Somatic yoga is all over social media, often sold as a way to release stress, ease pain or even lose weight. If you’re curious but unsure what it is, you’re in the right place.
This guide explains what somatic yoga is, 7 gentle moves for beginners, what the research really shows, and how to practice safely.
Key takeaways
- Somatic yoga blends slow, mindful movement with close attention to how your body feels from the inside.
- Research on somatic methods is limited. Yoga in general has some evidence for back pain, neck pain, stress and sleep, NCCIH says.
- Yoga is generally low-risk for healthy people, but adapt or skip moves if you’re pregnant, older or have a health condition.
What is somatic yoga?
Somatic yoga is a gentle, slow style of yoga that focuses on how movement feels inside your body, rather than how a pose looks. It combines yoga poses and breathing with ideas from somatic education, such as Hanna somatics, which retrains how you tense and release muscles. Moves are small, slow and done lying down or seated.
How it differs from other yoga
| Somatic yoga | Typical flow yoga | |
|---|---|---|
| Pace | Very slow, with pauses | Steady flow from pose to pose |
| Focus | How each movement feels inside | Alignment, strength and shape of poses |
| Positions | Mostly lying down or seated | Standing, balancing, lying and seated |
| Effort | Gentle, small movements | Light to vigorous |
The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) describes yoga in the US as usually combining physical postures, breathing techniques and meditation. Somatic yoga leans more on the slow, inward-focused side of that mix.
7 somatic exercises to try
These somatic exercises are gentle and done slowly. Move only within a comfortable range, breathe naturally, and rest between each one. Five minutes is a fine start.
1. Body scan
Lie on your back with knees bent. Slowly move your attention from your feet to your head, noticing any tight or tense areas without trying to fix them.
2. Belly breathing
Rest one hand on your belly. Breathe in slowly through your nose so your hand rises, then breathe out a little longer than you breathed in.
3. Arch and flatten
Lying on your back, knees bent, slowly tilt your pelvis to arch your lower back a little, then slowly press it flat. Do it so slowly that you can feel each part of the movement. Repeat 5 times.
4. Knee drops
With knees bent and feet flat, let both knees drift slowly to one side, pause, and bring them back to the middle. Repeat on the other side, 5 times each way.
5. Gentle side bend
Lie on your side with your head on your arm. Slowly lift your head and top shoulder a little toward your hip, then lower even more slowly. Repeat 3 to 5 times, then switch sides.
6. Shoulder rolls
Sit tall. Slowly lift your shoulders toward your ears, roll them back, then let them drop. Notice the difference between tense and relaxed.
7. Child’s pose rest
Kneel, sit back toward your heels and rest your forehead on the floor or a cushion, arms forward or by your sides. Breathe slowly for 5 to 10 breaths.
What the research shows
Honest answer: there’s very little research on somatic yoga itself. The closest study is on Hanna somatic education, one of the methods it draws on.
A 2022 study in the Saudi Journal of Medicine and Medical Sciences looked back at 103 people with neck or low back pain who had 2 to 5 one-to-one Hanna somatic sessions. Their pain scores fell, and the share using pain medicine dropped from 53.5% to 13.6%. But it had no comparison group, so it can’t rule out other reasons for the change, and the authors called for better studies.
Yoga in general has more evidence. NCCIH says research shows a slight benefit for low back pain, less neck pain, better sleep in several studies, and lower perceived stress in healthy adults. It notes many of these studies are small or mixed in quality.
Can it help with weight loss?
Probably not much on its own. Somatic yoga is very gentle, so it burns few calories. NCCIH says yoga in general may help with gradual, moderate weight loss, mainly in programs with longer, more frequent sessions over 3 months or more, plus home practice.
If weight loss is your goal, pair gentle practice with regular activity. The CDC’s tips on activity and calories are in our guide to burning 1000 calories a day.
Safety tips for beginners
NCCIH says yoga is generally low-risk for healthy people when done properly with a qualified instructor. Most injuries are sprains and strains, and yoga-related injuries are more common in people 65 and older.
- Move slowly and stop if anything hurts.
- If you’re pregnant, get checked by your doctor first, and avoid lying flat on your back for long periods, NCCIH advises.
- If you have severe high blood pressure, balance problems, glaucoma, or past knee, hip or lower back problems, you may need changes to some poses.
- Ask about an instructor’s training and experience if you join a class.
- Don’t use yoga instead of seeing a doctor about a health problem.
For other calming routines, try our nervous system reset guide, which includes a 5-minute breathing timer.
Frequently asked questions
What is somatic yoga?
Somatic yoga is a slow, gentle style of yoga that focuses on how movement feels inside your body. It mixes yoga poses and breathing with ideas from somatic education, using small, mindful movements, mostly lying down or seated.
Is somatic yoga good for beginners?
Yes, it is one of the gentlest styles, with small movements done slowly. NCCIH says yoga is generally low-risk for healthy people, but start slowly, stop if anything hurts, and check with a doctor first if you are pregnant or have a health condition.
Does somatic yoga help anxiety?
There is little research on somatic yoga for anxiety. NCCIH says yoga in general may help anxiety symptoms in some groups and lower perceived stress in healthy adults, but evidence for diagnosed anxiety disorders is limited.
Can somatic yoga help you lose weight?
It is too gentle to burn many calories on its own. NCCIH says yoga in general may help with gradual, moderate weight loss in longer programs of 3 months or more. Pair it with regular activity and healthy eating.
How often should you do somatic exercises?
There is no proven schedule. Short, regular sessions of 5 to 15 minutes are easy to keep up. NCCIH notes the yoga programs linked to better results tended to include frequent sessions and home practice.
What is the calmest form of yoga?
Slow styles like somatic, restorative and gentle yoga are among the calmest, because they use few poses, long rests and slow breathing. NCCIH advises beginners to avoid extreme practices like headstands and forceful breathing.
Is somatic yoga backed by science?
Not much yet. A 2022 study of Hanna somatic education found less pain and pain medicine use, but it had no comparison group. Yoga in general has some evidence for back pain, neck pain, stress and sleep.
The bottom line
Somatic yoga is a slow, gentle practice that pays close attention to how movement feels inside your body. Research on it is limited, though yoga in general has some evidence for back pain, neck pain, stress and sleep. Start with a few minutes of easy moves, stop if anything hurts, and check with your doctor first if you’re pregnant or have a health condition.