TRE at home, Shaking at Home to relieve Stress

TRE at home is a self help technique to help you keep your nervous system regulated, lower stress and keep calm.

Now, more than ever, we need to access our innate ability to down-regulate our responses to stress. Luckily we have this organic ability built into our nervous system! When we get too ‘charged’ the body knows how to ‘discharge’ patterns of tension and bring us back to a calm and relaxed place.

TRE at home for ‘Covid Comfort’

As the winter draws in and we are home with our families, you can use TRE with your family, friends or people you are in a bubble with. This is a way to exercise together, have some fun, be playful, and find an interesting new form of social engagement.

Instead of focusing on our troubles, we can use TRE at home as a new way to interact with one another by doing the exercises and shaking together.

Learn how to help your family by connecting in a new a different way. Perhaps you can take some freshness and growth out of a difficult and stressful situation.

If you are quarantine alone, you can also use TRE as an individual to help you relax and connect in with your body and more your attention away from your troubles.

You can also join my online TRE Groups which run twice a month where you can be with other shakers, connect and make new friends. During the Spring lockdown we met weekly, and it was a place of fun, deep connection and healing.

Set up – what do you need?

The Exercises

The exercises can be found on the TRE for All App “Stress-Free with TRE” or on David Berceli’s Trauma Prevention website, where there are intro videos. I recommend getting David’s App as funds from it support his humanitarian initiatives worldwide.

Or if you have an exercise routine that you are used to – perhaps yoga or stretching that you feel comfortable with, its okay to start there. However, take your time with each exercise and give yourself permission to sink into your body and ‘listen’ to how your body feels.

Equipment

Wear loose comfortable clothing, as you would to a gym class. You will need something comfortable to lie on like a yoga mat or a towel. Have a blanket or cushions to hand, it important that you feel comfortable when you tremor – TRE at home is not an endurance sport. We do not push though discomfort, we listen to it and respond to ourselves kindly. Do you need a cushion under your head? A thicker mat? A softer blanket?

Location

Choose a place in your house that feels comfortable and safe. Maybe somewhere that isn’t overlooked so that you have some privacy from strangers – for example, by a large open window might feel too exposed. Having our pets around us can be very comforting, often our animals are a great source of co-regulation and can be with us when we tremor.

How long should I shake for?

10 minutes is a great starting point. Set a timer and see how that feels. If you find yourself drifting away, perhaps start with a shorter time. Use your breath to stay in your body, let yourself ‘drop in’ and connect as your tremors develop.

Integration, digesting your shake

Giving yourself time to integrate your shake is just as important as the tremors. This is a time to notice how your body feels, to sink into the subtle differences, to give yourself the gift of deep relaxation. Many find that they fit their self practice in before bed time, so that they can integrate in bed and have a deep, long sleep. Try it and see if that works for you.

A Marathon not a Sprint

Finally remember that TRE at home is a marathon not a sprint, like yoga or meditation it is a regular practice and the effects build over time. Most people start to feel more relaxed and less stressed as they start using TRE as a self-care tool, but it is not a ‘magic bullet’. In my experience, not many things are!

However, if anything feels too much or too stimulating, stop and let your body digest the tremors. I strongly recommend getting some guidance from a TRE Provider and joining groups to learn from others as your tremors develop.

Isolation in lockdown can be very damaging for us all. We are helped in safe connection with others. My Groups are small, friendly and welcoming. We meet on the last Friday and first Monday of the month – join us!