4 Fast & Fabulous Somatic Techniques for Getting Out of Your Head

✨ Thank you Mamaroneck Living for publishing this article in the June 2026 edition.

As a meditation teacher, I often hear people say that they wish they liked meditation, but…they just don’t! I get it. When your thoughts are spinning, sitting still might be the last thing you want to do. The good news is: meditation isn’t the only way to cultivate mindfulness or regain composure in stressful situations. 

If meditation feels too “in your head,” give somatic exercises a try. Somatic means “of the body.” They are body-based practices that help release stress and regulate emotions by reconnecting you with physical sensation.

Why somatics work: 

• The body is always in the present. Our minds time travel to past regrets and future worries, but our bodies stay here — making them effective anchors to mindfulness of the present moment. 

• Our nervous system governs whether we are in an activated state of “fight, flight, or freeze” or in a relaxed state of “rest and digest.” Somatic exercises cue the nervous system to shift back into “rest and digest.” 

Here are my 4 favorite - and fast - somatic exercises to get out of my head and back into my body. Try them and see which one(s) work best for you. 

1. Swinging Arms (30 seconds): Stand with your feet flat on the ground. Start to gently twist your torso left and right, letting your arms move naturally as you turn. Gradually increase the twists, so that eventually you are turning side-to-side and your arms are wrapping around your body. You can also do this sitting, as long as you have space to swing your arms.  

2. Ear Pulls (15 seconds): This may sound (and look) funny, but gently pulling on the ears can stimulate the nerve endings attached to the vagus nerve and send a relaxation signal to the nervous system. Softly tug on the edges of your ears, starting at the lobes and moving up. If you find a spot that feels especially good, spend a little extra time there. 

3. Progressive Relaxation (1 minute): Sit or stand comfortably. Squeeze the muscles in your feet as hard as you can, curling your toes and scrunching up the soles of your feet. Hold the tension in your feet for a few moments and then release the muscles. Repeat this process of tensing your muscles, holding, and relaxing as you move up your body, focusing on your: calves and shins, thighs, hips and glutes, stomach, shoulders, and, finally, the face. 

   1. Two notes on the progressive relaxation exercise: First, don’t worry if it is challenging to individually tense some muscles and not others. This somatic exercise works even if it is not done “perfectly.” 

   2. Second, some people find it helps to inhale as they tense the muscles and exhale as they release the muscles. You can experiment and see if adding synchronized breathing helps you - or distracts you - from relaxing. As always, do what works best for you. 

4. Your Personal Practice (you decide the length): Any physical movement that you enjoy – including things you might not consider formal exercise like dancing around while cooking dinner or energetically singing along to your favorite song - as well as regular exercise, like walking, yoga, etc - can serve as a somatic practice. If there’s a movement that you like to do, the benefits of somatic exercise can be another reason to keep doing it. 

Jon Kabat-Zinn, the founder of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, famously said, “You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn how to surf.” Give these exercises a try and see if they help you better “surf” by giving you a way to get out of your head and back into your body – interrupting rumination, resetting your nervous system, and decreasing chronic stress.