Welcome to my weekly Women’s Wellness Newsletter, which I send out every Saturday. This space is for women of all ages who want to live well, feel vibrant, and stay strong.
Each week, I’ll share simple, practical tips to help you manage your wellness and introduce habits you can apply immediately to feel better, energised, and empowered.
Somatic Exercises
We know that many women in the peri- to post-menopausal phase struggle with managing stress—whether it’s navigating life-changing events or simply dealing with daily feelings of overwhelm.
As we transition through menopause, cortisol levels naturally rise, making it even more important to have simple, effective stress management tools you can use in everyday life.
As we’ve discussed in previous newsletters, chronic stress can contribute to a wide range of health issues and imbalances. That’s why I’m always passionate about sharing practical, actionable strategies that really make a difference.
Today, let’s talk about somatic exercises—gentle, body-based techniques designed to calm the nervous system, reduce tension, and bring you back into balance.
What Are Somatic Exercises and Why Do They Help?
What Are Somatic Exercises?
Somatic exercises are gentle, mindful movements designed to increase awareness of the body, release tension, and restore natural movement patterns. The term “somatic” comes from the Greek word “soma,” meaning “body as perceived from within.” These exercises focus on how the body feels and moves from the inside, rather than just external performance or appearance.
Somatic practices often draw from methods like Feldenkrais, Alexander Technique, Hanna Somatics, and Body-Mind Centering. Movements are slow, intentional, and centred around reconnecting the brain and body to release habitual patterns of tension and stress.
Why Do Somatic Exercises Help?
- Releases Chronic Muscle Tension
- Somatic exercises address muscle tightness caused by repetitive stress, poor posture, or emotional tension.
- They retrain the nervous system to release areas of chronic holding, creating a sense of ease and freedom in movement.
- Improves Body Awareness
- By focusing on internal sensations during movement, you become more attuned to your body’s needs and imbalances.
- This awareness helps prevent injuries and improves posture and alignment.
- Reduces Stress and Anxiety
- Somatic movements activate the parasympathetic nervous system (your “rest and digest” state), lowering cortisol levels and promoting relaxation.
- Supports Pain Relief
- These exercises gently retrain the nervous system, often alleviating pain caused by tension, misalignment, or overuse of certain muscles.
- Enhances Mobility and Flexibility
- Somatic exercises restore natural range of motion by addressing stiffness or restriction at its source—habitual patterns in the brain and nervous system.
- Improves Coordination and Movement Efficiency
- Repatterning how the body moves increases fluidity and reduces the effort required for daily activities.
- Promotes Emotional Well-being
- The connection between the mind and body in somatic exercises can release stored emotional tension, fostering a sense of inner peace.
Examples of Somatic Exercises
- Body Scanning
- Lie down and focus your attention on each part of the body, noticing areas of tension or discomfort.
- Cat-Cow with Awareness
- Move through spinal flexion and extension slowly, focusing on how each part of your spine feels as it moves.
- Pelvic Tilts
- Gently tilt your pelvis forward and backward while lying down to reconnect with your core and release lower back tension.
- Somatic Breathing
- Pay attention to how your breath moves through your body, expanding the chest, ribs, and belly.
- Gentle Shoulder Rolls
- Slowly roll the shoulders forward and backward, noticing any areas of tightness or resistance.
- Pandiculation (a Somatic Stretch)
- This is a slow contraction and release of muscles, mimicking the natural way animals stretch. For example, tighten the shoulders briefly, then slowly release and relax them.
Who Can Benefit?
- People with chronic pain or stiffness.
- Those recovering from injuries.
- Individuals dealing with stress or anxiety.
- Anyone wanting to improve posture, movement quality, and body awareness.
By incorporating somatic exercises into your routine, you’re not only addressing physical tension but also nurturing the mind-body connection, which is essential for overall well-being.
It’s an interesting topic and I welcome your thoughts hit reply and let me know or join me in my women’s wellness facebook group.https://www.facebook.com/groups/845793672151353
This Week in Studio Live – My JUNE Challenge
Workout with me daily in June
I teach a full schedule of classes online on my own platform called Studiolive.club. You can Join me live or catch the replay of the daily classes and there is something for everyone. I’d love you to take a class with me, Class members join me from all over the world and you can do the class live or on catch up.
Today I have just taught Walkfit™ cardio Funk followed by Mind Body Conditioning you can join today and get the replay.
Have a lovely weekend.
Lots of love,
Rachel x
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