Understanding the Difference Between Dorsal Vagal Freeze and Fatigue
It's common to feel sluggish, foggy, or lethargic, but distinguishing whether these feelings are due to your nervous system being stuck in a dorsal vagal freeze response or simply because you need rest can be tricky!
Let's explore the differences between these states, how to tell them apart & how to respond.
First up...
The Dorsal Vagal Freeze Response
The dorsal vagal (or freeze) response is a condition regulated by the dorsal vagal branch of the parasympathetic nervous system.
This response is typically linked to a "freeze" state and can emerge in the face of overwhelming stress or trauma. Here’s an overview of how it functions:
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Activation:
In situations of extreme stress, your body may trigger the dorsal vagal response, resulting in shutdown behaviours aimed at conserving energy.
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Symptoms:
This response can show up as profound lethargy, feelings of disconnection, dissociation, and an overwhelming sense of numbness or detachment from your surroundings.
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Biological Purpose:
This mechanism serves as an ancient survival tactic, designed to protect you by lowering metabolic demands when confronted with perceived threats.
So, what is fatigue..
Fatigue
Fatigue, or simply feeling worn out and exhausted, is a state of tiredness that arises from physical exertion, insufficient sleep, or a general depletion of energy reserves. Here’s a breakdown:
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Causes:
Fatigue can stem from activities such as exercise, lack of sleep, poor nutrition, or extended periods of physical or mental activity without breaks.
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Symptoms:
Symptoms may include muscle fatigue, drowsiness, decreased physical performance, and an overall sense of needing rest.
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Biological Purpose:
Fatigue serves as a signal for the body to slow down and recuperate, ensuring that energy reserves are replenished and repair processes can take place.
Clear? Or feeling more confused?
Lets explore further...
Key Differences Between Dorsal Vagal Freeze and Fatigue
To determine whether you are experiencing dorsal vagal freeze or fatigue, consider the following aspects:
Context and Trigger:
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Dorsal Vagal Freeze:
This response is often triggered by stress, trauma, or overwhelming emotional situations. If you find yourself feeling this way after a particularly stressful event or period, it may suggest a freeze response.
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Fatigue:
Fatigue usually follows physical exertion, insufficient sleep, or prolonged activity. If you feel weary after a long day or a restless night, it is likely due to physical fatigue. Additionally, if you've been working hard emotionally or mentally, you may simply need a good rest!
Emotional and Mental State
Dorsal Vagal Freeze:
The primary distinction here lies in the emotional connection. This type of fatigue is often linked with feelings of numbness, disconnection, and a lack of emotional involvement. You may experience mental fog, numbness, apathy, or a sense of detachment from your environment. Have you observed feelings of dissociation or emotions such as depression, shame, feeling stuck, low mood, hopelessness, or helplessness? These signs suggest a freeze state.Physical Fatigue:
In this scenario, you may experience mental exhaustion while your emotional state remains relatively stable. It's true that fatigue can make us more emotionally sensitive, but typically it doesn't come with feelings of hopelessness or being stuck. You might feel tired yet still maintain emotional engagement and responsiveness.
Physical Sensations:
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Dorsal Vagal Freeze:
This sensation encompasses feelings of heaviness or being immobilized, accompanied by physical sluggishness. Movements may seem slow and challenging, and you may sense a complete physical shutdown, with a decreased heart rate.
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Physical Fatigue:
This typically involves muscle exhaustion and an urge to rest and recuperate. You may feel a natural inclination towards sleep or relaxation.
Duration and Recovery:
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Dorsal Vagal Freeze:
This state can last for a prolonged time, especially if the root stressor remains unaddressed. Recovery often necessitates deliberate up-regulation techniques and tackling the underlying cause of stress. You might observe a cycle of stress-freeze-stress-freeze occurring.
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Physical Fatigue:
This condition generally improves with sufficient rest and recuperation. A restful night’s sleep, balanced nutrition, and relaxation techniques typically help restore energy levels.
It can be quite challenging to distinguish between a threat response and the body's signals for rest, particularly if you've spent years ignoring your body's needs. For those who tend to experience a freeze response, the disconnection from oneself can result in feeling completely out of touch with our intuition.
Strategies to Differentiate and Respond
Okay so lets look at how you might assess your state - Ask yourself:
Consider Your Recent Experiences
Have you encountered a particularly stressful or traumatic situation lately? Have you been operating in a state of heightened sympathetic energy for some time? Feelings of stress, irritation, or anxiety can lead to a freeze state, especially after prolonged periods of high stress or as unaddressed trauma resurfaces.
Assess your levels of physical activity, sleep quality, and general lifestyle; have you been pushing yourself too hard? Struggling with sleep? Working excessively? These factors may suggest fatigue rather than a freeze state.
Check for Emotional Engagement:
Do you feel emotionally connected or detached? Engagement indicates fatigue, while detachment points towards dorsal vagal responses.
Assess for other feelings like shame, depression/low mood, helplessness, hopelessness or lack of motivation that has extended for a while, this could all indicate freeze/dorsal.
Monitor Physical Sensations:
Note whether your body feels naturally tired or if there is a sense of being stuck and heavy (freeze).
Responding
Regardless of the situation, it's beneficial to first permit your body to enter a state of freeze or fatigue!
If you're feeling the urge to rest, curl up, sleep, or shut down, it may be essential to allow this to happen – even if just for a short while.
Often, in moments of fatigue or freezing, we resist and push ourselves too hard, insisting we must keep going.
Many of us carry unhelpful beliefs about the necessity of being productive, working continuously, and pushing through.
Therefore, heeding your body's call to slow down is crucial, and you can approach this in very healthy ways.
Take a guilt-free nap.
Enjoy a soothing hot bath.
Dive into a good book.
Get to bed early.
Try a child’s pose on the floor or your bed.
Elevate your legs against the wall for 10 minutes.
Treat yourself to a massage (or schedule one).
Listen to a guided meditation.
Or explore one of the somatic exercises available in the membership.
Then...
For Dorsal Vagal Freeze:
Up-Regulation Techniques: Participate in gentle physical activities such as walking or stretching to activate the nervous system. It's important that these techniques are soft and calming—think swaying, tapping, or gentle movements. The essential step in overcoming the freeze response is to foster a sense of safety within the body.
Mindfulness and Grounding: Engaging in practices like deep breathing, meditation, and grounding exercises can assist in reawakening your senses.
The key to regulating a freeze response is to cultivate a feeling of safety in the body. Therefore, focusing on nervous system regulation techniques followed by mindset work can be very beneficial.
For Physical Fatigue:
Rest and Sleep: Ensure you're getting adequate rest and sleep to allow your body to recover.
Nutrition and Hydration: Maintain a balanced diet and stay hydrated to support overall energy levels.
Gentle Activity: Light activities like stretching or yoga can aid in recovery without overexerting your body.
Recognizing the distinction between dorsal vagal freeze and physical fatigue is essential for effectively responding to your body's signals.
By evaluating your recent activities, emotional condition, and bodily sensations, you can more accurately decide whether you should energize and move or simply take time to rest and recuperate.
Being attentive to your body's needs and addressing the root causes of these states can promote balance and overall well-being.
Ultimately, it's also a process of trial and error—maintain a journal to track your symptoms, thoughts, emotions, triggers, the interventions you explore, and their outcomes. Reflecting on these insights can be incredibly valuable.
You got this!
Love Natalia x
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