Somatic Humming Exercise: Finding Your Inner Calm
- waltercombs
- Mar 16
- 2 min read
Purpose: To use humming as a somatic tool for self-soothing, reducing anxiety, and promoting relaxation.
Instructions:
Find a Comfortable Position:
Sit or lie down in a position that feels comfortable and supportive.
Close your eyes gently or soften your gaze.
Allow your body to relax, releasing any unnecessary tension.
Become Aware of Your Breath:
Take a few deep, slow breaths, noticing the rise and fall of your chest or belly.
Feel the air moving in and out of your body.
Let your breath naturally settle into a comfortable rhythm.
Initiate Humming:
Take a deep breath in.
As you exhale, begin to hum.
Let the hum be a gentle, sustained sound.
Experiment with different pitches and tones to find what feels most resonant and calming for you.
You can also hum a favorite song, if that feels more natural.
Feel the Vibrations:
Pay attention to the vibrations in your throat, your chest, and even your face.
Notice how the vibrations feel in your body.
Allow the vibrations to soothe and relax any areas of tension.
Lengthen the Exhale:
Focus on extending the length of your exhale as you hum.
This helps to stimulate the vagus nerve and promote relaxation.
Continue to hum until you have expelled all of your breath.
Repeat and Observe:
Repeat the humming exercise for several rounds, as long as it feels comfortable.
Between rounds, take a few moments to notice how your body and mind feel.
Observe any changes in your level of anxiety or tension.
Grounding and Integration:
When you're ready, gently bring your awareness back to your surroundings.
Take a few more deep breaths.
Notice how you feel after the exercise.
If you notice a positive change, acknowledge that.
Notes for Coaches or Practitioners:
Client Guidance:
Encourage experimentation: Let your client explore different humming sounds and find what works best for them.
Emphasize sensation: Guide them to focus on the physical sensations of the humming.
Promote regular practice: Encourage them to incorporate this exercise into their daily routine, especially during times of stress or anxiety.
Discuss observations: After the exercise, discuss their experience and any insights they gained.
Adaptation: This exercise can be adapted for different needs. For example, if a client has difficulty with deep breathing, focus on gentle, sustained humming.
Important Considerations:
If your client experiences any discomfort or dizziness, advise them to stop and adjust the exercise.
This exercise is a tool for self-soothing, not a replacement for professional mental health treatment.
Today's Somatic Sunday exercise is not a reproduction of another authors work. You may use this for yourself freely and guide others in the practice as well. You may not publish this as your own work as it is copywritten.
If you wish to include this exercise in a published material, please reach out for permission.
© 2025 Walter Combs, LCSW
Comments