The Fog You Can’t Shake: How Freeze Mode Masquerades as Boredom

Pretty exciting times these days, right? Each day we wake up and wonder what degree of instability we’ll find in our world and what it may mean for the future. 

Then why do I feel so tired and bored and blah?

It’s my nervous system trying to keep me safe in a perceived threatening situation. 

The freeze response is associated with dorsal vagal activation, the oldest and most primitive part of our autonomic nervous system. It kicks in when both fight and flight feel impossible or futile.

We’re living with chaotic high-stakes uncertainty. It can feel far-reaching, confusing, and outside of our control. A sensitive nervous system says, “There’s danger, but I can’t fight it, and I can’t flee it. So… shut it down.”

Enter: that heavy, foggy boredom. It’s not laziness or lack of interest—it’s dorsal vagal shutdown dressed in neutral tones.This is when your body conserves energy to survive what it perceives as inescapable danger or overwhelm.

This can feel like:

• Boredom
  
  
• Fatigue
  
  
• Brain fog
  
  
• “I don’t care” or “What’s the point?”
  
  
• Emotional flatness
  
  
• Wanting to sleep or hide
  
  

It’s a brilliant survival strategy that helps your system avoid overwhelm. The problem is, if you’re stuck there long-term, it can feel like disconnection from your aliveness.

I’m not in the mood to create much, but I can easily jot down a few tips for when these feelings arise, potentially indicating a freeze response. It's the basics we all know but in a freeze state the executive function of the brain (remembering, following through, etc) takes a hit. So, here’s the reminder:

• Sleep - always a good option. The body and mind repair the damage done from the stress response during sleep.
• Movement - slow, fast, big, small. It doesn’t matter. Stretch, dance, hold a yoga pose for 2 minutes. Any movement moves energy and sends a signal to the nervous system that can help it regulate. Start slow and gentle.
• Keep a routine - sameness equals safety and counteracts the chaos. 
• Go outside - sunlight and nature are good medicine.
• Other sentient beings - your cat, your mom, your kids, your partner. Put down the devices and snuggle up. Nervous systems co-regulate so you can use someone else’s “safe and social” nervous system state to regulate your own. 

The cool thing about this last one is that you can be that “safe and social” nervous system for others too.

We can’t influence global trade but taking care of one’s own nervous system does have a positive ripple effect in the world. 

Whew, that’s it for now. I’m going to take a nap with my cat.