Toolbox
Recovering From a Stressful Event
Have you ever experienced a shock, a fright, a big event or strong emotions and afterwards found it difficult to settle?
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After an argument: You might notice your heart is still racing or you keep replaying the conversation in your mind, even though it's over.
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After a near miss while driving: Even once you're safe, your hands may still feel shaky or you may feel 'on edge' for some time afterwards.
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After receiving unexpected bad news: You may feel numb at first, then find it difficult to settle or concentrate for the rest of the day.
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After a stressful day at work: You get home exhausted, but when you lie down to sleep your mind won't switch off.
It's possible that some of the adrenaline and cortisol released to help you cope with that experience are still contributing to how your body feels.
When animals experience something stressful, they will often have a hearty shake—almost like they're "shaking it off." This instinctive behaviour is thought to help their bodies settle after a stressful event and return to a calmer state.
As humans, we often don’t think to do this. We often get on with the next thing and keep going. Then we try to go to sleep at night and we are both wired and tired and can’t sleep.
After a stressful experience, our bodies often benefit from opportunities to settle and recover. Movement is one way of helping your body complete this process. Here are some examples:
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Walking
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Swimming
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Dancing
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Yoga or stretching
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Going to the gym
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Star jumps
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Squats
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Toe raises
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High knee lifts
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Wall pushes
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Gently shaking your arms, legs or whole body
If movement isn't possible or doesn't feel right for you, you might like to try a progressive muscle relaxation exercise. This involves gently tensing and then relaxing different muscle groups, usually starting at your feet and working your way up your body. There are many guided versions available online or on Spotify. One guided exercise that I personally like is by Carmen Warrington.
The aim isn't intense exercise. It's to help your body release some of the physical activation that can remain after a stressful experience. Even a few minutes of gentle movement can be helpful.
