somatic exercises for anger

Do you ever get angry? Of course you do! It’s a normal emotion that occurs in life. The bigger question is, are you holding on to that anger? Are you still stewing about the guy who cut you off during your morning commute at dinner time? Or ticked at you dad for something that happened 20 years ago?

I get it, trust me I do. Anger is tough to move on from. But here’s the thing, holding on to anger can seriously impact your health and mental and emotional well being. And as much as you tell yourself you’ll “forgive and forget”, it could still linger in your body.

If you’re looking for anger management strategies, somatic practices are a good option to help you release anger and feel more at ease.

How Anger Impacts The Body

angry woman

Anger impacts the body by activating the sympathetic nervous system, or “fight or flight” response, causing a surge of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. This physiological response increases heart rate, blood pressure, and muscle tension while suppressing digestion and immune function. Over time, chronic anger can lead to health issues like:

  • Headaches – from chronic tensing of the muscles in the upper body
  • Sleep problems – excess adrenaline production has been linked to sleep disorders
  • Cardiovascular disease – increased heart rate and blood pressure that potentially causes damage to blood vessels
  • Muscle tension – especially in the jaw, neck and shoulders
  • Digestive issues – because blood is diverted from this area when fight or flight mode kicks in

Anger is not just a mental state—it’s a full-body experience. The tension and heat of anger often manifest physically, particularly in areas like the chest, neck, and jaw. This is because as your body prepares its fight response it tenses all of the muscles in the upper body in defense. If you were to actually fight or flee then your body could close the loop on this stress cycle, relax the area, and return to balance.

However, in our modern world we’re triggering the “fight or flight” response through things that don’t actually require us to do either of those things (hello constant phone alerts) and anger is no exception. You get angry in traffic and can’t do anything about it; you get an email that frustrates you but confrontation is frowned upon. Or maybe just current events trigger anger that you feel like you can’t resolve.

This wouldn’t be so bad if we learned other methods to release this energy through the body. But we don’t; we repress it and then it gets stuck in the body causing all kinds of physical issues like those listed above. This is where something like somatic therapy or somatic yoga can help.

Somatic yoga and mindfulness techniques can help release these physical symptoms by allowing you to feel into that energy or emotion and let it move through you. They also help by promoting relaxation and emotional regulation. They help you embrace your pent up anger as an energy to be felt and processed, rather than suppressed, allowing you to transform it into growth and healing.

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    How Do You Release Anger Somatically?

    somatic self massage

    To release anger somatically, you engage the body in intentional movement and awareness practices to process and release stored tension. Techniques can include shaking, deep breathing, and gentle stretching to help discharge pent-up energy while calming the nervous system. These are movements that allow the body to physically express anger and frustration in a safe and constructive way, rather than suppressing it.

    Somatic yoga and mindful movement serve as a bridge between the mind and body, helping you to reconnect with suppressed emotions like anger. It encourages you to find where the anger resides in your body and express it in order to release it. This releasing of anger somatically not only eases physical tension but also promotes emotional clarity and healing. Somatic release then becomes a powerful tool for self awareness, healing and transformation.

    Try one of my favorite somatic workouts to experience this for yourself:

    Best Somatic Exercises For Anger

    From somatic shaking to a temper tantrum rage practice, there is a somatic movement to help you in managing anger and releasing your repressed rage. Here are some of my favorites that you can easily add to any of your somatic yoga sequences:

    NOTE: If you are seriously struggling with your mental health, strong emotions, or control of your anger please seek the help of a mental health professional.

    1. Shaking Practice

    Realease anger

    Steps to Practice: Stand with feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent. Begin lightly bouncing or shaking your arms, shoulders, and legs. Gradually increase intensity to further release pent up energy and stored tension. Focus on breathing deeply while allowing the body to move freely.
    Variations: Practice seated if standing is uncomfortable.
    Benefits: Releases pent-up anger and tension from muscles, calms the nervous system, and helps regulate emotions.
    Pro Tips for Yoga Teachers:

    • Play calming or rhythmic music to guide the exercise.
    • Remind students to listen to their body and adjust intensity as needed.

    2. Lion’s Breath

    Steps to Practice: Sit comfortably or kneel. Inhale deeply through your nose, then exhale forcefully through your mouth while sticking out your tongue and opening your eyes wide. Repeat several times.
    Variations: Add a soft growling sound for a more cathartic release.
    Benefits: Releases anger and negative emotions through vocal and physical expression while promoting deep breathing.
    Pro Tips for Yoga Teachers:

    • Demonstrate the technique to make students feel comfortable.
    • Add in push-aways to encourage a greater energetic release.

    3. Child’s Pose with Breath Focus

    supported child's pose

    Steps to Practice: Kneel on the mat, sit back on your heels, and extend your arms forward while resting your forehead on the mat. Breathe deeply, focusing on exhaling anger or tension.
    Variations: Place a bolster under the chest or the seat for support.
    Benefits: Provides a grounding effect, reduces the physical sensations of tension, and facilitates emotional release.
    Pro Tips for Yoga Teachers:

    • If seated on a cushion, invite students to incorporate undulation.
    • Encourage students to incorporate soothing touch and see what it feels like in their body.

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    4. Kundalini Cat-Cow Pose

    Brett Up Lifted Yoga

    Steps to Practice: This is a more rhythmic version of cat/cow. Start on hands and knees. Inhale to arch the back and lift the chest (Cow). Exhale to round the spine and tuck the chin (Cat) moving back and forth with a more percussive breath.
    Variations: Move in circular or lateral motions for additional release.
    Benefits: Loosens tightness in the spine, enhances breath connection, and releases built-up tension.
    Pro Tips for Yoga Teachers:

    • Suggest making audible exhales to release emotions.
    • Encourage exploring intuitive movements beyond the set pattern.

    5. Forward Fold

    forward fold hands on knees

    Steps to Practice: Stand with feet hip-width apart. Hinge forward from the hips, letting the upper body hang freely. Bend the knees slightly if needed. Breathe deeply, allowing tension to melt away.
    Variations: Use blocks under the hands for support or bend the knees deeply.
    Benefits: Calms the mind, stretches the back and hamstrings, and helps release emotional tension.
    Pro Tips for Yoga Teachers:

    • Encourage students to shake or undulate to make this fold more embodied.
    • With the hands on blocks, ask students to explore some soothing rocking motions back and forth.

    6. Push Aways

    somatic stress release

    Steps to Practice: Come to a comfortable seat either on the floor, a chair, or on a cushion. Sit up tall and engage your core. Powerfully extend one arm in front of you as if you were pushing the air away as the opposite arm’s elbow comes behind you. Alternate the arms quickly with an “O” shaped mouth and rapid out of the mouth.
    Variations: Sit on a a cushion or chair for added support.
    Benefits: Increases feeling of strength and power and works the core muscles.
    Pro Tips for Yoga Teachers:

    • Encourage students to feel their own energy through the palms of the hands.
    • Pause for deep breaths between rounds to check in with how the body feels.

    7. Rage Practice

    Steps to Practice: Lie down on a bed or another soft surface. Alternate kicking the legs and moving the hands. Look under the arm that is up inhaling in surprise and then exhale powerfully from the mouth as you switch the arms and turn your head. Pump the legs as you do this. Alternate the arms, moving with the breath. Like you’re having a temper tantrum. Increase speed until you reach exhaustion. Come to constructive rest.
    Variations: Add in words like “no” or “enough” or even primal sounds.
    Benefits: Releases stored anger and tension in the body.
    This practice is a nice one to work with on your own and check in with where your body is/how it feels after. You might also do this with a private client.

    Closing Thoughts

    At the end of the day your anger is there to help you. The ultimate goal of anger is to help you create better boundaries. So you don’t want to eliminate anger from your life, because it can be a tool towards transformation. But you have to listen to it, feel it, and let it move on if you truly want to heal. Somatic yoga is your tool to managing anger, regulating your nervous system and learning to be in the present moment. I’d encourage you to find a certified somatic therapist or Embodied Yoga Life Coach to help you get started.

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