The Window of Tolerance
I first learned about the Window of Tolerance when I started working in Trauma services. I believe it would be helpful if everybody knew about it as it can help us to understand more about our body and how it responds to stress and trauma. It can also support us to understand other people’s behaviour which we find challenging.
The Window of Tolerance describes the rest and digest state of the body. In this state, we can make informed decisions, think and respond calmly to life’s challenges. We feel safe in our body. If we are out of our window of tolerance, we experience one of two states. We can move into ‘fight or flight’ which is the hyperarousal state. When we are hyperaroused, we can feel chaotic, anxious, angry, or overwhelmed. The other state we can move into is ‘freeze or faun.’ This is hypoarousal: here we can feel exhausted, numb, depressed, or disconnected. It is normal to move into ‘hyper’ or ‘hypo’ aroused states when we are experiencing stress or challenging experiences.
Some people have a narrower Window of Tolerance; this can be due to chronic stress, traumatic events, prolonged illness, childhood trauma, or a series of challenging life events. Some people can find it difficult to stay within their window of tolerance: they may become stuck in ‘hyper’ or ‘hypo’ arousal, may swing between the two, or in extreme cases may move into a dissociative state at one extreme of ‘hyper’ or ‘hypo.’ People who have a narrow Window of Tolerance or who are rarely in their Window of Tolerance tend to not feel ‘safe.’
Learning about the Window of Tolerance and starting to notice where you are in the Window can be helpful; noticing what is going on in our bodies is a good indicator of where we are. A racing mind and inability to focus – suggests hyperarousal. Feeling exhausted and having a heavy feeling in our body suggests hypoarousal. The quality of our sleep, our appetite, and our bowel movements can also be good indicators of whether we are in the Window of Tolerance or not.
To find out more about the Window of Tolerance, visit:
https://laurakkerr.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Kerr_WOT-Guide_2025_English-.pdf
Body work such as reflexology and massage can help us to return to optimal arousal where our bodies are able to rest and digest because they work on promoting relaxation and calming the body. The more we engage in body work, the more aware we become of when our bodies are within the window of tolerance, and we can start to recognise when we are moving into hyper or hypo arousal. This awareness can help us to make informed decisions about how we look after ourselves. We may find it easier to say no, recognise when we need to slow down and rest, and to do things that help nourish and restore us.