Resolution season is here. Every January, our social media feed fills with “new year, new you” messages promising transformation through fitness, diets, and discipline.
For people struggling with PTSD, that message has some truth to it. We just have to adjust the meaning of transformation. See, this isn't about going to the gym and dieting to get a bathing suit-ready body by summer kind of thing. For a body that’s been living in survival mode, the kind of movement we're suggesting is less about changing how you look (though that could happen) and more about releasing stress and reprograming your nervous system.
Exercise, or even gentle movements, can be a powerful way to calm an overactive nervous system.
How
Movement Helps After Trauma or Chronic Stress
Trauma
and chronic stress don’t just live in the mind; they hijack the nervous system
and seep into every part of the body. When you’ve lived in survival mode for too long, your body forgets what safety
feels like. The nervous system learns that calm is temporary, so even when life
finally quiets down, the alarms keep humming in the background.
You end
up feeling tired but wired, anxious but numb, always waiting for something bad
to happen.
Therapy
can help reset those patterns, but it’s not always immediately available.
Sometimes the waitlists are long. Sometimes the cost is too high. And
sometimes, you’re just not ready to talk about what happened yet. That’s where
movement comes in. Whether it’s used alongside therapy or on its own while you
search for the right therapist, movement can help untangle what’s stuck.
Because
stress lives in the body, it needs a physical outlet to release. Your muscles,
fascia, and even your gut can hold on to tension like old echoes of past
danger. Movement helps interrupt those signals and retrain the brain to
recognize, “We’re safe now.”
Movement
doesn’t erase trauma. Think of it more like loosening knots before you try to
untangle a string. You’re creating space for healing to begin.
Why
Movement Works
1. It
releases stored energy
When you’re
chronically braced for danger (fight or flight), that nervous energy stays
trapped in the body, leading to restlessness, anxiety, tight muscles, headaches,
or a clenched jaw. Movement gives your body a way to discharge that energy.
2. It
re-teaches safety through repetition
Gentle,
rhythmic movements like swaying or rocking signal to the body that it is safe
to relax in the same way that rocking calms a fussy baby. Intentional repetitive
motions, especially in structured classes like yoga, martial arts, or dance, reinforce
the mind-body connection, creating a feeling of being grounded and in control.
3. It
reduces nervous system overreaction
Regular
aerobic activity can train the body to better manage stress by offering
predictable and non-threatening ways to increase heart rate and respiration.
Over time, this helps desensitize the nervous system and reduce the chronic
state of high alert.
4. It
rebuilds awareness of your body
Becoming
numb or disconnected is common after trauma. Mindful movement practices that combine
repetitive movement with deep breathing calm and soothe the nervous system.
These slow, gentle movements draw focus to where sensations are felt in the
body. Over time, this helps you reconnect with your body's internal cues and
rhythms.
5. It
balances hormones
Exercise
helps reset cortisol cycles that chronic stress disrupts. It also triggers the
release of endorphins, dopamine, and norepinephrine (our natural “feel-good”
chemicals) which can decrease feelings of anxiety while helping to regulate
mood, appetite, and sleep.
Movement
Practices That Help
Different
kinds of movement speak to the nervous system in different ways. There’s no
single right one.
Gentle,
rhythmic movement (for awareness and grounding)
• Walking
or hiking
• Yoga or
Tai Chi
• Dance
lessons
•
Conscious breathwork
•
Gardening
Strong,
intentional movement (for discharge)
•
Weightlifting or resistance training
• Running
• Boxing
or martial arts
•
Swimming
• Cycling
Creative
movement (for expression)
• Dancing
• Art or
crafting (painting, sculpting, drawing)
•
Drumming
•
Journaling or creative writing
Movement
isn’t about being athletic or fit. It’s about giving your nervous system a safe
outlet to process what it’s been holding. The key is consistency, not
intensity. You don’t need to train for a marathon or overhaul your lifestyle.
Research shows that moderate, enjoyable movement a few times a week can reduce
anxiety and improve mood as effectively as more strenuous workouts.
Find a
form of movement that you genuinely enjoy and can look forward to. When the
activity itself feels rewarding, motivation comes naturally.
*****
Looking for support?
*****
“If you believe change is possible, you want to change, and you are willing to do the work, you absolutely CAN get your life back.”
*****
Get your copy of The Soldier's Guide to PTSD,
