News — Dorsal Vagal Shutdown

When life feels overwhelming and you find yourself struggling to move forward, it’s natural to wonder whether you’re dealing with depression or something else entirely... One possibility is that you might be in a functional freeze state, a condition that shares some similarities with depression but is rooted in different causes. Understanding the difference between these two states is essential for identifying the right support and healing approach.  What is Functional Freeze State? A functional freeze state is a survival response to long-term stress or unresolved trauma where the body and mind become “frozen,” unable to fully relax or engage...

Your nervous system is a remarkable and intricate system that constantly works to regulate and coordinate your body's functions. And while that remarkable and intricate system is designed to function seamlessly, there are times when it can become overwhelmed. When this overwhelm happens, the nervous system can, essentially, shutdown. A nervous system shutdown can happen due to a multitude of reasons, but the one we're seeing most in younger generations now-a-days is from chronic stress. When you're chronically stressed, your body gets flooded with the stress hormone cortisol — and cortisol heavily impacts your nervous system's ability to function properly. How Chronic Stress Triggers Your...

Experiencing a nervous system shutdown can be a frightening thing for anyone, so it's important to know the multiple different exercises to get out of dorsal vagal shutdown. Dorsal vagal shutdown is the physiological response of the nervous system that occurs when the body perceives a threat. You might know this response as entering a "freeze" state after experiencing a fight or flight response. The dorsal vagus nerve, which controls organs like the heart and lungs, slows down or even stops under these circumstances — resulting in a temporary cessation of bodily functions such as breathing, digestion, and maintaining heart rate....

It's important to know the exercises to avoid if you're in dorsal vagal shutdown.  Dorsal Vagal Shutdown is a state where the body's parasympathetic nervous system is activated, causing reduced heart rate, blood pressure, and respiratory rate. In this state, it's important to avoid exercises and practices that further stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, hence keeping you in dorsal vagal shutdown even longer. These practices can include slow, controlled movements such as yoga or meditation, which can cause a further decrease in heart rate and blood pressure. Other exercises to avoid if you're in dorsal vagal shutdown are exercises that stimulate...

Are you familiar with the term “dorsal vagal shutdown”? It's a term that's been gaining a lot of attention in the mental health community lately, but what does it actually mean??? And what does it feel like??? So if you're wondering what dorsal vagal shutdown is, what the symptoms are, and how to recognize it in yourself, then let's get started! Introduction to Dorsal Vagal Shutdown Dorsal Vagal Shutdown is a protective response the body uses to conserve energy when we feel overwhelmed and unable to cope with a stressful experience. It's a physiological response that helps us survive in times...