Somatic Shaking : What are the benefits?
Feb 20, 2023
Somatic Shaking is pretty much exactly as it languaged.
Shake your body.
Seated or standing play music & shake for at least 30 seconds...
If it feels good to continue, then do.
I like to use music to inspire and motivate motion and movement. The aspiration is to shake for the whole song - when we feel "done" usually there is more for our body to release so just keep going.
Feel free to move about your space in any way, use sounds, involve every single part of your body and let it be as awkward and messy and unstructured as possible
Here is a song you can use if you are not sure what song you might like to use today:
https://open.spotify.com/track/3BCX4AkSKNeGM7IKXxzQnD...
As with any physical movement, it’s important to consider your body’s abilities, limitations and needs before trying anything new. Consult your health care provider for advice as to whether shaking is safe and appropriate for you to try and always respect the feedback your body is giving you if you try something new.
Seated or standing play music & shake for at least 30 seconds...
If it feels good to continue, then do.
I like to use music to inspire and motivate motion and movement. The aspiration is to shake for the whole song - when we feel "done" usually there is more for our body to release so just keep going.
Feel free to move about your space in any way, use sounds, involve every single part of your body and let it be as awkward and messy and unstructured as possible
Here is a song you can use if you are not sure what song you might like to use today:
https://open.spotify.com/track/3BCX4AkSKNeGM7IKXxzQnD...
As with any physical movement, it’s important to consider your body’s abilities, limitations and needs before trying anything new. Consult your health care provider for advice as to whether shaking is safe and appropriate for you to try and always respect the feedback your body is giving you if you try something new.
Shaking requires us to do exactly as it seems - shake our body. This process involves shaking the body with the intention of providing the body with a way to release tension and trauma, helping to regulate the nervous system.
It’s also known as therapeutic or neurogenic tremoring, a phrase coined by David Berceli, PhD.
It’s also known as therapeutic or neurogenic tremoring, a phrase coined by David Berceli, PhD.
Dr. Peter Levine developed somatic experiencing as a body-based therapy to process and release trauma. In his book “Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma,” Levine described the way that animals can be observed shaking to release tension and stress - this is pretty much what we are inviting ourselves to do too.
The shaking or vibrating helps to release muscular tension, burn excess adrenaline, and calm the nervous system to its neutral state, to offer us a practical way to support ourselves in managing stress levels in the body.
Regulating stress can help:
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lessen symptoms of anxiety
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lessen symptoms of depression
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boost immune function
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improve mood
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reduce stress on cardiovascular systems
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reduce risk of obesity, heart disease, and diabetes
A little more info…
The autonomic nervous system regulates bodily processes including:
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blood pressure
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heart rate
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respiratory rate
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body temperature
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digestion
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metabolism
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sexual arousal
It does this with two opposing functions, known as upregulation and downregulation.
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Upregulation increases the energy available in the body.
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Downregulation decreases it.
When the body experiences stress, the autonomic nervous system elevates and affects bodily functions.
For example, when your body perceives something as stressful or threatening, your autonomic nervous system releases adrenaline and cortisol as part of the fight-flight-freeze response.
This speeds up the heart rate and gives the body a burst of energy and strength to respond to the perceived threat.
The body can also overreact to stressors, such as work or family pressure, which can take a toll on your health.
Deregulation is then needed to bring energy levels back down, lowering heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure. This brings the nervous system back to neutral and resets bodily functions.
Shaking the body can help ease an overstimulated nervous system and calm the body back down.
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