What Trauma Really Feels Like in the Body (And How to Start Releasing It)
Your Body Remembers
You don’t need to “remember” what happened for your body to still be holding it.
Trauma isn’t just in the mind—it’s in the chest tightness that won’t go away, the lump in your throat, the clenching in your gut.
It’s the way your shoulders stay up by your ears, the way your breath barely reaches your belly.
Your body keeps score.
But it also holds the key to your release.
Trauma is a Survival Response, Not a Story
Here’s what most people don’t tell you:
Trauma isn’t always about what happened. It’s about what your body did to survive it.
When something overwhelms your system—whether it’s a car accident, years of emotional neglect, or that one moment you can’t even name—your nervous system kicks in.
Fight. Flight. Freeze. Fawn.
Your heart races. Your breath shortens. Your muscles lock up.
And sometimes? You never really come out of it.
That’s why trauma can feel like:
A buzzing in your limbs you can’t shake.
A numbness that feels like nothing touches you.
A weight in your chest or stomach that’s always there.
This isn’t weakness. This is biology.
The Science Behind the Sensations
Your nervous system is constantly scanning for safety.
When it doesn’t feel safe, it activates your sympathetic response (fight/flight).
If that doesn’t work, it might shut you down into freeze.
Here’s how trauma shows up physically:
Tight Chest → Your diaphragm locks, your breath stays shallow.
Clenched Jaw / Shoulders → The body bracing for impact.
Digestive Issues → Blood moves away from your gut to fuel your survival.
Fatigue or Hyper-vigilance → Either stuck in "on" mode or completely drained.
This isn’t “in your head”—it’s in your polyvagal system, the network that tells your body whether to fight, run, freeze, or rest.
The good news?
You can teach your nervous system that it’s safe again.
What Release Really Looks Like
Trauma release isn’t about reliving the story.
It’s about completing the survival cycle your body never finished.
That can look like:
Shaking (literally): Your body’s natural way to discharge energy.
Crying without knowing why: Emotions moving without a script.
Yawning, sighing, trembling: All signs your system is letting go.
Stillness after chaos: The return of rest.
Simple Somatic Tools to Start (That Actually Work)
You don’t need an hour.
You don’t need fancy gear.
You need presence—with yourself, in your body.
Here are ways to begin:
Grounding Touch: Press your hands together. Feel the pressure. Name what’s real: I’m here. I’m safe.
Vagus Nerve Breathing: Inhale for 4, exhale for 8. Repeat. Let your body learn slow = safe.
Orienting: Look around your space slowly. Name 5 things you see. Remind your brain: No threat now.
Shake it Out: Stand and let your body move in any way. No rules. Just move.