The window of tolerance is a concept created by psychiatrist Daniel J. Siegel that relates to an individual's physical and psychological regulation and stress tolerance. The window of tolerance describes the level of arousal at which a person feels safe and able to adapt to their environment.


Theory to be learned:Window of Tolerance
Field of Science:Psychology, Neurology
Prerequisites:Basics of nervous system.
Relations to Super* Theory: Super* Basic Exercise, and Polyvagal theory.
Level of Difficulty:
★

Summary

Autonomic nervous system's sympathetic and parasympathetic parts regulate human arousal levels based on internal and/or external interactions. The sympathetic nervous system increases arousal, while the parasympathetic nervous system decreases it. Changes in arousal are part of the natural circadian rhythm, and ideally, arousal levels fluctuate within the window of tolerance.

The window of tolerance corresponds to the polyvagal theory's social engagement state, where a person feels safe and secure. In this state, adaptation to the environment, new learning, playfulness, and a sense of connection to oneself and others are possible. Emotional regulation and decision-making are constructive and appropriately scaled. Within the window of tolerance, there is also a high-performance flow area and an effective recovery relax area (cf. safe competition state and intimacy state).

In a state of hyperarousal, the fight or flight response is activated, and the ability to think rationally ceases. Symptoms characteristic of this state include physical tension, overwhelming emotions, sleep disturbances, vigilance, changes in time perception, and problems with concentration and attention. A person in a chronic state of hyperarousal may feel like a machine, merely surviving from day to day.

When depression, emptiness, and physical numbness take over the mind and body, the person has sunk into a state of hypoarousal. At the nervous system level, shutdown is occurring, and the first sign of this state is often difficulty in performing everyday tasks. The state feels antisocial, apathetic, and the ability to think rationally is lost. Life for someone in chronic hypoarousal may feel like a survival struggle, as even the smallest efforts seem overwhelmingly difficult.

Siegel also describes a situation where both hyperarousal and hypoarousal, i.e., the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, are simultaneously activated. Both the gas and the brake are engaged, and the person feels like they are about to explode, but nothing happens.

There are different windows of tolerance, and the width of the window naturally varies according to the external environment and internal state. The width of the window affects the general ability to process information and is directly proportional to the amount of stimuli required to exceed the reaction threshold. Ideally, the threshold should be high enough to tolerate the complexity of the environment and internal states, yet low enough to sense subtle changes in the environment and states. Additionally, the threshold varies according to the type of stimulus. The reaction may be high for cognitive stimuli but low for emotional stimuli.

Being aware of one's arousal levels and their fluctuations is part of self-awareness. It enables the conscious regulation of arousal levels through various means and provides the opportunity to widen one's window of tolerance. In the process, it is important to first learn to recognize the signs from one's mind and body that differentiate between different arousal states and to identify factors that cause fluctuations in arousal levels.

Trauma-related disorders disrupt arousal regulation, making a person susceptible to hyperarousal and/or hypoarousal, and often arousal levels fluctuate from one extreme to another. In processing traumatic experiences, it is important to be in a suitable arousal state, i.e., within the window of tolerance, because only then can information from both external and internal environments be integrated (dual awareness).

Connections to Super* Theory

The window of tolerance can be thought of as existing in each center of the Super* basic exercise. For a balanced individual, every center is in balance, meaning within the window of tolerance.

References

Ogden, P., Minton, K. & Pain, C. (2006). Trauma ja keho: Sensorimotorinen psykoterapia. Suom. Pekkarinen, I. 2009.

Opinvoimala. Säätele vireystilaasi. https://www.opinvoimala.fi/sivu/saatele-vireystilaasi

Siegel, D.J. (2012). The Developing Mind: How Relationships and the Brain Interact to Shape Who We Are. Second edition. New York: Guilford Press.