Why does it seem that at times we can regulate our emotions, and other times it feels like our body and mind take over and we just can’t “snap out of it”? Maybe you feel triggered and all of a sudden you feel shut down, numb, and want to hide or go to sleep. Or it could be that you feel worried and anxious and you can’t slow your thoughts or heart rate enough to return to a state of calm. Sometimes these feelings pass easily, and other times they disrupt our ability to function within our routines, including with food and movement.
These questions may be considered using the model of the Window of Tolerance, which is a part of polyvagal theory. This idea explains the arousal mechanisms of the body and brain, and how when activated they can sometimes lead to feeling a loss of control. This includes hyperarousal (feeling anxious, angry, overwhelmed, fight or flight) and hypoarousal (feeling numb, frozen, shut down). At times when you are feeling heightened sense of stress or trauma, our “window of tolerance” for certain emotions can be more narrow. Yet, when we are feeling more connected, safe, and supported, our window of tolerance can be wider. When we are within that window of tolerance, it can feel like the stressors in your life are not overwhelming, and you can handle what comes your way.
Infographic of the Window of Tolerance
So, what does this have to do with nutrition? When our window of tolerance is more narrow, our relationship with food and body can be impacted, and disordered behaviors and thoughts can be used as a coping tool. It is important to work toward identifying what state you are in and what you can do to widen your tolerance of distress, so disordered eating behaviors are not the default response. Working with your therapist and dietitian can help you understand and identify how this process works for you.
Here are some prompts to help you identify what you may be experiencing, and how to respond:
Feelings wheel
What is my current state of regulation (hyperarousal vs hypoarousal) and what are the symptoms that help me recognize this?
What may have triggered this state? (You can use the feelings wheel to help you identify the feeling)
Where do I feel it in my body?
What might this feeling need to become soothed?
How will reacting to my behavioral urges impact this feeling right now? In 1 hour? Tomorrow?
What else could I do instead to soothe? For example, if eating is soothing, is there an amount of food you could eat that could widen your window of tolerance without causing physical pain or added distress?
Once you have worked on building awareness of your own thresholds, you can practice adding in other activities that help you regulate and feel connected, to expand your window of tolerance. For example: breathing exercises, meditation, imagery, sleep, reaching out to a loved one for co-regulation, physical movement, creative activities, or any other grounding techniques you may have learned along the way.
If you are looking to better understand your window of tolerance and improve your relationship with food and body, we are happy to help you on this journey. Reach out to us to schedule an initial consultation or request a free 15-minute discovery call.
Additional Resources
I really like this blog post on Mind My Peelings which explores this in depth, along with the importance of recognizing and managing your Window of Tolerance.
The author includes worksheets on topics, including Window of Tolerance Awareness, Challenging Cognitive Distortions, and Challenging Automatic Negative Thoughts Worksheet.
Here is another infographic that can help visualize the concept of the Window of Tolerance.
