Ever heard of your Window of Tolerance? If not, now might be a good time to get familiar with it. Most of us go through our days without really noticing where we fall on the scale—from overly hyped up to feeling low and drained. This can have a big impact on our lives, as constantly spending time in high-energy, stress-filled states eventually wears us down.
Most of us go through our days without really noticing where we fall on the scale—from overly hyped up to feeling low and drained
For many, this can even lead to burnout—a natural response to staying too long in energy-draining hyperarousal. Understanding your Window of Tolerance can help you find a healthier, more balanced way to navigate daily stress.
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This article breaks down the Window of Tolerance—the range where we manage stress, feel our best, and perform at our peak long term. Every day, we shift through a range of emotional and physical states, from calm to overwhelmed.

Developed by Dr. Dan Siegel, the Window of Tolerance describes the optimal zone in which we can function without shutting down or feeling overstressed. Learn about different arousal states, why they matter, and how tools like breathwork can help keep us balanced, with a visual guide to navigating these states daily.
"The Window of Tolerance" is the optimal zone where we feel grounded, connected, and able to handle life’s challenges with ease. Most of us spend too little time here and it can have a great long-term cost: burn-out.
Above this zone, we enter hyperarousal (fight-or-flight), experiencing anxiety, anger, or overwhelm. Below it, we enter hypoarousal (freeze), feeling numb, shut down, or disconnected. Conscious Breathing and other somatic practices are examples of what can help us return to and expand this balanced zone, allowing us to engage with our surroundings from a place of calm and resilience.
When we’re in this window, life feels manageable, and we can engage with our environment calmly and effectively. But as stress mounts, we can be pushed out of this window, leading to a state of dysregulation.
Our day in the zone
Our window of tolerance isn’t a rigid boundary; it’s more like a flexible range where we can move up or down in response to our needs without becoming overwhelmed or shut down. Think of it as a sliding scale with “grey zones” on either side, where we can temporarily enter heightened or lowered arousal levels without tipping into extreme states.
Our window of tolerance isn’t a rigid boundary; it’s more like a flexible range where we can move up or down in response to our needs without becoming overwhelmed or shut down.
For example, we might need a burst of energy and focus—perhaps during a presentation or an intense work task. In this moment, we can reach a High Energy Zone without crossing into full hyperarousal, allowing us to meet the challenge and then return to balance. On the other end, activities like meditation or deep breathing can take us into a Deep Relaxation Zone, where we dip toward calmness and restoration, but stay above a state of shutdown or numbness. This dynamic balance, where we can flex up or down within the window, allows us to harness energy and rest more effectively, making the most of each moment without leaving our optimal range.

Expanding the Window
There are several ways of expanding your window of tolerance. For example, regular physical exercise, mindfulness meditation, and spending time in nature have all been shown to strengthen emotional resilience and improve the body’s ability to manage stress over time. Engaging in creative activities or even practicing gratitude can also contribute to a greater capacity to handle life’s challenges. However, breathwork stands out as one of the most immediate and accessible tools because it directly influences the autonomic nervous system, helping to calm or energize the body within seconds.
However, breathwork stands out as one of the most immediate and accessible tools because it directly influences the autonomic nervous system, helping to calm or energize the body within seconds.
Through a consistent conscious breathing practice, we can expand our window of tolerance, allowing us to return to calm even under pressure and, over time, improve our natural resilience. Let’s dive into the three states shown in the window of tolerance model and explore how breathwork can help us regulate and maintain balance.
The Window of Tolerance: Where We Thrive and perform

When we are within our window of tolerance (often represented as the green zone), we experience a state of emotional and physical equilibrium.
In this state:
We feel grounded, calm, and connected.
Our minds are clear, and our bodies are relaxed, enabling effective problem-solving, communication, and creativity.
Scientific Insight: Research shows that when we’re within this zone, the prefrontal cortex—the brain’s control center for rational thinking and emotional regulation—functions optimally (Davidson & McEwen, 2012). This balance between emotional and rational responses is essential for effective decision-making and social interactions.
A simple practice of daily conscious breathing helps us remain in this balanced state. For example, diaphragmatic breathing (belly breathing) has been shown to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which reduces heart rate and blood pressure, creating a calm state in both mind and body (Perciavalle et al., 2017).
Hyper-arousal: The “Fight or Flight” State

When we’re pushed outside our window of tolerance into hyperarousal (the red zone), our bodies enter a state commonly known as “fight or flight.” This is when:
The sympathetic nervous system takes over, causing symptoms like increased heart rate, rapid breathing, and feelings of panic or anger.
We become reactive and tense, and it’s challenging to focus or relax.
Scientific Insight: The fight-or-flight response is an evolutionary mechanism that prepared our ancestors to react to danger. However, in modern settings like the office, this reaction often becomes maladaptive, leading to chronic stress-related issues such as hypertension and anxiety (McEwen & Wingfield, 2010).
Breathing exercises can help “down-regulate” this response. Box breathing (inhale, hold, exhale, pause, all for four counts) is particularly effective in slowing down the heart rate and calming the mind (Jerath et al., 2006). With regular practice, box breathing can become a reliable tool for re-entering the window of tolerance during stressful work moments.
Hypo-arousal: The “Freeze” or Shutdown Response

On the opposite end of the spectrum, we have hypoarousal (the blue zone), a state often associated with “freeze” or shutdown responses. When we’re here:
Our energy drops, and we may feel numb, detached, or exhausted.
The parasympathetic nervous system is overly activated, leading to feelings of disconnection and low motivation.
Scientific Insight: Hypoarousal can be particularly common for individuals with past trauma, as it’s often a survival-based response to overwhelming stress (Ogden, Minton, & Pain, 2006). This state, while protective in the short term, can lead to chronic issues like depression or dissociation if experienced regularly.
In hypoarousal, breathwork techniques that increase arousal can help. Alternate nostril breathing, for example, has been shown to stimulate and balance both hemispheres of the brain, increasing energy and alertness (Telles et al., 2011). This technique can be helpful in revitalizing focus and gently re-entering the window of tolerance.
Building Long-Term Resilience with Breathwork
While individual breathwork exercises provide immediate relief, regular practice gradually expands our window of tolerance. This means:
We can handle more stress without dysregulating, as our bodies and minds become better equipped to stay balanced.
Our nervous system learns to self-regulate more effectively, reducing instances of both hyper- and hypoarousal.
Scientific Insight: Studies indicate that regular breathwork increases vagal tone (the activity of the vagus nerve), which is associated with a greater capacity for emotional regulation and stress resilience (Kok & Fredrickson, 2010). Over time, this “training” of the nervous system helps us face life’s challenges with a steady sense of calm.
Practical Tips for Using conscious breathing at work or home

Diaphragmatic Breathing: Practice deep, calm belly breathing to calm the body and mind. This can be done subtly at your desk, in the couch or bed, especially during moments of high tension. Try to count the breathing to 10 - if you get lost, just start from 0 again.
Triangle Breathing: Use this technique (more accessible for beginners than box-breathing) before meetings or presentations to reduce anxiety and maintain focus. Breathing in gently through your nose for 4, hold for 4, breathe out for 4.
Alternate Nostril Breathing: Try this for a quick energy boost in the afternoon. It helps re-center your focus and revitalize your mind. Breathe in and out alternating your nostrils.
Final Thoughts
The window of tolerance is a powerful framework for understanding how we handle stress and emotions. With consistent breathwork, we can not only return to balance more effectively in the moment but also gradually expand our window, building a deeper resilience over time. In a demanding work environment, this means less burnout, better decision-making, and a greater sense of well-being.
So, next time you feel the edges of your window fraying, take a deep breath. With practice, you’ll find that breathwork isn’t just a quick fix—it’s a long-term investment in your ability to thrive, both at work and beyond.
References
Davidson, R. J., & McEwen, B. S. (2012). Social influences on neuroplasticity: Stress and interventions to promote well-being. Nature Neuroscience, 15(5), 689-695.
Perciavalle, V., et al. (2017). The role of deep breathing on stress. Journal of Neuroscience Research, 95(2), 465-470.
McEwen, B. S., & Wingfield, J. C. (2010). What is in a name? Integrating homeostasis, allostasis, and stress. Hormones and Behavior, 57(2), 105-111.
Jerath, R., et al. (2006). Physiology of long pranayamic breathing: Neural respiratory elements may provide a mechanism that explains how slow breathing shifts the autonomic nervous system. Medical Hypotheses, 67(3), 566-571.
Telles, S., et al. (2011). Immediate effect of alternate nostril breathing on cardiovascular parameters and reaction time. Indian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology, 55(4), 349-353.
Kok, B. E., & Fredrickson, B. L. (2010). Upward spirals of the heart: Autonomic flexibility, as evidenced by vagal tone, and social connectedness interact to predict positive emotions and psychological well-being. Biological Psychology, 85(3), 432-436.
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