Heel Drops for Stress Relief

Hello! For last week’s Tranquility Thursday, I gave you the absolute simplest grounding technique, pressing evenly through the feet. Today I offer what is arguably the second simplest: heel drops. Standing barefoot in grass and massaging your feet could also qualify for that distinction. The thing that makes heel drops even simpler is that they can be done anywhere and are easy to incorporate into activities you’re already doing. I often fit them in while cooking or washing dishes. Check out my demonstration here.

You can also call these calf raises. In the context of nervous system regulation, I prefer the term “heel drops” since it is the motion of dropping into the floor that contains the soothing property. Starting with your feet parallel and hip-distance apart, try them for 30 seconds to a minute, one to three times. You can link the movements with your breath: inhale up, exhale down. Press evenly through the mounds of the big and little toes.

My 9-year-old son (home sick the past two days) saw me writing this post and asked how many repetitions to do in a minute. There’s no set amount, but go slowly. We did heel drops together for a minute, and his calves and ankles were tired by the end!

If this helped, I’d love it if you shared the post with someone else who needs it. As always, I welcome your feedback.