Pause. Breathe. Hope. Heal.
Dear Reader! To make life easier for you, I wanted to give you this information in a couple different formats. You can either read this blog post, or click the link below to download the podcast and listen to the episode on the go.
Window of Tolerance is a term originated by Dr. Dan Siegel. It describes our optimal zone where we are able to regulate our emotions, think clearly, communicate effectively, and connect in healthy ways with others.
However, a threat, increased and continual stress, or trauma can push us out of our window of tolerance. This can land us in a place of hyperarousal or hypoarousal.
If someone experiences Hyperarousal, they may notice symptoms of increased anxiety, hypervigilance, agitation, or anger. Their fight or flight is activated. They’ll feel like they can’t calm down. They may notice that their thoughts are racing, and that they are more emotionally reactive than usual.
If someone experiences Hypoarousal, they may notice symptoms of sadness, depression, or dissociation. They’re experiencing numbness, an absence of sensations, they may be feeling hopeless, and experience themselves shutting down. They may find themselves detaching, isolating, and withdrawing from others.
In order to get from hyperarousal back to our optimal zone, we need to ground ourselves in the present moment, and self-regulate. We can use any self-soothing skills from our emotional regulation tool-belt like:
- Deep breathing
- Dancing
- Bouncing on a trampoline
- Going for a nature walk
- Lying under a weighted blanket
- Listening to calm music in order to calm down
These kinds of activities will help up get into our optimal arousal zone.
In order to get from hypoarousal back to our optimal zone, we need to orient ourselves to the present time, and the place we’re in. We can use gentle stimulation like:
- Vigorous exercise
- Engaging our 5 senses in a mindful way
- Smelling essential oils
- Chewing ice or crunchy foods
- Talking to a safe friend or family member
These types of things can help us get back to our optimal arousal zone.
To help with both hyperarousal and hypoarousal, we can also:
- Eat healthy
- Exercise regularly
- Get a good night sleep each night
- Build a supportive community around us
- Practice mindfulness
- Get appropriate mental health support.
Engaging in these kinds of activities can help us to widen our optimal zone. The more we can widen our window of tolerance, the more we’ll be able to engage the regular challenges of life with increased hope and resiliency.
So, right now as you read this post, remember to take a moment in your day to remind yourself to pause, breathe, hope, and heal.
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