The act of stretching can literally release tension from our muscles, helping us relax.
Stretching, and other similar practices, are inherently slow, methodical and require mind-body coordination and awareness, all of which increase relaxation. They can act as a type of somatic therapy.
Stretching can be combined with deep, mindful breathing.
Stretching
Neck, lower back, shoulder extensions, arm, hamstring, calf, seated spinal rotation.
Another especially helpful somatic practice is stretching. Regular systematic stretching of the body’s major muscle groups can help you to reduce the armoring that occurs when your 4F response is chronically triggered. This results from the fact that 4F activation tightens and contracts your body in anticipation of the need to fight back, flee, get small to escape notice, or rev up to launch into people-pleasing activity.
Learning to stretch was a major ordeal for me because of my extreme body armoring. As noted above, it was a task of self-nurturing that I resented intensely, and it took me a long time to adopt stretching as a regular practice.
– Pete Walker in “Complex PTSD – From Surviving to Thriving” (2013)
Yoga
Child’s pose, Uttanasana (standing forward fold), cat/cow, downward dog, Paschimottanasana (seated forward bend), legs up the wall, and Marjaryasana.
Some people swear by hot yoga.
Qigong (Chi Kung)
Qigong is an ancient Chinese practice that combines gentle movements, controlled breathing, and mental focus to cultivate and harmonize the body’s vital energy, or “qi,” for improved health and well-being.
It involves slow, deliberate movements, often combined with specific breathing techniques and mental concentration, to promote relaxation, reduce stress, and enhance overall health.