So what the heck is my Window of Tolerance (WOT)? And why do i need to know about it?
I first encountered this term in my work as a Somatic Psychotherapist and specifically through Peter Levine's work called Somatic Experiencing. The WOT is the window in which we are experiencing stressors but they are still tolerable for our nervous system. So the nervous system can keep coming back to a balanced homeostasis between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system. I think a really common misconception is that we can only be in one or the other and that is not true--they are not mutually exclusive. In fact, an alert and relaxed body and mind is ideal.
The sympathetic nervous system, or our "fight or flight" response, is the mechanism by which we recognize and respond to threat. Depending on the threats, this response is designed to be short lived. But with big threats the body will start releasing stress hormones and go into prolonged periods of fight or flight and can lead to adrenal burnout. When we are in our sympathetic nervous system continuously we leave our WOT. This can result from having no sense of safety, continual stimulation, and continued stress.
The para sympathetic nervous system, or our "rest and digest" response is responsible for bringing us in to a restful state in the body. We are in this state when there is no threat on the horizon and when we feel safe.
A lot of my work as a somatic psychotherapist is to bring people back in to their WOT. I can tell you that most of us are out of it these days. Signs you are out of it are over sized emotions such as anger or sadness and an inability to regulate them. For example unable to stop crying or lashing out in harmful ways. You may also feel apathetic, depressed, dissociative, forgetful, exhausted or run down. I just recently made a 20 minute yoga practice which has most of the tools used to bring you back into your WOT. If you think you are out of yours please try doing this video.
I will list some tools here as well:
1. Breathing-Breathing help us come back into the body and slow down. It also massages the Vegus Nerve which is actually responsible for stimulating the para sympathetic nervous system and therefore bringing us back into the WOT.
2. Sequencing- When we are traumatized, or out of our WOT, the front of the brain, which is the rational brain, will start shutting down and the limbic brain, or emotional brain, will get over active. This means we become forgetful, dissociative etc. and overwhelmed by our emotions. Sequencing helps the front of the brain remain open. So breathing, and repeating movements really helps.
3. Focusing on The Present- We can easily get overwhelmed when we leave our WOT. So coming into the present makes things more local and less global. We come into the present by focusing the mind on just the task at hand.
4. Discharging -Simply the ways our nervous system discharges it's sympathetic overload to come back into the WOT. So, allowing yourself to shake, cry, yawn or even laugh in a safe space can help your nervous system discharge it’s sympathetic charge.
I hope this is helpful. If you think you are traumatized and unable to get back into your WOT please contact me or seek another professional who can help you. This is specific work so make sure you are in the right hands. You deserve to feel safe and nurtured right now. If you found this blog useful please share your thoughts and comments below.