How does shaking help us?

“Shaking your body is a really simple strategy to help you to regulate your nervous system,” advises chartered psychologist Catherine Hallissey. “It’s especially helpful when you’re feeling overstimulated and full of nervous energy, such as before a job interview or a big presentation.

“When we experience stress throughout the day, the body responds by activating the sympathetic nervous system, triggering the fight or flight response. However, if we do not have to run or fight for our lives, the fight or flight response does not get discharged and can be stored in the body, increasing the risk of chronic stress. Shaking is one way to reset the nervous system by discharging the fight or flight response.”

Put simply, shaking our bodies allows us to use up the excess adrenaline that’s coursing through our veins. “Shaking releases tension held in the body and burns up extra adrenaline to help you return to your baseline state,” says Brotheridge. “It can help you regulate your emotions by physically processing a build-up of anger, worry and sadness, and calms us down.”

Could shaking your body be the perfect stress reliever? Why shaking it off is so good for us