Somatic Exercises

Somatic Exercises for Trauma Release: Waking Up From the Freeze

Stuck, Numb, or Paralyzed? How to Thaw the Freeze Response

Have you ever felt “glued” to the couch, unable to send a simple email, or feeling emotionally numb even when you know you should be sad or angry?

You aren’t lazy. You are in a Functional Freeze.

This is your nervous system’s “emergency brake.” When a threat feels too big to fight or flee from, your body shuts down to conserve energy. To get out of it, you can’t just “push through.” You have to signal safety to your body first.Image of Polyvagal Theory Diagram

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3 Exercises to Gently Wake Up Your System

1. Somatic Shaking (Neurogenic Tremors)

  • Why it works: Animals in the wild “shake off” adrenaline after surviving a predator. Humans tend to suppress this. Shaking discharges the trapped survival energy that keeps you frozen.
  • How to do it:
    • Stand with feet hip-width apart.
    • Start by bouncing gently on your knees.
    • Let your hands hang loose and flop around.
    • Allow the shake to move up into your shoulders and neck.
    • Do this for 1-2 minutes. (You might feel heat or tingling—that is the energy moving!).

2. The “Container” (Self-Holding)

  • Why it works: The Freeze response often comes from feeling unsafe or exposed. Physically holding the boundaries of your body helps you feel “contained” and real again.
  • How to do it:
    • Place your right hand under your left armpit (hugging your side).
    • Place your left hand on your right shoulder.
    • Squeeze gently. Feel the warmth of your hands.
    • Rock slowly side to side.
    • Say internally: “I am here. I am safe in this body.”

3. Cold Water Splash (The Mammalian Dive Reflex)

  • Why it works: Intense temperature change can “shock” the Vagus Nerve out of a dorsal shutdown state. It is a hard reset for your biology.
  • How to do it:
    • Splash ice-cold water on your face for 15 seconds.
    • OR: Hold an ice cube in your hand and focus intensely on the sensation of melting.
    • Notice how your breathing deepens immediately after.

Deep Pressure Therapy: If you struggle with chronic “Freeze” or dissociation at night, I recommend using a Weighted Blanket. The heavy stimulation increases dopamine and forces your nervous system to recognize the boundary of your body, making you feel safe enough to sleep.