You’ve heard of somatic, but what does it mean? and WHY IT’S KEY FOR BURNOUT RECOVERY
And why it is so important if you experiencing chronic stress.
Now, depending on what stage you are at in your knowledge of the nervous system you may think this all sounds a bit boring or indifferent. I know I used to. If so, that's ok - you can come back to it at some point in the future. But also know, that if you resist it you also probably need it. Just saying!
What does Somatic mean?
The term "somatic" comes from the Greek word soma, and literally means "body" as experienced from within. Our bodies hold onto stress, trauma, and tension, often without us being aware which can lead to fatigue, pain, emotional imbalances and a disconnection between the mind and body.
The term somatic comes from the Greek word soma, meaning the body as experienced from within. For many high achievers, this internal experience is not something they are familiar with. People focused on their corporate career are highly skilled at logical thinking, analysis, and problem-solving, yet when asked what’s happening in their body, the response is often a blank look.
Over time, stress, pressure, and unresolved tension are held in the body without you even knowing about it. This disconnect between mind and body can show up as fatigue, pain, emotional volatility, or a sense of being “switched on” but not really there.
Somatic practices help rebuild the mind body connection by shifting out of of constant analysis and back into physical experience. It’s not about losing logic or control, but about adding a missing layer of information, so the body and mind can work together rather than in opposition.
Not all somatic practices are the same
The word somatic has become on trend of late and is used interchangeably as a marketing tool in many guises. Often it's thrown in front of yoga, exercise or movement seemingly with limited explanation or authentic intention.
In many cases, the language has changed, but the practice underneath hasn’t. Somatic has becomes a label rather than a method which actually supports the nervous system.
These are the main somatic practices I teach when my clients are chronically stressed and their .nervous systems have been pushed into overdrive.
Somatic awareness - this is the first step and means becoming aware of the sensations within your body. It takes the focus away from your conscious mind and just by initiating the mind body connection you are automatically starting to let go. This is the unconscious repatterning of stress from the day, trapped emotions or trauma.
Somatic tracking - this involves gently noticing physical sensations in the body - such as tightness, warmth, movement, or ease with curiosity and without judgment. The key element is that nothing needs to be fixed. By bringing neutral attention to sensation, the nervous system receives a signal of safety. This helps interrupt habitual stress responses and reduces the need for the body to stay on high alert. Over time, somatic tracking increases awareness and builds capacity to handle stress.
Somatic exercises - these are gentle, slow movements where the intention is to be as slow and lazy as possible. The intention is allow unconscious actions to take place within the muscles, nerves and fascia. They help you release emotions, trauma and muscle tension. They are unlike traditional fitness exercises, which focus on external results like strength or flexibility and speed or pushing yourself. Somatic exercises are the opposite.
If you are used to high intensity training, it will take you a while to adjust to the difference in approach and to switch out of specific goals.
There are some of the key benefits to somatic practices
⬛ Emotional Release - High achievers often suppress emotion to stay functional, productive, and in control. Somatic work allows emotions held in the body to release gradually and safely without force. This reduces the pressure inside of you and allows you to think and feel clearly again
⬛ Pain Relief - chronic tension and pain often come from years of holding stress in the body. Somatic practices bring awareness to these patterns and help release them, even when pain has been present for a long time.
⬛ Emotional Regulation - High achievers are often excellent thinkers but disconnected from bodily signals. Somatic work helps process emotions stored in the body, reducing emotional reactivity (e.g. snapping at your colleagues, (e.g. being glued to the sofa at the weekend) shutdown, and internal judgement (can you give yourself a break?).
⬛ Injury Prevention - Somatic practices rebuild the mind–body connection. This improves posture, movement efficiency, and coordination - and helps prevent injury caused by pushing through fatigue or tension.
⬛ Long-Term Stress Resilience - With regular practice, the nervous system learns to respond to stress differently. Stress becomes more manageable, recovery quicker, and performance more sustainable - without living in constant fight-or-flight.
How to Incorporate Somatic Practices into Your Life
The beauty of somatic practice is that they can be done anywhere and at any time. You don’t need special equipment or a gym membership to start reaping the benefits. It takes practice to allow your body to release and repattern effectively, but it is achievable. Here are a few ways to incorporate somatic movement into your daily routine:
Start small: Focus on one area of the body, such as your shoulders or hips, and gently move them while paying close attention to how they feel.
Sitting at your desk: Take a couple of minutes to notice how you are breathing and sitting. You can try and few rounds of box breathing and relax your shoulder and jaw..
Take breaks: If you spend long hours sitting at a desk, stand up every hour and shake to release tension that is being stored in your body
