Stress is a normal part of our everyday lives. It shows up in our work lives, social lives, and more. It’s our natural protective mechanism that we have to remove ourselves from what is causing that stress and move forward. Stress in small doses can actually help us learn about ourselves, teaching us where our boundaries lie and what makes us comfortable.
However, what happens when it feels like everything causes stress? What happens when your brain feels stuck?
This is usually the concept of your brain “freezing.” It happens to all of us, but understanding why it happens and learning how to navigate it is key to “thawing” your brain.
Lack of Sleep
Sleep disturbance has a clear correlation to how our brain processes stress. A lack of sleep can lead to an accumulation of stress-toxins in the brain, leading to what feels like “brain fog.” Try setting yourself to sleep a proper 8 hours of sleep each night. Try limiting electronics around 30 minutes before bed and setting up a short routine before going to bed, eventually signaling to your body that it is time to sleep.
Excess Stress
External stressors can cloud our mind in ways we can’t control. Deadlines, relationship issues can all change how we perceive the situations we are in. The overwhelming feeling can cause you to dissociate, leading to procrastination and numbness.
How to manage it
Firstly, take a second to recognize why your brain feels like it is shutting down. Check in with yourself to understand what specifically is causing the stress. Is it fear of the difficulty of the task at hand? Is it a lingering stressor such as fighting with a loved one or worried about hypothetical situations such as being laid off from a job? These thoughts often involve negative patterns. Challenge these thoughts by replacing them with positive thoughts. I am capable of finishing this task. I can do it. My anxiety does not define me.
While going through these questions, take deep breaths. Simplify the task at hand. Say, you have a long-term project. Create mini tasks to tackle the big one. Reaching out to someone for advice or creating an outline. Stress can exemplify tasks, making them seem daunting, but it’s important to reframe the thoughts and break down the task at hand.
Lastly, engage in activities that you enjoy. Reading a book, watching a movie, or doing a puzzle can shift the focus to allow your emotions to start fresh. Feeling overwhelmed can feel defeating and unproductive. But using this skills, along with seeking support from a therapist, can create a support system to break through the brain freeze.
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