Shake off stress - literally! Two ways to burn off stress activation | 7 minutes

🥵Got stress activation in your system? Try shaking it off- literally!! In this video I guide you through two different ways to metabolize stress energy by intentionally shaking - first just your hands, then your whole upper torso. I find this practice to be super helpful to burn off stress energy in the moment. I invite you to practice a couple times when you are less stressed so you can feel it's effects in your body and start building those neural pathways to make this practice more readily available when you are stressed out in the wild! This is an excellent somatic stress release tool to add to your toolbox 🔧

💡Shaking is a natural stress impulse - our nervous systems are trying to get us to burn up/use up all those stress-related chemicals and muscle tension. Animals do it in the wild, you've probably even seen your pet do it- I’ve seen my little Theo pup do (usually after he sees a squirrel through the window). Babies, toddlers especially younger kids even do it...I bet the last time you saw an upset kid they were shaking, maybe even flailing. We just get told to be still and it gets socialized out of us. Give yourself permission to shake it off, friends! It feels much better to have some agency and intentionally burn off stress activation than to just wait for it to wear off. Metabolize what's been mobilized!

🗣️Feel free to vocalize when you do this practice! Vocalization is another great way to burn up stress activation. Think of a kid in tantrum - whoa buddy do they know how to vocalize! Even a sigh or grumble can feel great while you're doing this practice. I do this practice frequently and the noises are different every time but they sure feel good!

🧘‍♀️In this video I share I first learned this practice from Dr. Arielle Schwartz, who has a wonderful channel with tons of videos short to long, including full length classes - on yoga-based practices that are supportive for your nervous system and trauma sensitive. I had the delight of being her student in a training a year ago, Applied Polyvagal Theory for Yoga for Trauma Recovery through the Embody Lab. If that sounds up your alley, I cannot recommend it enough!

🎥 Arielle Schwartz’ YouTube channel:    / @dr.arielleschwartz913  

💘If you enjoyed this video, I am always grateful for a like 👍, subscribe 🔔, or sharing 📨 with someone you think would also benefit! 🙏

🌅The work we do in these practices of intentionally modulating your nervous system state is known as vagal toning, as your “vagal tone” is the ability of your nervous system to move efficiently through the parasympathetic-ventral vagal-sympathetic spectrum. If you have a smart watch or wearable fitness monitor, a good way to track your vagal tone is to check your heart rate variability when you are at rest- the greater your HRV, the greater your vagal tone. You can also use your wearable fitness devices to check how these exercises affect your heart rate by taking note before and after you do them to see the difference. Neat! 🤓🫁💗

📬Newsletter/website: https://rest-and-recuperation.ghost.io/
📸Instagram: militaryyogini

Hi! I'm Carly 😎 I'm a US Navy veteran and I am here to share easy, chill yoga and meditation practices with my fellow veterans and anyone else interested in taking a break to slow down and intentionally move and connect with their bodies. I am a big believer in the power of self-healing to compliment and boost the help we get from professional healers!

Please share your experience of the practice as well as your thoughts and feedback, I love feedback and this is for y'all anyways, so please share in the comments 💕 What would you like to see a practice video for?

If you like this practice, you might also be interested in signing up for my newsletter where each week I send out an article to accompany the practice, so you get the link to the video and some more science and context, right to your inbox! https://rest-and-recuperation.ghost.io/ 😊I also work one-on-one with folks using these practices and am available for private group instruction as well.

Military Yogini Disclaimer: Breath and autonomic nervous system practices can shift emotional and physical states. If you have a history of trauma, anxiety, cardiac conditions, pregnancy, respiratory concerns, or epilepsy, please consult your physician before practicing. You are encouraged to stay within a comfortable range. If you feel lightheaded, activated, or uncomfortable, simply return to your natural breath or pause the practice.
This content from Military Yogini, LLC is educational, and not a replacement for medical or mental health care. If you choose to engage in any movement, breathing, or wellness practice demonstrated or described here, you do so at your own risk. Military Yogini LLC is not responsible for any injury, health condition, or adverse effect that may result from your participation.

#stressrelief #tensionrelease #nervoussystem