If you feel tired after an EFT tapping session, this is a common experience, and it often happens because of the profound work being done within the body. Let's explore why this occurs and how it connects to the nervous system and the body's healing process.
1. Rebalancing your Nervous System
When we tap, we are not only addressing emotional issues - but we also engage the body’s autonomic nervous system (ANS). According to Polyvagal Theory, a model developed by Stephen Porges, our ANS has three primary states: the ventral vagal (safe and social), sympathetic (fight or flight), and dorsal vagal (shutdown or freeze). Tapping helps regulate the nervous system by moving us away from states of anxiety, fear, or trauma (sympathetic or dorsal states) and activates the parasympathetic nervous system which helps us to feel calm, safe, and connected. This process can often lead to fatigue after EFT tapping because the body uses energy to shift between these states. It often takes time for the body to recover, recuperate, and get used to this new feeling of safety.
Tapping helps us to regulate by stimulating the vagus nerve - the longest cranial nerve in our body, that leads from our brain to our gut, connecting to various organs. Stimulating this nerve helps regulate the body’s stress response by sending messages of safety to bodily organs. So, if you’re feeling tired after EFT tapping, you’ve just learned how to self-regulate!
2. Emotional Release
EFT tapping allows the body to process unresolved emotions or trauma that can be “stuck” in the nervous system. When we clear blocked energy, it can leave you feeling drowsy and tired, and this release may create a need for rest and recovery.
3. Releasing Physical Tension
Physical tension is often connected to emotional stress. When you address physical or emotional pain during tapping, you release stored muscle tension accumulated in the body, which may result in fatigue. This is similar to how the body feels after intense physical exercise.
An Invitation to Explore
When you feel tired after tapping, and the parasympathetic "rest and digest" state has been activated, your nervous system has most likely returned to balance, and relaxation has set in. This is usually a positive sign of healing, where the body’s energy is being restored.
On the other hand, if the fatigue is paired with feelings of despair, numbness, or emotional dullness, it may be a sign that you’ve shifted into a dorsal vagal shutdown state. This coping mechanism is an unconscious protection response created by your nervous system to keep you safe. It is the body's way of coping with overwhelm by going into a "freeze" response. This may mean that you’ve encountered an emotion or memory that was overwhelming to your nervous system at that moment. In this case, you may need support to gently come out of this state, especially if feelings of helplessness or dissociation continue.
If you are a practitioner, it is helpful to guide clients in distinguishing between these two states. If your client is feeling tired after an EFT tapping session yet feels calm and connected, it is likely part of the natural healing process. However, if they feel heavy and immobilizing, it may require further exploration to help the client move out of the dorsal state and into a more regulated place.
Finding Deeper Support
It is normal for the body to feel exhausted once it begins to feel safe. If the body has been in a state of hypervigilance for a long time, it usually means that high levels of cortisol and adrenaline have been running a chronic stress loop.
Whether you are tapping alone, in a group, or with a tapping practitioner, grounding while tapping is a regulating practice that can help lift you from this exhaustive state. As you tap, feel yourself supported by either your chair or your feet on the ground. Slowly orient your gaze around the room to bring yourself back to the present moment.
Conclusion
If you feel tired after tapping and this feeling persists, it could be a sign that there are deeper emotions or beliefs keeping you in a dorsal vagal state. In this case, it might be worth booking a 1:1 session with an EFT practitioner to uncover what might still be unresolved.
Remember to allow yourself time to rest, stay hydrated, and honor the work your body is doing to support your well-being. Go easy on yourself and give yourself plenty of compassion.
If you’re interested in working with me privately, please contact me by booking a session here: https://www.efttappinginstitute.com/privatesessions
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