Somatic Exercises for Resentment, Anger & Stored Tension

Why emotional tension can stay in the body Emotional tension is not only a mental experience. It also shows up through the body’s stress and regulation systems: breathing, heart rate, muscle tone, posture, interoception, and autonomic activity. Research consistently shows that emotional state is linked with both autonomic nervous system activity and somatic motor activity, which helps explain why something unresolved can feel like tightness in the jaw, pressure in the chest, a knot in the stomach, or a body that stays a little braced. When an experience feels unfinished, the body may keep organizing around it. That does not mean anything is wrong with you. It means the nervous system is still tracking load, meaning, and safety through bodily signals. Interoception, the brain’s perception of internal body state, plays a major role in emotional experience and emotion regulation, which is one reason body-based practices can feel so relevant when emotions seem hard to think your way out of. What science says about anger, hostility, and “holding on” There is a substantial body of research linking chronic anger and hostility with stress physiology, cardiovascular reactivity, inflammation, and poorer recovery after stress. This does not mean every difficult feeling is dangerous, but it does show that long-standing emotional strain can have measurable physiological correlates. Studies and reviews have linked anger-hostility traits with cardiovascular risk, inflammatory markers and stronger or less efficient physiological responses to stress. For many people, what gets called resentment may include a mix of anger, thwarted boundary energy, repetitive stress activation, and incomplete recovery. From a nervous system lens, that often feels like something is still circulating inside rather than fully settling. That pattern fits with evidence showing that anger-related states can shape heart rate, cortisol responses, autonomic reflexes, and downstream cardiovascular processes. Why body-based practices can help Mind-body practices are being studied because they influence multiple systems at once: breath, attention, movement, interoception, and autonomic regulation. Reviews suggest that slow breathing can increase vagally mediated heart rate variability, which is one marker associated with parasympathetic regulation and flexible stress response. Mindful movement practices also appear to support emotional well-being partly through this body-awareness and regulation pathway. This matters because regulation is not always about making a feeling disappear. It is often about helping the body come out of a fixed pattern and into more mobility, more sensory clarity, and more choice. Interoceptive awareness skills have been proposed as one mechanism by which body-based work supports emotion regulation, especially when someone learns to notice sensation without getting pulled completely into the stress story. Common places people feel this in the body People often notice emotional holding in areas that are heavily involved in breath, posture, expression, and protective bracing, such as: -jaw and mouth -throat and neck -chest and ribs -upper belly / solar plexus -shoulders and upper back That pattern makes physiological sense. Emotional state influences postural control and somatic muscle activity, and neck, chest and trunk tension are closely tied to breathing mechanics and protective organization. A gentle reminder This video is not about forcing release or trying to “fix” yourself. It is about creating conditions where the body may have a little more room to process what has felt held. Change in the nervous system is often gradual. More breath, less bracing, more awareness, and a small increase in internal space are all meaningful shifts. Research on mind-body and contemplative practices continues to support the idea that attention to breath, sensation, and movement can shape stress physiology, emotional regulation, and subjective well-being over time. - Find more practices on my website: https://www.shebreath.com/store YouTube:    / @shebreath_teresa   Instagram: shebreath_official TikTok: sheBREATH Facebook: sheBREATH Substack: https://substack.com/@shebreath - Disclaimer: The content provided on this channel is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Teresa Trieb is not responsible for any liabilities, injuries, or damages that may occur from following the information or advice in these videos. By voluntarily participating in these somatic exercises, you agree to do so at your own risk and accept full responsibility for any potential damage. You may consult a healthcare professional before beginning somatic exercises. These exercises are intended as a general guide; always pay attention to your body's signals and discontinue if you feel unwell. If you experience sensations such as tingling, ear ringing, dizziness, light-headedness or similar symptoms, please remain calm, as they are completely normal.