Somatic State

Somatic states arise from the body (not the mind) as physical manifestations of emotional responses. These sensations can include muscle tension, sweating, rapid heartbeat, nausea, or changes in breathing — like feeling butterflies in our stomach when anxious or excited. The autonomic nervous system triggers somatic states, with the sympathetic nervous system activating the fight-or-flight response (FFR) and the parasympathetic nervous system promoting relaxation. Also see Somatic Markers and Adaptive Prediction