Success is directly linked to how much stress a person can regulate. That is one of the truths I keep seeing play out in business, and it is one of the things I have started to understand more deeply through Islam. The daily Salah, the sujud, and the recitation of Quran and dhikr are not just spiritual acts, they are also powerful somatic healing tools that keep the nervous system in check. I want to share what I discovered.
I have just discovered yet another amazing thing in Islam.
Success can only come to those who are able to handle very high levels of stress (our level of success is based on how much stress we can handle).
Regulate the Nervous System Daily
We must constantly regulate our nervous system and process all the stressful situations we have to deal with on a daily basis.
If we don’t process all the stressful situations properly, the negative emotions get stored in our body.
The body keeps score of everything we don’t process. Over time, unresolved stress becomes stored tension, and that stored tension is what limits how much more we can carry going forward.
Trying to Be Good but Still Getting Triggered
Have you ever found that you are trying so hard to be a good person but you still keep getting triggered over really minor things?
I get really triggered by sounds, for example when people play their phone on loudspeaker really loud in public places or in the elevator, also the squeaky breaks of moped bikes disturb me so much, it triggers anger and frustration.
This is because I still have stored up emotions of anger and frustration inside me.
The small triggers usually point to a bigger stored emotion. When I catch myself reacting strongly to something trivial, I know it is a signal that there is something inside me that still needs to be released.
How to Get Trapped Emotions Out
I was asking myself the other day, how can I get these trapped emotions out of me?
I was googling and I found out the most powerful way to release trapped emotions is through somatic healing, like humming techniques, certain body movements and deep breathing etc.
Then when I thought about it, I realised the prayer routine has all these somatic healing techniques that I wasn’t utilizing!
Everything the wellness world is now packaging as somatic healing is already inside the Salah, given to us by Allah more than 1400 years ago. Once I saw this, my whole approach to prayer changed.
Praying With Presence and Attention
Previously, when I was praying, I was doing it cause I know I have to and cause I know Allah is watching our every move; I know I need His connection to stay close to Him and to be protected throughout the day.
But now I realize that apart from this, when we pray slowly with more presence, the recitation of the prayer, dua, and Zikr has a somatic affect on the body when you pay attention from this point of view.
The prayer stops being a task and becomes a full experience. Slowing down the recitation, feeling the words, and staying present in each movement multiplies the healing that already lives inside the act.
The Sujud Position and the Vagus Nerve
The Sujud position stimulates our vagus nerve, as well as a somatic healing effect as we lower the body to the floor so that 7 points of contact touch the ground (our forehead and nose (as one point), both palms, both knees and toes of both feet.
Every element of the sujud has purpose. The seven points of contact, the position of the head, and the surrender of the body all work together on the body and the heart at the same time.
Gravity and Blood Flow
Gravity and Blood Flow: When our head is positioned below our heart in sujood, gravity assists blood circulation. This increased flow of oxygenated blood to the brain stimulates the baroreceptors (blood pressure sensors) in the neck, which send signals via the vagus nerve to slow our heart rate.
This is why the calm after a good prayer feels so physical. The position itself is signalling the body to move out of fight or flight and into a state of rest and repair.
Abdominal Pressure and Deep Breathing
Abdominal Pressure: The physical folding of our body and pressure on our abdomen during prostration naturally encourages deep, diaphragmatic breathing. Deep exhales and relaxed breathing are well-established methods for stimulating the vagus nerve.
Deep breathing is one of the most trusted tools in modern nervous system work, and it happens naturally inside the Salah. Allah built the healing directly into the posture we bow to Him in.
Dhikr and Vibration
Dhikr and Vibration: The vagus nerve runs near the vocal cords. The rhythmic, gentle vibrations from reciting prayers and dhikr (remembrance of God) acts as an internal massage to the nerve, further calming our nervous system.
Imagine we have this at least 5 times a day!
In my opinion, Islam is a perfect and essential strategy for high performing business leaders.
Five sessions of internal recalibration built into every single day, no matter what is happening in the world, is a gift no wellness routine can match. This is why leaders who practice Islam properly are able to carry more than most.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Does Success Depend On Handling High Stress?
Because our level of success is based on how much stress we can handle. Success only comes to those who are able to handle very high levels of stress, which is why regulating the nervous system daily is so important for anyone chasing a bigger life.
Why Do We Get Triggered By Small Things?
Because there are stored up emotions of anger or frustration still inside us. When we don’t process stressful situations properly, the negative emotions get stored in the body and later come out as strong reactions to minor things.
How Does Salah Work As Somatic Healing?
The prayer routine has all the somatic healing techniques that modern wellness is now discovering. Sujud stimulates the vagus nerve, the position increases oxygenated blood flow to the brain, the folded body encourages deep diaphragmatic breathing, and dhikr creates gentle vibrations near the vocal cords that calm the nervous system.
Why Is Sujud Especially Powerful?
Because it puts the head below the heart, allowing gravity to increase circulation to the brain. This stimulates baroreceptors in the neck, which signal the vagus nerve to slow the heart rate. The seven points of contact and the surrender of the whole body all work together on the physical and spiritual level.
Why Is Islam A Strategy For High Performing Leaders?
Because it gives you five sessions of nervous system recalibration every day. No matter what is happening in your business or your life, the Salah keeps you grounded, present, and calm. In my opinion, Islam is a perfect and essential strategy for high performing business leaders.