The stress response, nervous system and the benefits of movement.

In order to understand how movement, breathing practices and meditation can help us to regulate ourselves, it’s good to have an understanding of how the nervous system responds to stress. The stress response is part of our autonomic nervous system (ANS)—the system that runs in the background, regulating things like heart rate, digestion, and breathing.

The ANS has two main branches, the Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS), sometimes called the ‘fight or flight’ response, and the Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS), the ‘rest and digest’ response.

Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS) – "Fight or Flight"

When we perceive a threat—real or imagined—the SNS kicks in:

• Adrenaline and cortisol flood the body

• Heart rate increases

• Muscles tense

• Breath becomes faster and shallower

• Digestion and immune response slow down

• This prepares us to fight, flee, or react quickly to danger.

Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS) – "Rest and Digest"

Once the threat is over, the PNS brings the body back into balance:

• Slows the heart rate

• Deepens the breath

• Stimulates digestion

• Promotes healing and repair

• This state supports recovery, relaxation, and inner connection.

The Freeze or Shutdown Response (Dorsal Vagal)

If the threat feels overwhelming and we can’t fight or flee, the body may freeze:

• Muscles go limp

• Breath becomes shallow

• Heart rate slows

• A sense of numbness, disconnection, or collapse can happen

• This is a protective shutdown mechanism rooted in survival.

The amygdala (the brain's alarm system) detects danger and triggers the stress response before we even think about it. The prefrontal cortex (thinking brain) may not come back online until we feel safe again.

If we stay in stress for too long—without returning to regulation—the nervous system can get stuck in hyper-arousal (anxiety, tension) or hypo-arousal (numbness, fatigue, depression).

This is where somatic practices and movement can help restore balance.

The benefits of movement

Movement like yoga, breathwork, shaking or grounding can help to signal safety in the body and release stress hormones. Movement plays a powerful role in regulating the nervous system—especially when done with awareness. Whether it's yoga, somatic movement, walking, or gentle shaking, movement helps shift us out of stress responses and into more balanced states. Stress and trauma often create muscular holding patterns—tight jaws, clenched shoulders, braced bellies. Movement helps discharge that stored energy from the body, creating space for relaxation and ease.

Gentle, rhythmic movement—especially when paired with breath—activates the vagus nerve, a key player in the parasympathetic nervous system. This supports rest, digestion, and healing.

When we’re anxious or overwhelmed, we often get stuck in repetitive thought patterns. Movement brings attention into the body and breaks the cycle of overthinking, helping shift us into presence.

Slow, mindful movement reintroduces choice, agency, and felt sense. This helps the nervous system feel safe again, particularly after periods of immobilization, stress, or trauma.

Movement helps rebalance fight, flight or freeze responses. We can burn off adrenaline from fight or flight, melt freeze states by gently awakening sensation and circulation and create space for regultion and reconnection to self.

Somatic movement emphasizes moving from the inside out—guided by sensation, breath, and curiosity rather than performance. This internal focus helps nervous system awareness and resilience grow over time.