Somatic Therapy Techniques to Combat Hyper-Vigilance and Stress

Written by: Mallory Burggraaf, LSW, SE and IFS Therapist

What is Hyper-Vigilance?

Hyper-vigilance is often thought of as being on guard, paying extra attention to what may shift in your surroundings, or scanning for danger or threat. This can be a common experience for folks who have experienced trauma or extreme stress.

Read on to see how somatic therapy can help by focusing on the body’s responses to these feelings, guiding individuals to release stored tension and gradually feel more at ease.

Effects of Hyper-Vigilance on Daily Life

Hyper-vigilance can be a very stressful and exhausting experience. Below are some of the ways that it can affect day-to-day life:

1. Anxiety: People who struggle with hyper-vigilance are often anxious or worried. They can have a hard time relaxing or resting. There can often be an experience of anxiety even if there is not an immediate threat.

2. Sleep Issues: People who struggle with hyper-vigilance may struggle with their relationship with sleep. It may be hard to fall asleep or stay asleep. This level of feeling on guard can make individuals feel tired throughout the day.

3. Isolation: People who struggle with hyper-vigilance often can feel isolated in their experience and pull away from friends and family. They may feel uncomfortable or unsafe in social situations.

4. Struggles Concentrating: Hyper-vigilance can make it very difficult to focus on other topics that may need your attention like work, school, and talking with people because your mind is focused on potential threats. 

5. Physical Symptoms: People who struggle with hyper-vigilance may experience digestive issues, chronic pain, headaches, or other physical symptoms.

What is Somatic Therapy?

Somatic therapy is a form of therapy that helps you to build a bridge between your brain and body and to connect and deepen your relationship with your body. It’s a form of therapy that can help you to witness, understand, and be attuned to what is showing up in your body and meet your body’s needs- as well as help release tension, stress, and anxiety.

By understanding more about sensations in your body and your relationship with your body with the help of a skilled somatic therapist, you can learn ways to attune to what is needed and build safety and trust in yourself. This form of therapy can be very helpful for folks struggling with hyper-vigilance because it can help to create more of a sense of trust and safety with yourself as well as feeling more grounded and safe in your body.

Somatic Techniques to Help You Ground Yourself

If you struggle with hyper-vigilance or stress, there are a number of somatic exercises that may be supportive for you to try. These techniques can help you to feel less anxious, tense, and more connected to yourself and your body. Feel free to try these and I hope they may offer some relief for you!

1. Physically Orienting

Physically orienting is a somatic exercise, brought into therapy by the Somatic Experiencing model, that can help you notice your physical environment in the present moment. Here’s how it works:

• You start by noticing the physical space that you are in

• Allow your eyes to go where they want to go and start to look around the room

• You may notice colors, textures, things in the space that feel pleasant or nice to look at

• Take time to look all around the physical space you are in, look for pathways of movement like doors and windows. Look behind you. Noticing that this moment it is safe enough to take the time to look around at what is in the space with you

• After looking around the space you are in, notice how that was to takes a little time to orient to your physical environment. You may notice how you feel now compared to the beginning of the exercise

2. Body Scan

The body scan is a tool that can help you check in with what is showing up in your body at this moment and how your body is feeling. Here’s how you can try it:

• Find a quiet, comfortable space where you can take a few minutes to do this exercise

• Either having your eyes open and focused on a point in the room or closing your eyes. This can help you shift your attention inward

• Start at the top of your body (your head) and notice any sensations. If there is tightness, bracing, or tension, you may invite yourself to soften these areas

• Slowly move your attention down your body to your face, your neck, your shoulders, your arms, and so on. If supportive, spend a few moments with each body part and invite your body to soften any tension you may notice.

• Once you have scanned your whole body, you may take a few grounding breaths and notice how that was to try. You may notice how you feel now compared to the beginning of the exercise.

  

3. Grounding Exercises

Grounding exercises can help you to feel more grounded in and connected to the present moment.

Here’s a grounding tool to try:

• Noticing your feet and whatever they are touching (the ground, folded touching other areas of your body). It may be helpful for this exercise to have your feet flat on the ground

• Press your left foot into the floor and then press your right foot into the floor. Take turns alternating pressing your left foot into the floor and then your right for 3 rounds.

• You may also notice how your calf muscles are engaged as you press your foot into the floor and then the other foot. 

• If available, take a few deep breaths as you try out this exercise

• After three rounds, notice how this was to try out and how you feel compared to the beginning of the exercise

• Movement

Movement can be a very helpful way to help reduce hyper-vigilance. Here are a few movements you can try out:

• Gently roll your neck from side to side

• Raise both arms over your head and stretch then lightly shake your hands and arms as you bring them back down to your sides

• Play a song that you enjoy or like and gently move your body or stretch for the duration of the song

• Going for a walk outside can help to clear your mind and connect with your surroundings

4. Visualization

Visualization can be a helpful tool to reduce hyper-vigilance by connecting with a peaceful place in your mind. Here is a way to try it out:

• Find a quiet, comfortable space where you can take a few minutes to do this exercise

• Either having your eyes open and focused on a point in the room or closing your eyes. This can help you shift your attention inward and decrease distractions

• Imagine in your mind a place that you enjoy, like, or that feels good to you. This may be a favorite place that you like to go to, that you have traveled to, or a type of nature you connect with (trees, mountains, the beach, etc)

• Take a tour around this space and see what you notice, engaging your senses, what do you smell? Hear? See? Round out the image by taking in what you notice with all your senses

• Spend a little time enjoying this peaceful place that you like or feel connected to

• After connecting into this place, thank it for the connection you share, and then as you gently bring your attention back to the here and now notice how this was to try out and how you feel compared to the beginning of the exercise.

Finding Ground and Relief from Hyper-Vigilance Through Somatic Therapy

Hyper-vigilance can be a stressful and difficult experience that can make day-to-day life challenging, but somatic therapy techniques can offer powerful ways to help you feel more grounded and less anxious. Whether it’s physically orienting, body scan, grounding exercises, movement, or visualization, these tools can help you to connect with yourself and your body to feel less on edge and find ways to ground amongst stress and overwhelm.

If you are struggling with hyper-vigilance and feeling overwhelmed, we are a practice that specializes in somatic therapy and would be happy to assist you in your journey to build safety and groundedness in your body. Taking the first step looks like booking a free consultation with us at Compass Healing Project. 

Taking small and steady steps towards grounding yourself can help you move towards significant changes in how you feel. Give these tools a try and see what works best for you. We hope they may be helpful to you!

Rediscover Calm From Hypervigilance With Somatic Therapy in San Diego, CA

Ready to feel more grounded and at ease in your body? Somatic therapy can help you release the tension that hyper-vigilance brings, guiding you towards a greater sense of safety and calm. If you're ready to start healing with the help of Compass Healing Project, follow these three simple steps:

1. Reach Out and Fill out our New Client Inquiry Form to get started.

2. Schedule a discovery call with one of our skilled somatic therapists to discuss your needs and goals with Somatic Therapy.

3. Begin finding relief from Hypervigilance!

Other Counseling Services at Compass Healing Project

At Compass Healing Project, we take a holistic approach to therapy, using a range of modalities to support various mental health needs. In addition to somatic therapy, we offer EMDR, Clinical Sexology, hypnotherapy, ketamine-assisted therapy, and embodiment practices—each tailored to help with anxiety, depression, PTSD, grief, sexuality concerns, and relationship issues. To learn more about our services, visit our blog or connect with our compassionate therapists in Colorado and California, who specialize in trauma resolution, emotional healing, and integrative therapy to support your journey to well-being.