What Is the Window of Tolerance?
The window of tolerance is a psychological concept introduced by renowned psychiatrist, Dr. Dan Siegel. When in our window of tolerance, we can think and act clearly, responding to stressors and life’s demands with balance and control. Here, we feel present and engaged and can function mindfully and effectively. The window of tolerance corresponds to the concept of Wise Mind, which we often discuss in DBT.
In contrast to being in our widow of tolerance, there are times when we become hyper- or hypoaroused. Hyperarousal is characterized by activation, overwhelm, and sometimes even panic. Other features of hyperarousal include irritability/anger, muscle tension, difficulty concentrating, sleep issues, racing thoughts, and emotional overwhelm. Hyperarousal is the state associated with the body’s fight-or-flight response, triggered when we perceive danger or threat.
Hypoarousal can also be a response to danger and is sometimes indicative of greater threat perception. Instead of too much arousal, hypoarousal is characterized by systemic shutdown. This state is associated with the nervous system’s freeze response and characterized by feelings of numbness and fatigue and experiences of dissociation, being checked out, or shut down. Other signs of hypoarousal include low energy, an inability to think, and depression.
Typically, when an organism senses a threat, it will try to run, fight, or cry for help. When those options are unavailable, it will shut down, even playing dead, to give it its best chance at survival. A similar process happens in humans. We’ll choose fleeing, fighting, or soliciting help when we can. If these aren’t realistic, then our nervous systems instead collapse, which we experience as numbness, immobility, dissociation, derealization, and more.
Factors Impacting the Window of Tolerance
A number of factors impact the window of tolerance, both acute and chronic. The most notorious predictor of difficulties in this area is complex trauma, particularly that which occurs early in life. “Complex” refers to trauma that is repeated or prolonged and often interpersonal. Trauma of this sort can narrow our window, so that smaller stressors send us into hyper-or hypoarousal. A smaller window means that it’s easier to become dysregulated; when your footing is already unsteady, it doesn’t take a major shove to cause you to stumble. Other factors that can impact the window of tolerance include pain and other physical ailments, alcohol or substance use, sleep, nutrition, physical activity, stress and burnout, and access to social support.
Working with Your Window of Tolerance
First things first, it’s important to know that if your window of tolerance is narrower than you’d like, this isn’t a personal shortcoming or something for which you should judge yourself. It just is. And it’s also something that you can address through a series of practices, including:
Mindfulness: Developing a mindfulness practice can help you become aware of your triggers and responses. What are the kinds of stimuli that keep you in your window versus bring you out of it? When you leave your window, what happens next in your body? How long does it take you to return to feeling regulated? Observing without judgment can help you learn about your nervous system, as well as feel more in control of what happens for you.
Regulating the body: Attending to your body by balancing sleep, physical activity, and eating (essentially, practicing the PLEASE skills we teach in DBT), can help keep you in your window of tolerance. As we say in DBT, we regulate the mind by regulating the body. It’s nearly impossible to feel grounded, present, and safe when your system is out of balance because you didn’t get enough sleep, don’t feel well, are under-nourished, or otherwise feel out of sorts. While stressors are part of life, regulating your body is one thing you can do to try to mitigate your reactions to them.
Down-Regulating: When hyperaroused, several exercises are available that might assist you in returning to your window of tolerance. Many people find grounding helpful, the idea of physically rooting into the earth. In our industrialized world, this can look like sitting or standing tall, lengthening your spine, or pressing your feet firmly into the floor. Another option is to narrate your experience, giving words to your sensations. “I’m feeling very agitated right now.” “This is a flashback.” “My heart is beating very rapidly.” Using language activates the prefrontal cortex in the brain, which can regulate the more emotional, mammalian brain areas. Other interventions include wrapping yourself up in a blanket; exposing yourself to cool temperatures; or taking some mindful, intentional breaths.
Up-Regulating: When hypoaroused, the goal of self-regulation is to activate. You might experiment with moving your limbs, shaking your body, squeezing your arms or legs, or otherwise physically engaging the body. Pressing the arms into a wall or bed can help activate them. Swinging the legs or walking can bring some movement and life back into the lower body. To combat the experience of numbness, it can be helpful to bring your attention to the senses. What can you see? Hear? Feel? Smell? Taste? Especially if you’re not feeling much, you can experiment with activating the senses through exposure to specific stimuli – listening to some music, lighting a candle, or eating a tasty meal, for example.
It’s important to keep in mind that the above practices and interventions are general ideas that must be individualized to be effective. As you begin to practice these skills, you will develop increased awareness around what works, what doesn’t, and what you might try next. Many folks turn to therapy to guide and support them through this process. Being patient and compassionate with yourself as you engage in this work is key. Nervous system regulation doesn’t happen in a day. But with practice, attention, and curiosity, you can learn how to expand your window of tolerance to feel more grounded and regulated in your day-to-day life.