How To Get Your Nervous System Out of Fight or Flight Response
How Somatic Exercises Help You Get Out of Fight-or-Flight
Have you ever felt like your body is constantly stuck in stress mode—racing thoughts, tight muscles, and shallow breathing? That’s your sympathetic nervous system (aka fight-or-flight) in overdrive. When your body stays in this state too long, it can lead to burnout, anxiety, and chronic tension. But the good news? You can actively shift out of it with somatic exercises. These gentle, intentional movements help release stored stress, allowing your body to reset and return to a state of calm.
What Are Somatic Exercises?
Somatic exercises are intentional, mindful movements designed to reconnect your brain and body, helping you release built-up tension. Unlike traditional stretching or strength training, somatic exercises retrain your nervous system rather than just focusing on muscle flexibility or endurance. Many of us hold tension in our muscles without realizing it—whether from past trauma, chronic stress, or even poor posture. Somatic exercises work by bringing awareness to these patterns and gently retraining the body to relax and move more freely.
How Do Somatic Exercises Work?
These exercises activate the brain’s proprioceptive pathways (which control body awareness), sending signals to your nervous system that you are safe. When your brain perceives safety, it allows your body to transition out of fight-or-flight mode and into parasympathetic mode (aka rest and digest). As a result, somatic exercises:
✔ Release stored muscle tension, which often holds emotional and physical stress.
✔ Slow breathing and heart rate, engaging the vagus nerve for deeper relaxation.
✔ Reduce chronic pain by improving movement patterns and body awareness.
✔ Promote emotional regulation, helping you feel more grounded and present.
Why Your Body Gets Stuck in Fight-or-Flight
Your nervous system is designed to keep you safe, but in today’s fast-paced world, it often misinterprets daily stress as a constant threat. Deadlines, social media, lack of sleep, and even past trauma can all trigger the fight-or-flight response, making it difficult for your body to fully relax. Over time, this chronic stress state can lead to muscle tightness, headaches, poor digestion, and even anxiety or depression. Somatic exercises provide a way to break this cycle and help your body remember what it feels like to be truly at ease.
The Benefits in Just Minutes a Day
The best part? You don’t need hours of practice to see results. Just 5-10 minutes a day of somatic movement can create a noticeable difference in how you feel. Many people experience less pain, improved mobility, and a sense of calm after consistent practice. These exercises can be done anywhere—whether you're lying in bed, sitting at your desk, or standing in your kitchen. The key is intentionality—moving with awareness and patience, rather than rushing through a workout.
Where to Start
If you're new to somatic exercises, it’s best to follow a guided program to ensure you’re doing the movements correctly. I personally love learning from experts in this field, which is why I invested in affordable, simple courses that walk me through 30 days of guided exercises. These routines are easy to follow and actually work! If you’re looking for an effective way to calm your nervous system and reset your body, I highly recommend checking them out.
Make Somatic Exercises Part of Your Daily Routine
Incorporating somatic exercises into your daily life doesn’t have to be complicated. You can do a few minutes before bed to release the tension of the day, in the morning to start your day feeling grounded, or even during breaks at work to reset your nervous system. The more consistently you practice, the easier it becomes to stay out of fight-or-flight mode and live in a state of balance.
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