The window of tolerance is the zone where intense emotional arousal can be processed in a healthy way, allowing you to function and react to stress or anxiety effectively.

It allows you to respond to the demands and stress of everyday life without much difficulty. It is the comfort zone in which we have the ability to self-soothe and self-regulate our emotional state.

Try and think of a time when you were in a balanced calm state of mind, you felt relaxed and in control. Do you remember feeling calm, grounded, alert, safe, and present? This is what it feels like when you are in the optimal zone.

How Trauma Can Affect Your Window of Tolerance

When the balance is interfered with, either due to trauma or extreme stress, we end up leaving our window of tolerance. Our bodies typically react defensively to this.

This is where you will begin to dysregulate and experience fight or flight responses. If it is not possible to fight or flee, your body will collapse to the freeze state.