What is Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome (UARS)?

UARS is a form of sleep-disordered breathing where the airway narrows subtly during sleep without fully collapsing, triggering micro-arousals that prevent deep, restorative sleep.

Why does UARS affect women more than men?

UARS is approximately three times more prevalent in women than men. Female hormones progesterone and estrogen directly influence airway muscle tone, and their decline during menopause increases risk.

Is there a connection between UARS and fibromyalgia?

Research suggests a strong connection. A 2004 study found that 27 of 28 women with fibromyalgia had sleep-disordered breathing consistent with UARS, and CPAP treatment improved symptoms 23-47%.

Somatic Movement vs. Yoga: What's the Difference?"I already do yoga. Why would I need this?"

Oct 19

Written by N Tavernier

Somatic Movement vs. Yoga: What's the Difference?

By Nicole Tavernier, Somatic Educator | The Functional Living Method™ | Branford, CT and online

“I already do yoga. Why would I need this?"

That’s one of the first things people ask me, and it’s a fair question. The people who ask it usually take good care of their bodies. Many of them also hold their breath at their desk, brace their shoulders on hard calls, and clench their jaw mid-workout without ever noticing.

Here's the short answer. Yoga and fitness train what your body can do. Somatic movement teaches you to notice how you're doing it: the extra effort, the held breath, the tension you stopped feeling years ago. You don't have to quit yoga. Most people find this makes everything they already do feel easier.

I'm Nicole Tavernier, a Somatic Educator in Branford, Connecticut, and the creator of The Functional Living Method™. "I already do yoga" is one of the first things people tell me. Here's how I answer.

What's the real difference between somatic movement and yoga?

It comes down to what you pay attention to.

• Fitness measures output: how far, how heavy, how many, how fast.

• Yoga usually gives you a shape to work toward: a posture, a sequence, a flow.

• Somatic movement asks a quieter question: How are you doing this right now, and is there an easier way?

In a session, that might look like noticing that you hold your breath every time you turn your head. Or that your jaw tightens when you lift your arm. Or that you brace your belly before you even stand up.

You can be strong, flexible, and years into a yoga practice and still carry habits like these without knowing it. That isn't a flaw in your yoga. It's just something yoga isn't designed to look for.

Is "somatic yoga" the same thing?

Not quite. "Somatic yoga" has become a popular label, and it can mean anything from a slow, mindful yoga class to somatic exercises taught on a yoga mat. Some of it is lovely.

My work comes straight from two specific methods, Feldenkrais and Hanna Somatics, which have their own history and their own way of teaching. There's no pose to get right. Noticing is the whole point.

Where does this work come from?

Moshe Feldenkrais was an engineer and judo teacher who built a method around learning instead of stretching or strengthening. His lessons use slow, small, often unfamiliar movements so you can feel differences you'd normally miss and find easier ways to move. He wrote about it in Awareness Through Movement (1972).

Thomas Hanna trained with Feldenkrais and developed his own approach. In Somatics (1988), he argued that stress and repetition can leave muscles held tight without our noticing. His technique, pandiculation, means slowly contracting a muscle on purpose, then releasing it even more slowly while you pay close attention.

So instead of "Can I stretch farther?" we ask "Can I feel when I'm tightening? What happens if I do less?" You're not forcing a new shape. You're giving your nervous system better information.

"But we already do breath work in yoga."

You might, and that's great. As an Oxygen Advantage® Advanced Instructor, I'm less interested in what happens during a breathing exercise and more interested in how you breathe the rest of the day. On a tough phone call. Halfway up a hill. Staring at a screen at 4 p.m.

Breathing habits like mouth breathing, breath holding, and frequent sighing are more common than people think. A UK study of adults in a general practice estimated that dysfunctional breathing may affect up to 1 in 10 people without asthma, and about 3 in 10 people with it.

We work on what fits you. Some techniques, like long breath holds, aren't right for everyone, so we adapt.

Isn't nervous system work just relaxation?

No. Calm is nice, but it isn't the goal. Capacity is.

Through my State Flexibility™ framework and Play Zone Pro coaching, we work on noticing shifts in your state sooner and choosing what to do with them. Can you catch your shoulders rising before you feel overwhelmed? Can you tell when good effort is turning into strain? Can you shift gears on purpose, into focus, into rest, or into asking for help?

For people who are used to pushing through, building capacity often starts with something surprising: noticing a limit earlier.

Who is somatic movement for?

• Athletes who want to understand how they spend effort, in training and out of it.

• Physicians and other high-stakes professionals who hold it together all day and feel it in their bodies at night.

• High achievers who are great at pushing and want more range than "on" and "off."

• Long-time yoga students who've plateaued or keep tweaking the same spot.

• Anyone whose everyday movement feels like more work than it should.

What happens in a session?

Every session starts with what you bring. We talk about what you've been noticing. Then I guide you through slow, small movements, usually lying on a mat or sitting in a chair, and we pay attention to your breath along the way. Nothing is forced. There's nothing to perform.

You leave with one or two simple things to explore on your own: at your desk, at the gym, or on your yoga mat. Sessions are one-on-one, in person at Tantien in Branford, Connecticut, or online by Zoom.

What does the research say?

Honestly? It's promising, but there isn't much of it yet.

A 2022 meta-analysis from the University of Valencia in Spain looked at 16 trials of Feldenkrais group lessons. It found better balance and mobility in older adults and some benefits for neck and shoulder pain. A 2024 review by Cochrane Australia for the Australian Government rated the overall evidence as very low certainty, mainly because the studies are small. Research on Hanna Somatics is even thinner.

So I won't tell you this is "better than yoga." It's a different kind of learning, and for a lot of people it fills a gap they didn't know was there.

Frequently asked questions:

Do I have to stop doing yoga to try somatic movement?

No. Somatic movement works alongside yoga, strength training, running, or any practice you enjoy. Most people find it helps them notice habits they bring into those practices, so the practices themselves can feel easier.

Is somatic yoga the same as somatic movement?

Not exactly. "Somatic yoga" is a broad label that can mean a slow, mindful yoga class or somatic movements taught on a yoga mat. Somatic movement rooted in Feldenkrais and Hanna Somatics is its own method, focused on sensing how you organize movement rather than on poses.

Is somatic movement good for athletes?

It can be a useful addition. Athletes already train strength and conditioning. Somatic work adds attention to how you organize movement, where you use more effort than you need, and how you breathe under load. Most training plans skip that.

What is the difference between Feldenkrais and Hanna Somatics?

Both teach learning through movement and sensation. Feldenkrais uses slow, varied movement lessons to improve awareness and find easier options. Hanna Somatics, developed by Thomas Hanna, who trained with Feldenkrais, adds pandiculation: slowly contracting a muscle and then releasing it even more slowly to reduce habitual tension.

Can I do somatic movement sessions online?

Yes. Nicole Tavernier offers one-on-one sessions in person at Tantien in Branford, Connecticut, and online by Zoom for clients anywhere.

Is somatic movement a medical treatment?

No. The Functional Living Method™ is movement, breathing, and self-regulation education. It does not diagnose or treat medical conditions and does not replace care from a licensed health professional.

Ready to feel the difference?

If you've read this far, you probably already suspect there's something you're not noticing. That's exactly what a session is for.

Book a one-on-one session in Branford, CT, or online. Keep your yoga. You'll just bring more to it.

→ Book a session with Nicole

We start where your system is, not where you think it should be.

Educational note: This work is movement, breathing, and self-regulation education. It does not diagnose or treat any medical condition and does not replace care from a licensed health professional.