Over the past few weeks I’ve noticed something in myself that I often see in the women I work with.
I’ve been sleeping a lot.
Sometimes ten hours, and still waking up feeling foggy and heavy.
When life becomes stressful or emotionally demanding, our instinct is often simple: rest more. And very often that’s exactly what the body needs.
But sometimes, more rest doesn’t actually resolve the feeling of overwhelm.
Many women describe a different experience. They feel exhausted, foggy and shut down, even after sleeping for long periods of time. It can feel as though the body has simply hit the brakes.
Of course, persistent fatigue should always be checked medically. But in the absence of other medical explanations, this kind of heavy shutdown can sometimes be linked to how the body responds to prolonged stress.
When the Body Goes Into Shutdown
When stress builds up over time, the body can sometimes move into what many clinicians describe as a freeze or shutdown response.
Rather than feeling energised to deal with challenges, the system slows down.
People often describe:
-
brain fog
-
heavy fatigue
-
difficulty concentrating
-
feeling flat or disconnected
-
sleeping a lot but still feeling tired
In this state, the obvious solution might seem to be even more rest. But staying collapsed for long periods doesn’t always help the body move forward.
Instead, the nervous system may actually need gentle engagement.
The Role of Gentle Engagement
Engagement doesn’t mean pushing through exhaustion or forcing productivity.
It means small, supportive ways of reconnecting with the body.
This might include:
-
slow breathing
-
grounding attention in the feet
-
noticing sensations in the body
-
gentle movement
-
stepping outside for fresh air
-
supportive bodywork or massage
These practices help the body experience what some researchers describe as “relaxation without fear” — a state where the body can feel calm while still remaining present and engaged.
Why Bodywork Can Help
This is one of the reasons I value holistic bodywork so much in my work with women experiencing stress and overwhelm.
Bodywork offers something unique.
You are lying down and supported, which allows the body to soften. But you are not disappearing or switching off completely. Instead, you can gently notice sensations, breathing and connection with the body.
For many women, this can be a much more helpful starting point than simply trying to rest harder.
From that place of gentle engagement, the body can gradually regain a sense of ease and capacity.
Small Steps Matter
When you feel overwhelmed or shut down, engagement can feel like the last thing you want to do.
That’s why it helps to think in terms of very small steps.
A breath.
A stretch.
A short walk outside.
A moment of noticing your feet on the ground.
These small moments can help the body begin to shift out of collapse and back into connection.
Support for Stress and Overwhelm
If you are experiencing ongoing stress or overwhelm, you don’t have to navigate it alone.
I offer holistic bodywork sessions in Beckenham and online one-to-one sessions where we explore gentle ways of reconnecting with the body through breath, grounding and supportive body-based practices.
You can find more information on my website or get in touch to learn more.
Research
Kanthak et al. (2017)
Autonomic dysregulation in burnout and depression.
https://doi.org/10.5271/sjweh.3647
Traunmüller et al. (2019)
Psychophysiological concomitants of burnout.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychores.2019.01.009
Zaccaro et al. (2018)
How breath-control can change your life.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2018.00353
Giorgi & Tedeschi (2025)
Breathe better, live better: the science of slow breathing and HRV.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s13760-025-02789-w
Meier et al. (2020)
Standardized massage interventions and psychophysiological relaxation.
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-71173-w