Somatic Practices for Dealing with Stress in Your Body

Maybe you’re an anxious overthinker with “analysis paralysis,” maybe you notice your anger bubbling up but can’t sort through it before it explodes, or maybe your emotions have pushed you into shutdown and you’re having trouble finding a way out.

However you’re experiencing overwhelm, you know that just telling yourself to “calm down” or “just do it” rarely works when you’re in the thick of it. We need to dial back the intensity of the experience so it’s within your window of tolerance.

It’s normal to want to think your way through an uncomfortable feeling and find a quick solution, but let’s be honest: we both know that usually makes things worse. Isn’t that annoying? I’d love to have a quick fix, and what I’ll share in this article is as close as I’ve come to one.

Emotions don’t come out of nowhere (even though it might feel that way when takeout containers in the backseat for the fourth time this week threaten to send you into a rage). They’re actually your brain and body’s way of figuring out what’s happening around you, what it means, and what to do about it.

What you’re really experiencing is just as much about what’s happening in your nervous system as what you think about it.

That’s where somatic self-soothing techniques come in.

Okay, that’s not exactly a phrase I’ve ever said out loud in a moment of panic — “hang on babe, I just need to do some somatic self-soothing techniques so I don’t spiral right now” — but let’s break this down:

• Somatic = body

• Self-soothing = comforting ourselves in distress

• Techniques = methods or tools (we’ll look at a few simple ones soon)

When your brain goes blank or spirals into overdrive, this can help you “come back online” and shift from distant and overwhelmed to present and steady without overlooking your feelings.

(Quick disclaimer: If you’ve read my stress languages article, you already know these practices aren’t about ignoring or escaping what’s causing your stress. They’re about helping you respond to it in a way that makes you feel better, not worse, in the long run.)

Butterfly Tapping (Bilateral Stimulation)

Cross your arms over your chest like a self-hug and gently alternate tapping your hands left, right, left, right  in a slow rhythm, continuing until you feel a shift in the intensity of your emotion. This is a form of bilateral stimulation and it helps your brain calm the “danger” alarm that’s been screaming in your body by looping in both sides of the body and brain. It’s used in EMDR therapy, but you can borrow this technique whenever your thoughts feel like a never-ending ping-pong match or a comment at family dinner floods your system with stress.

Box Breathing (a.k.a. Tactical Breathing)

Inhale for four, hold for four, exhale for four, hold for four. Repeat slowly until the stress starts to soften and you can continue accessing the support you need. Used by Navy SEALs and everyday people alike, box breathing helps your nervous system come back to baseline by giving your brain something predictable to focus on when everything else feels too much. Try tracing an imaginary square with your finger as you go — or your ceiling tiles, if you’re stuck mid-overwhelm in a waiting room or meeting.

Using Your Words (Affect Labeling)

Kids aren’t the only ones whose big feeling moments make it hard to put a sentence together. Saying it out loud (or in your head) – “I feel anxious right now” or “I’m so mad” or “My chest is tight and my stomach hurts” – might sound too simple, but naming the chaos activates the thinking part of your brain and takes the edge off. This is more than just your mom’s advice when you were little. It’s rooted in what psychologists call affect labeling, and yes, it’s scientifically backed.

Jumping in Place, Shaking It Out, or Going for a Walk (Regulation Through Movement)

I know, I know, you’ve heard this one before but unfortunately, it really does help. When your body is overwhelmed with stress and your mind is telling you to have another 3pm panic nap, jumping in place, shaking out your arms, or doing five jumping jacks in your kitchen can help you “thaw your freeze”. It’s all about doing something with all that energy instead of holding it in. When you give your body what it needs, accessing the feelings and making sense of the situation becomes an option again.

Spin It Off (Vestibular Regulation)

This one sounds weird, but trust me, it really does work. Spinning, rocking, or swinging helps regulate your vestibular system — the part of your nervous system that keeps you balanced and oriented. Think of a child who instinctively spins in circles or climbs into a hammock to feel better (you might have even heard of this from your child’s Occupational Therapist). Adults need that too, but we’ve been trained to sit still and tough it out when our internal world has hit self-destruct in the face of stress. Excuse yourself from that meeting for a moment and try something different.

Deep Pressure (Proprioceptive Input)

Your brain feels safer when it knows where your body begins and ends (I’ll bet you didn’t even know your brain could lose track of that). This is why pressure from weighted blankets, tight hugs, or pressing your palms together can feel grounding when you’re on edge. It’s called proprioceptive input: think of it like sending your nervous system a message that says “You’re right here, I’m right here. You’re safe. We can settle here.”

We All Need Help Sometimes

These practices are powerful, but they’re not meant to replace deeper support.

If using them helps you notice patterns, emotions, or memories that feel too messy to untangle on your own, that’s actually a good sign because it means your awareness is growing. A qualified therapist can help you sort through what’s coming up, hold space for the hard stuff, and support you in building a life that feels less like survival mode and more like something you want to be present for.

Conclusion

Self-soothing techniques like the ones we’ve looked at here aren’t just for therapists’ offices or kids with sensory needs. They’re for humans.

While a lot of the research and language around somatic regulation has come from work with autistic children who have benefited hugely from these tools (shoutout to the pioneers), it’s important to remember that all bodies have the same systems and need practices that help us feel safe, present, and connected.

You don’t need a diagnosis or to measure yourself against a “Must Be This Young To Use This Technique” standard to add them to your mental health toolbox. They’re for everyone.

All you need to get started is a few minutes and a little curiosity about what your body is trying to tell you. Try a few, see what helps, forget what doesn’t, and remember that your body isn’t working against you. It’s trying to keep you safe, and now, you can help it get there.