Many of us have experienced what social media now calls a “functional freeze.” That’s the physical, emotional and mental state where you are unable to carry out tasks ─ even simple ones ─ because your body feels like it is frozen. This temporary paralysis can be caused by burnout, stress or lack of purpose.
According to Niro Feliciano, a mother, author and therapist, functional freeze is not an official psychological term and differs from the freeze that’s caused when your nervous system experiences a life-threatening situation.
She tells TODAY that functional freeze signs and symptoms include:
• You appear to be functioning but lack purpose and motivation.
• You feel tired but wired up at the same time, a combination of low-level anxiety coupled with exhaustion.
• You have trouble completing tasks.
• If you experience an extreme case of functional freeze, you may feel isolated from family and friends.
Feliciano says that episodes of functional freeze can occur following stress or burnout at work. Moms often experience this phenomenon in the weeks before their kids go back to school, she says, when their brains are overloaded with plans and preparations.
Here’s what you can do to help yourself when feeling this way:
• Spend time in nature. Stop scrolling or surfing the Internet and take a walk outdoors.
• Exercise. Working out increases endorphins, calms your mood and boosts energy. If you exercise with a friend it’s a win-win situation because you also boost social interaction.
• Laugh. Laughter is good medicine, says Feliciano, because it releases endorphins, countering the stress hormones that grip the body during a functional freeze.
• Break down chores. Make overwhelming tasks more manageable by breaking them down into 25-minute cycles. Set a timer for 20 minutes and then take a 5-minute break. Repeat three more times and then take a longer, more restorative break.
• Breathe deeply. Breath is a wonderful tool to elicit a relaxation response. Take long, slow inhales and exhale slowly. There’s a simple technique called the 4-7-8 breath that not only sets your body up for rest, but it also reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes, and improves pulmonary function, says CNN. By inhaling through your nose to the count of 4, holding that breath for 7 counts, and then exhaling through your mouth to the count of 8, you activate the parasympathetic nervous system responsible for resting and digesting.