Stress Relief: 5 Instant Movements
- From global events to local news, every notification can feel like another weight on our shoulders.
- The key, according to experts, lies in understanding how our nervous systems respond to stress and how we can use movement to regain control.
- Our nervous systems are designed to handle immediate danger, much like other mammals.When a rabbit escapes a hawk, it shakes its body to release adrenaline and moves on.
Combat daily stress and overwhelm with five instant movement exercises designed to calm your nervous system rapidly. Discover effective techniques like hands-on-head, spinal twists, and full-body shaking, all detailed in this guide from Yoga Journal, which explores how movement can counteract the negative impacts of chronic stress, possibly preventing health issues.Learn how to ground yourself amidst life’s demands. News Directory 3’s insights show you how to unlock instant relief. Find out what’s next…
5 Ways to Relieve Stress That Will Instantly Calm You Down
Updated July 02, 2025
In today’s world, we’re constantly bombarded with details. From global events to local news, every notification can feel like another weight on our shoulders. It’s a challenge to stay informed without feeling overwhelmed. But how do you find your center amidst the chaos?
The key, according to experts, lies in understanding how our nervous systems respond to stress and how we can use movement to regain control.
How Movement Calms the Nervous System
Our nervous systems are designed to handle immediate danger, much like other mammals.When a rabbit escapes a hawk, it shakes its body to release adrenaline and moves on. Humans, though, tend to dwell on the past and future, leading to chronic stress that can negatively impact our health. This chronic stress has been linked to depression, insomnia, anxiety, and even heart disease, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Sarah Ezrin, a yoga and somatic movement expert, says we can address this dysregulation by releasing pent-up emotions through intentional movement. Here are five exercises she recommends to calm your nervous system and leave you feeling more grounded:
1. Hands on Head
This technique, borrowed from somatic experiencing therapy, can be practiced anywhere.
how to: Sit or stand comfortably. Place the heel of your right hand against your forehead, fingertips gently resting on your head. Place your left hand horizontally across the base of your skull. stay here or apply very light pressure, as though hugging your head. Close your eyes if comfortable. Pause for seven breaths.
2. Lying Down With Feet Pointing + Flexing
This movement allows you to freely explore different shapes your body wants to take as it’s supported by the floor.
How to: Lie on your back with your feet a comfortable distance apart and your arms resting at your sides. Flex and point your feet, allowing your back body to move up and down against the mat, couch, or bed. Your head may loll side to side; allow it to do so. Continue for 10 seconds, then pause. Repeat for three rounds.
3. Reclined Spinal Twist Flow
Yoga teacher Jill Miller teaches this movement, in which the aim is to let your body guide you from supine to prone and back again. You have to surrender to let your body fall to one side and then trust that you’ll catch yourself.
how to: Lie on your back. bend your left knee and let your thigh move across the midline of your body toward the right side. The weight of your leg will begin to pull your hips and torso toward the right side. Keep the momentum going as you raise your left arm overhead and roll onto your tummy. Pause here.
To come out of it, reverse the flow starting with your upper body. Reach your left arm back toward the center, allowing your back, hips, and left leg to return to the starting position on your back. Repeat as many times as feels good, then switch sides.
4. Full-Body Shake
Shaking can unleash stagnant energy.
How to: Stand in a comfortable position with both feet firmly on the floor. Shake your lower legs, as if you could loosen your calf muscles from your legs. Now jiggle your thighs. Move in different directions-in and out and back and forth. Shake your glutes.Shake your entire lower body. Add your tummy and spine. Shake in all directions. Next, shake your arms.Start below your elbow and work your way up your entire arm. add your shoulders, neck, and head. Can you shake your whole body? Perhaps a sound will arise from inside of you. Allow it. When the shaking slows (which it naturally will), let your body slowly come back to stillness and observe the residual vibrations.
5. Arms Swinging
This movement can help release tension in the hips, shoulders, and neck.
How to: Stand with your feet hip-width apart. let your arms hang by your sides. Keeping your feet planted, twist your upper body from side to side, allowing your arms to fly freely with the movement. Eventually, the momentum will carry your arms, so you don’t need to consciously move them. Twist for 15 seconds.
What’s next
Incorporate these simple movements into your daily routine to manage stress and promote a sense of calm. Even a few minutes of intentional movement can make a significant difference in your overall well-being.