Hypervigilance - Always 'On Alert'
Hypervigilance: When You're Always 'On Alert'
You know that feeling of never quite being able to relax? Like a part of you is always a little on edge as if it’s expecting danger, even when logically, you know you’re safe? That's hypervigilance. I spend much of my earlier years in that state.
What Is Hypervigilance?
Hypervigilance is a state of heightened alertness and sensitivity to our environment. It often arises from past trauma or prolonged stress, especially if you grew up in a chaotic or emotionally unpredictable home. It's our nervous system's attempt to keep you safe, and while it's a clever survival mechanism, it's exhausting if it's your default mode.
Signs You Might Be Hypervigilant:
You're constantly scanning for threats (real or imagined).
Relaxing feels unsafe or impossible.
You sometimes react intensely to sudden noises or movements.
Your mind frequently loops through worst-case scenarios.
You find it difficult to trust that you're truly safe or that good moments will last.
Why Does This Happen?
Hypervigilance often starts as a coping strategy in childhood - especially in families where emotional unpredictability, anger, or instability were present. Our nervous system learns to anticipate threat as a way to keep us safe. But once learned, this heightened alertness can become normalised and chronic, running in the background long after the original threat is gone.
We are have a part of our brain that is designed to alert us to threat, the amygdala. It’s a very old part of the brain which helped us to to stay alert to a wolf behind a bush and to survive. We also have a later part of the brain, our prefrontal cortex which has the ability to soothe the amygdala’s heightened threat sensitivity. We can learn to engage that soothing ability and gradually coax the nervous system to see that it is safe to relax, a little bit at a time. This can’t be rushed as we need to collect evidence for ourselves that the sky won’t fall in if we relax a little more than we are used to doing.
The Cost of Always Being Alert
Living in a state of hypervigilance drains our energy, leaving us feeling exhausted, anxious, and unable to fully engage with life. It can create barriers in relationships often making intimacy and connection feel risky. Over time, chronic hypervigilance may contribute to health issues like anxiety, depression, chronic fatigue, and immune system dysregulation.
What Can we Do About It?
The first step is becoming aware of our own patterns. Notice when you're "scanning" or anticipating danger unnecessarily. Here are some practices that can help:
Grounding in Your Body: Regularly bring your awareness back into your body. Simple techniques like feeling your feet on the ground or noticing your breath can help anchor you in safety in the present.
Self-compassion: Remind yourself that this hyper-alertness was once a useful tool and it’s not something to judge or be ashamed of. Offer kindness to that younger part of you who had to be vigilant to survive.
Practice Gradual Relaxation: Small doses of intentional relaxation can slowly teach your nervous system that it's safe to let go. Even brief practices, like five minutes of deep breathing or gentle stretching, can retrain your brain.
Therapeutic Support: Working with someone who understands trauma can significantly ease this process. Therapies like EMDR, somatic experiencing, or simply talking through these patterns can help restore balance to your nervous system.