For the fabulous 40+ woman juggling career, family and social life, finding time for herself can be nearly impossible. Endless to-dos leave you frazzled, exhausted, and disconnected from your body. But don’t worry, I have the perfect recipe to help you reclaim your radiant glow!
When you take the time to do some of these gentle, soothing somatic movements, you’ll be surprised at how much tension melts away. You’ll walk away feeling more relaxed and radiant. Who couldn’t use a little of that?
Just imagine
You just got home from another stressful day at the office, dealing with demanding clients, looming deadlines, and office politics. Your mind is racing and your body feels just as frazzled.
You kick off your shoes and jump right into household chores – throwing in a load of laundry, preparing dinner, helping the kids with homework. The constant juggling act between career and family takes its toll.
By the time the kids are fed and in bed, you’re exhausted. You collapse on the couch, physically and mentally exhausted. As you mindlessly flip through the TV channels, you notice how tense your shoulders and neck feel. Your lower back hurts from being hunched over your desk all day.
You try to relax, but your mind keeps racing over your never-ending to-do list for tomorrow. You start to feel anxious about falling behind at work, not spending enough time with your family, and neglecting your own needs. You’ve been in constant stress mode lately.
As you drift off to an unsatisfying sleep, you make a promise to yourself. Tomorrow you’ll finally focus on self-care and find more balance. You’ve been putting yourself last for too long, and it’s affecting your health, relationships, and overall well-being. It’s time for a change.
That’s when the idea of somatic exercises comes to mind…
Do you really need those somatic exercises?
As busy women, we know how easy it is to get overwhelmed by our endless to-do lists. Between work, family demands, and keeping up with friends, we’re constantly on the go. Before we know it, we’re tense, exhausted, and disconnected from our own bodies.
And we can ignore the signals our bodies are sending us for a long time…. This is exactly what happened to me when I didn’t want to notice that my high cortisol was causing constant fatigue, hair loss, and puffy face – I just didn’t want to notice and blamed my busy life for feeling so bad. But it turned out that I could solve this BIG problem in such a simple (and tasty) way)).
So please don’t ignore the signals your body is sending you!
Living in the fast lane, it’s easy for us girls to get caught up in the hustle and bustle, feeling tense and disconnected from our bodies. But I’ve got some super simple, yet powerful exercises to help you reconnect your body and mind so you can find your calm center no matter how hectic life gets!
These are called somatic exercises, and they focus on tuning into your body through mindful movement.
Somatic exercises can help bring us back to our center so that we can find peace and balance even in the midst of chaos.
Even just taking a few minutes out of your day to do some somatic movements can do wonders to help you calm down.
What are somatic exercises?
Somatic exercises connect the mind and body through purposeful, mindful movement. As we move our bodies slowly and gently, we become attuned to subtle physical sensations. This builds awareness of how our bodies feel and move.
Somatic exercises are gentle, mindful movements that
- Release stress
- Reconnect your body and mind
- Reduce muscle tension
- Improve posture
- Increase body awareness
- Help you look rejuvenated
- Leave you feeling grounded, calm, and energized
Somatic movement techniques such as the Alexander Technique, Feldenkrais Method, and Ideokinesis have been practiced for years. Now it’s our turn to discover these powerful practices.
How Somatic Exercise differs from traditional exercise
Unlike traditional exercise that focuses on cardio, strength, or flexibility, the primary goal of somatic movement is to tune into the quality of each movement. We move slowly and mindfully, without strain, to enhance the mind-body connection. Even small, gentle somatic exercises can cultivate awareness, reduce anxiety, and increase energy.
Somatic exercises are about tuning into the real-time experience of your body as you move. Not just going through the motions, but really feeling every sensation.
It’s about letting go of the pressure to “look good” and turning your focus inward. Instead of obsessing over the perfect form or end result, you simply explore the present journey. How does this stretch or shake make you feel right here, right now?
With somatic movement, each day brings a fresh, unique experience. One day tight hips may crave one movement, the next day you may need something completely different. That’s the beauty of it! By checking in with your body’s vibes each time, you customize the routine to the self-care your soul craves most.
Key Principles of Somatic Movement
The key to somatic exercise is to keep these basic principles in mind:
- Move slowly and gently
- Be attuned to subtle physical sensations
- Focus on quality of movement, not quantity
- Avoid strain or pain
- Practice conscious, fluid movements
Now let’s explore 7 somatic exercises you can easily incorporate into your day:
1. Return to Center with Grounding
When your endless to-do list makes your head spin, grounding brings you back to center. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Imagine roots extending from the soles of your feet deep into the earth. Feel the comforting stability of the ground beneath you. Notice the gentle rise and fall of your breath.
As you channel your inner oak tree, allow any stress or anxiety to flow down through your legs and out through the roots. I like to gently rock or sway from side to side when grounding to feel the calming pull of gravity. Whenever you feel overwhelmed, return to grounding.
2. Shake Away Tension
Releasing physical tension helps release mental stress. Stand with a relaxed posture. Begin to gently shake each hand, letting the gentle shaking move up your arms. Move to your legs and gently shake out any tension. Continue to explore, shaking your neck, back and hips freely.
There’s no wrong way to shake! Let your head nod gently to release any tension in the neck. Set the intention to relax as you shake.
Feel stress melt away and your body come alive.
3. Calm your nervous system with somatic yoga
The slow, mindful movements of somatic yoga put your nervous system at ease. The key is to move gradually, tuning into your body’s sensations without overexerting yourself.
From hands and knees, arch your back up into the cat pose. Feel the curve of each vertebra. Move through cat and cow poses, feeling your spine flex. In mountain pose, notice your feet grounding. In seated forward fold, tune into the release in your lower back. Return to Child’s Pose whenever you need to rest. Let the gentle postures relax your body and mind.
To try it out, just do these easy poses during your next PMS or period – you’ll be guaranteed surprised at how better you feel afterwards!
4. Reconnect with your body through a scan
Over time, it’s easy to lose touch with our physical form as life gets busier. A body scan meditation helps reconnect body and mind.
Find a comfortable resting position, either lying down or sitting. Close your eyes. Slowly and methodically bring your attention to each part of your body. Notice any areas of tension and direct your breath there to invite softness. Visualize a wave of relaxation descending into the tense muscles. Continue scanning until you feel deeply connected from head to toe.
Or just try the complete body scan and complete relaxation in savasana (but please do it right!)
5. Release with Squeeze and Release
This technique uses muscle tension to induce deep relaxation. While lying or sitting, squeeze a part of your body. Clench your fist, contract your arm muscles, or scrunch up your shoulders. Hold for a few seconds, then breathe out and release the tension.
Repeat with other areas – legs, back, abdomen. With each cycle of squeezing and releasing, the stress melts away as your muscles soften. Continue until your entire body feels limp and free of tension.
Or do the full-body squeeze for 1 minute in the wind-relief yoga pose and end up with the complete relaxation in savasana (but please do it right!)
6. Harness the calming power of your breath
When you’re stressed or anxious, your breathing becomes shallow and rapid. Deep, mindful breathing taps into your relaxation response.
Find a comfortable seat with your eyes closed. Place one hand on your stomach. Inhale slowly through your nose, allowing your abdomen to expand. Pause, then exhale steadily through pursed lips while contracting your abdomen.
Keep your breathing smooth and continuous. Focus on the rise and fall of your abdomen. Allow the rhythmic waves to relax your body. Take deep breaths whenever you need an instant sense of calm.
You can try the very effective 4-7-8 breathing technique:
- BREATHE IN for 4 seconds,
- HOLD for 7 seconds,
- EXHALE for 8 seconds.
This breathing technique will help you greatly to reduce anxiety or to fall asleep.
7. Walk with intention
Even a short walk can realign your mindset when you move with purpose. Start by standing upright. Set an intention such as “I am grounded” or “I am safe”. Breathe deeply and enjoy the breeze on your skin.
Walk smoothly at an easy, natural pace. Silently repeat your intention with each step. Tune in to the sensations of your feet. Relax your shoulders and arms. Listen to the birds singing. Immerse yourself in the experience. Return feeling focused and uplifted.
Weave somatic exercises into your day
Start by choosing 1-2 somatic exercises to practice each day. Over time, build a list of go-to exercises that you can do anytime you need stress relief.
As you awaken your mind-body connection through regular somatic movement, you’ll find an oasis of calm within. You’ll move through your busy days with more ease and grace. Make time for yourself and discover how wonderful it feels to reconnect with your body.
With care,
Sofi