UiA Bibliotek Blog

Move Through Stress—Literally

When exams (or any high-pressure moment) start to build up, it’s easy to get stuck in your head—spinning through thoughts, worries, or trying to think your way into calm. That never works.

The fastest way to shift out of stress isn’t more thinking. It’s movement.

Your body gives you something solid to focus on. It anchors you in the present and helps settle your nervous system. When your mind is overloaded, your body can lead you back to clarity.

Here’s a simple, structured technique that uses movement, breath, and focus to help you reset—fast.

‣ focus your attention on your feet. You can walk back and forth a little bit, feeling your feet. Start “pressing” your feet into the floor.

‣ as you inhale, gently lift up straightening your knees, and exhale and squat down smoothly.

‣ you can use your hands too: while inhaling raise your hands up to the level of your heart and lower them down when you are exhaling. Keep doing squatting.

‣ start making “a wave”. While exhaling, push out with the feet off the floor, bringing “the wave” to the pelvis. Tuck the tailbone under yourself. Then the spine starts to align itself and when it reaches the neck, push the chin slightly into itself.

‣ as you inhale, release your chin, relax your spine, release your tailbone, pulling your pelvis back, bending your lower back slightly.

‣  while doing this we keep focusing out attention on feet, being stable and supportive.