wandering too far.
9. Conscious Breathwork
Your breath is the most direct and powerful tool you have for influencing your nervous system. Shallow, rapid breathing from the chest signals stress to your brain, while deep, slow, diaphragmatic breathing signals safety and calm. Conscious breathwork involves using specific patterns of breathing to intentionally shift your physiological state.
Practices like Box Breathing (inhale for 4, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4) are used by Navy SEALs to stay calm under pressure. The 4-7-8 breath (inhale for 4, hold for 7, exhale for 8) is renowned for its ability to activate the parasympathetic nervous system and induce relaxation. By consciously controlling your breath, you are sending a direct message to your brainstem that you are safe.
- Try This Now: Place one hand on your chest and one on your belly. Take a deep breath. Try to make the hand on your belly rise more than the hand on your chest. Exhale slowly through your mouth, making a soft "whoosh" sound. This is diaphragmatic breathing—the foundation of all calming breathwork.
10. Ecstatic Dance or Conscious Movement
Sometimes, the best way to get out of your head is to let your body take the lead. Ecstatic dance or conscious movement is a free-form practice where you move your body to music in whatever way feels good, without choreography, steps, or judgment. It’s not about performance; it’s about authentic expression.
This practice allows you to shake off stress, release stuck emotions, and experience pure joy in movement. By allowing your body to move intuitively—whether that’s swaying, jumping, spinning, or lying on the floor—you tap into a primal wisdom and bypass the analytical mind. It’s a cathartic and incredibly liberating way to process feelings and reconnect with your vitality.
- At-Home Tip: Create a playlist of music that moves you. Find a private space, dim the lights, and just start moving. There are no rules. Let your body lead the way for 15-20 minutes. See what happens when you get out of your own way.
11. The Alexander Technique
This technique is an educational process that teaches you how to recognize and release habitual patterns of tension that interfere with your natural posture and movement. A core concept is the relationship between the head, neck, and back, which Alexander practitioners call the "primary control." Unconscious tension in the neck can create a cascade of compression and strain throughout the entire body.
Through verbal cues and gentle hands-on guidance from a teacher (or through self-study), you learn to inhibit your habitual reactions and allow for a more poised, balanced, and easy way of being. It's somatic education at its finest, teaching you how to use your body with less strain and more awareness in everyday activities like sitting, standing, and walking.
- A Key Idea to Practice: Throughout your day, take a moment to pause. Notice if you are tensing your neck. Gently think to yourself, "I'm allowing my neck to be free, to allow my head to be forward and up, to allow my back to lengthen and widen." This simple thought can begin to undo years of habitual compression.
12. Pandiculation
Have you ever watched a cat or dog wake up from a nap? They perform a long, full-body, instinctual stretch. This is pandiculation, and humans do it too. It’s not just a passive stretch; it’s an active contraction of the muscles followed by a slow, controlled release and lengthening.
Pandiculation is the nervous system's way of "rebooting" the sensorimotor system. It sends powerful biofeedback to the brain about the state of your muscles, releasing built-up tension and resetting your baseline for muscle length and function. You can practice it consciously to relieve stiffness and wake up your body's sensory awareness.
- How to Pandiculate: Lying in bed in the morning, reach your arms overhead and point your toes. Actively tense and contract all the muscles in your body for a few seconds. Then, very, very slowly, release the contraction and melt into the mattress. Notice the wave of relaxation that follows.
13. Grounding (Earthing)
Grounding, or earthing, is the simple practice of bringing your body into direct physical contact with the earth. This means walking barefoot on grass, sand, or soil. While there is emerging science about the electrical benefits of this practice (exchanging electrons with the earth's surface), its somatic benefits are immediate and undeniable.
The act of feeling the texture of the ground beneath your feet—the coolness of the grass, the grit of the sand—is a powerful sensory experience that pulls you out of anxious thought loops and into the present moment. It provides your nervous system with a direct signal of stability and connection, reminding it that you are supported. As Goh Ling Yong often says, you can't be in your head and in your feet at the same time.
- Simple Practice: Take off your shoes and socks and stand on a patch of grass for just five minutes. Close your eyes. Feel the support of the ground beneath you. Wiggle your toes. Notice how your body feels.
14. Somatic Experiencing™ (SE) Inspired Exercises
Developed by Dr. Peter Levine, Somatic Experiencing™ is a body-oriented therapy for healing trauma. While therapy should be done with a professional, you can use simple, SE-inspired exercises to build your own capacity for self-regulation. A key principle of SE is "titration"—experiencing small bits of sensation at a time to avoid becoming overwhelmed.
These exercises are designed to create feelings of safety, containment, and resourcefulness in the body. They help complete self-protective responses that may have been thwarted during a stressful event, allowing the nervous system to discharge bound survival energy and return to a state of balance.
- Self-Soothing Exercise: The "Self-Hug." Cross your arms over your chest and place your right hand on your left shoulder, and your left hand on your right shoulder. Give yourself a gentle squeeze. You can also gently tap your shoulders alternately. This provides a sense of containment and safety, calming the amygdala (the brain's alarm center). Another powerful tool is making a low, vibrating "Voo" sound, which stimulates the vagus nerve in the chest and belly.
15. Body-Mind Centering® (BMC)
BMC is an experiential study of the body that explores the intricate relationships between our anatomy, physiology, and consciousness. It's a deep dive into the felt sense of our various body systems—our bones, organs, fluids, and nervous system. The practice uses movement, touch, voice, and a deep-seated anatomical awareness to explore these systems.
For example, a BMC class might focus on embodying the qualities of your bones (support, structure, stillness) or your fluids (flow, adaptability, continuity). By bringing conscious awareness to these deep, often-ignored parts of ourselves, we can release profound holding patterns and discover new levels of integration and wholeness. It is a true embodiment practice that nurtures a rich, internal landscape.
- Exploration: Sit or lie comfortably. Bring your awareness to your skeleton. Can you feel the weight of your bones? The solidity of your sit bones on the chair or your spine on the floor? Spend a few minutes just sensing into the supportive, grounding nature of your skeletal system.
Your Journey to a Calmer 2025 Starts Now
The beauty of these somatic workouts is that they meet you exactly where you are. There's no need for expensive equipment or a high level of fitness. All you need is a body, a willingness to be curious, and a few moments of your time. The wisdom to heal and regulate is already within you; these practices are simply the tools to help you access it.
Don't feel overwhelmed by this list. The goal isn't to do all 15. The goal is to find one or two that resonate with you and begin to weave them into the fabric of your life in 2025. Maybe you start with a two-minute self-hug at your desk, five minutes of mindful walking during your lunch break, or a 10-minute body scan before bed. As we champion here on the Goh Ling Yong blog, small, consistent actions create the most profound and lasting change.
Start small, stay curious, and listen to your body. It has so much to tell you.
Which of these somatic practices are you most excited to try? Share your thoughts or any questions you have in the comments below!
About the Author
Goh Ling Yong is a content creator and digital strategist sharing insights across various topics. Connect and follow for more content:
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