Nursing is a rewarding profession, but it can leave us feeling physically tired by the end of the day. Whether dealing with difficult patients or being on our feet all day, we can sit and rest. However, sometimes, there’s still lingering tension that we’re unsure how to get rid of. If this sounds like you, somatic exercises can help you focus on your body with slow, deliberate movement. Learn more about how this practice can promote well-being while alleviating physical pain.
What is Somatic Exercise?
Somatic exercise is still exercise, but instead of activities that focus on winning or burning calories, this exercise focuses on enhancing the mind-body connection.
By tuning your attention inward to how your body responds to the movement, you can experience the exercise in a gentler way and feel calmer. Examples of somatic exercise include yoga, pilates, or tai chi.
These exercises can be incredibly restorative since about 20% of Americans experience chronic pain. Nurses are more susceptible to physical aches and significantly lower back pain, according to a 2023 study. PTSD can also be common with nurses who have experienced trauma in the workforce, leading to painful somatic symptoms such as body aches, headaches, and a lack of energy.
How can These Exercises Relieve Stress?
Somatic movement can be helpful for nurses with PTSD, chronic pain, or any healthcare worker who wants to improve their mental health.
When you explore how your body feels during somatic movements, you can notice emotions, thoughts, and feelings you didn’t pay attention to before. This helps increase awareness whenever we’re in fight-or-flight mode and slow down our body’s stress signals before they rise to levels that make us miserable.
Regular practice of this type of exercise can improve mood and release negative emotions such as anger, shame, and guilt. A 2020 study found that people with chronic pain have found that somatic exercise helps them pay attention to their body sensations and self-regulate symptoms more effectively.
To promote better mental health and release stress from your body, here are five easy exercises you can do to feel more at peace. Remember that if you feel any sharp pain, you can skip the exercise or try again another time.
Swaying
Lift your arms and allow yourself to sway back and forth like a reed in the wind. You can close your eyes during this practice. The rocking motion can release tension in the back and ground your body to the floor. Breathe in while feeling what emotions and aches rise during the practice.
Child’s Pose
This yoga practice relaxes the body and muscles in the lower back.
First, kneel on the ground and sit on your heels. Reach your arms out with your hands flat on the ground as you feel your lower body muscles begin to stretch. Touch your forehead to the ground, and hold this position for eight deep breaths.
Heel Drops
Start by standing and relaxing your eyes so you’re not putting your gaze on anything distracting. Begin by raising your heels through your toes, then dropping your heels down. Repeat this motion for one minute, paying attention to how your hips and lower back feel.
Wave Breathing
Let your breath be the focus of this exercise. First, either sitting or standing, rest your hands on your thighs. As you take a deep breath, lift your chin while sliding your hips backward, creating an arch in your back.
Take a moment to pause, then move your head towards your chest and bring your tailbone forward. This grounding practice moves your spine like a wave with your breath.
Neck stretches
This exercise is for you if you’re experiencing tension around your neck and shoulders.
As you look forward, gently tilt your neck sideways towards your shoulder as far as possible without straining. Placing your arm on the opposite side of your head to encourage the stretch can help. Repeat on the other side three times.
These are only a few out of many somatic exercises that exist. For other exercise ideas, you can find video demonstrations on YouTube or John Hopkins’s somatic self-care page.
As you incorporate these exercises, notice what practices work for you and what progress you sense. You may feel better and connect more with your body and mind.
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