Somatic Practices and Their Impact on the Emotional and Physical Well-Being of Women: Evidence, Mechanisms, and the Dotyk Method

Abstract

Chronic stress and nervous system dysregulation disproportionately affect women worldwide, with the 2024 Ipsos World Mental Health Day survey reporting that 66% of women globally experience stress that impairs daily functioning, compared with 58% of men. Despite this documented burden, access to body-centered, non-pharmacological forms of support remains limited, and the mechanisms through which somatic practices support physiological and emotional change are not yet fully integrated into everyday wellness and practitioner frameworks. This review examines current evidence on body-oriented practices, including somatic movement, breathwork, and interoceptive training, and their relationship to autonomic regulation, emotional stability, sleep quality, and chronic muscular tension in women. Drawing on controlled studies, meta-analyses, and polyvagal- informed theory, the article proposes a three-stage nervous system state transition model and presents the Dotyk Method, a somatic movement- based approach developed and implemented by the author, a choreographer and body practitioner. The program was designed for women experiencing chronic stress-related symptoms, including anxiety, persistent muscular tension, fatigue, emotional instability, and reduced body awareness. A preliminary case-based analysis of twelve adult female participants aged 20–34 who completed a six-week online Dotyk program indicates consistent improvements in perceived stress, muscular tension, emotional stability, body awareness, energy level, daily functioning, and overall well-being. Improvements were reported by the majority of participants, with ten out of twelve showing positive changes across physiological, emotional, and behavioral domains. Findings are relevant to somatic practitioners, psychologists, wellness professionals, and health program designers seeking accessible body-centered approaches for nervous system support.