{"id":8240,"date":"2023-10-19T20:16:55","date_gmt":"2023-10-19T13:16:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=8240"},"modified":"2023-10-19T20:16:55","modified_gmt":"2023-10-19T13:16:55","slug":"3-somatic-exercises-for-depression-and-grief","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=8240","title":{"rendered":"3 Somatic Exercises for Depression and Grief"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"drop-cap text-big text-gray\"> <span class=\"drop-cap__first text-dropcap \">A<\/span>s the days get shorter and the temperature drops, the feelings of fall coziness typically evoke comforting rituals: making soups, drinking pumpkin-spiced lattes, and getting together with loved ones. But for\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nimh.nih.gov\/health\/publications\/seasonal-affective-disorder\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.nimh.nih.gov\/health\/publications\/seasonal-affective-disorder\">millions<\/a>, the season-changing can elicit more complicated feelings and darker emotional states.<\/div>\n<p>Commonly known as \u201cwinter blues,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/seasonal-affective-disorder-symptoms\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/seasonal-affective-disorder-symptoms\/\">seasonal affective disorder<\/a> (SAD) is a subtype of major depressive disorder, explains licensed psychotherapist\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.setapartpsychotherapy.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.setapartpsychotherapy.com\/\">Tandrea Tarver-Brooks<\/a>. It happens when seasonal transitions trigger shifts in mood and affects a person\u2019s ability to function. Although the most prominent cases show up in the colder months, seasonal depression can occur <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/summer-sad-seasonal-affective-disorder\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/summer-sad-seasonal-affective-disorder\/\">at any time of year<\/a>, Tarver-Brooks says.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, many people find holiday gatherings and customs trigger grief rather than comfort. \u201cHolidays, anniversaries, and birthdays serve as \u2018memories frozen in time\u2019 and may worsen symptoms of grief by increasing feelings of uncertainty and loneliness,\u201d says Tarver-Brooks. \u201cWhen grief coexists with SAD symptoms, an individual\u2019s \u2018blues\u2019 can also be reignited, making it much more difficult to complete day-to-day tasks and attend to basic needs.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As <a href=\"https:\/\/blackgirlsbreathing.com\/about\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/blackgirlsbreathing.com\/about\/\">a somatic practitioner<\/a> primarily focused on breathwork\u2014which I\u2019ve used to help thousands of people, from Fortune 100 executives to kids in juvenile detention centers\u2014I\u2019ve found that certain <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/somatic-exercises\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/somatic-exercises\/\">somatic techniques <\/a>can help to address the emotions surfacing in the body when the symptoms of grief and seasonal depression intertwine.<\/p>\n<div class=\"related-content \" style=\"\" data-module-init=\"related-content\" data-module-immediate=\"\" v-cloak=\"\">\n<div class=\"related-content__wrapper \" v-cloak=\"\" :class=\"{'is-loaded':isLoaded}\">\n<p> <span class=\"inline pr-6 text-seafoam-dark\">Related Stories<\/span> <\/p>\n<p> <related-content class=\"related-content__links\" parent-article-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/somatic-exercises-depression\/\" current-title=\"These 3 Somatic Exercises Can Help You Navigate the Depression and Grief That Can Come With the Change of Seasons\" current-image=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/GettyImages-somatice-exercises-for-depresssion-425x285_418x278_true_70.webp\" v-on:parsely-posts-loaded=\"onPostsLoaded\" start-date=\"2023-04-19\" tag=\"div\" inline-template=\"\" url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/somatic-exercises-depression\/\" secret=\"w5ztterVB03LGZJLfXS0hf3EvQBuFFIWew9hmVQxthU\" apikey=\"wellandgood.com\" limit=\"3\"> <\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"related-content__card mb-[10px] sm:mb-[20px]\" :class=\"{'related-content__card--full':posts.length === 1}\" v-for=\"(post, key) in posts\"> <a v-on:click.prevent=\"trackLinkGA($event, key)\" :href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/somatic-exercises-depression\/post.url\" data-url-source=\"related-content\" class=\"related-content__link\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"\"> <\/p>\n<div class=\"related-content__card--image bg-tan\" :style=\"{ backgroundImage: 'url(' + post.image_url + ')' }\"> <img :src=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/somatic-exercises-depression\/post.image_url\" :alt=\"post.title\"\/> <\/div>\n<p> <\/a>  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <\/related-content> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>What is a somatic practice? It\u2019s a tool to address physical manifestations of emotional states in the body.\u00a0Here are three that I recommend in particular to create more moments of calm and groundedness as you approach each day, one day at a time.<\/p>\n<h2>Three practices you can use while navigating seasonal depression and grief<\/h2>\n<h3>1. Morning oceanic breath<\/h3>\n<p>Starting your day with soothing, grounding breaths can help decrease overthinking. An improved mind-body connection can help encourage the completion of daily routines that become more challenging when you\u2019re experiencing depression and grief, like making the bed, taking a shower, or brushing your teeth.<\/p>\n<p>The oceanic breath is a beginner-friendly breathwork pattern that sounds like its name. To do this, start with the mouth wide open.<\/p>\n<p>Inhale through the mouth slowly, evoking elongated breaths. Feel your chest and diaphragm rise on the inhale. Then exhale out of the mouth, feeling your ribcage hug your stomach as you empty the lungs.<\/p>\n<p>If you feel comfortable doing so, you can close your eyes and position your body lying down or sitting up for the duration of the practice. Start with a time that feels achievable for you, whether that\u2019s one minute, five minutes, or 10 minutes.<\/p>\n<p>Know that it\u2019s normal for tasks and to-dos to come to mind as you begin to breathe. Be gentle with your mind doing its job (thinking) and compassionately return your focus to your breath.<\/p>\n<h3>2. Intentional nasal breathing with low-impact walking<\/h3>\n<p>Walking can be a great tool to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/silent-walks\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/silent-walks\/\">feel more present in your body<\/a> as you process difficult emotions. Coupling a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/movement-meditation\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/movement-meditation\/\">slow-paced walk<\/a> with intentional nasal breathing is a practice that will help \u201ccreate more space\u201d in your mind, and the situations it wants to process, by focusing attention instead on movement and deeper inhales and exhales.<\/p>\n<p>While taking a stroll, begin to notice your regular breathing pattern. Extend your inhale and exhale by a few more seconds than what comes naturally. Notice how your body feels as you slow down and deepen your inhales and lengthen your exhales with more intention.<\/p>\n<h3>3. Nurturing self-touch<\/h3>\n<p>Touch can elicit the brain\u2019s \u201cfeeling safe and comfortable&#8221; response.<\/p>\n<p>If a specific area of the body feels tense or is at unease, gently rub that area in a circular motion (clockwise then counter-clockwise). Allow your body to sink into whatever surface is supporting you while allowing tension in the face, shoulders, and lower body to melt away.<\/p>\n<p>To evoke additional feelings of safety, swaddle yourself with a blanket after this practice or cover yourself with a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/best-weighted-blankets\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/best-weighted-blankets\/\">weighted blanket<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Note: Grief can show up in the body differently for everyone, but commonly manifests in the chest (heart space) and stomach area.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div data-type=\"_mgwidget\" data-widget-id=\"1675549\">\r\n<\/div>\r\n<script>(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push([\"_mgc.load\"])})(window,\"_mgq\");\r\n<\/script>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As the days get shorter and the temperature drops, the feelings of fall coziness typically evoke comforting rituals: making soups, drinking pumpkin-spiced lattes, and getting together with loved ones. But for\u00a0millions, the season-changing can elicit more complicated feelings and darker emotional states. Commonly known as \u201cwinter blues,\u201d seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a subtype of &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":8241,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8240","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8240","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=8240"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8240\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/8241"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8240"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=8240"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=8240"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}