Why Everything Feels So Heavy Right Now (And What Your Nervous System Needs)

If you’ve been feeling more tired lately — not just physically, but emotionally — or catching yourself zoning out, feeling disconnected, or less motivated than usual, you’re not imagining it. I’m Katherine Muniz, LPC, an EMDR-trained trauma therapist, and honestly, I’ve noticed it in myself too. There are moments where I feel more drained than I expect to be, or slightly checked out, even when things around me are relatively “fine.”

Many of us are carrying a quiet heaviness right now. Between ongoing world events, constant access to distressing news, and the pressure to stay informed while still functioning day-to-day, our nervous systems rarely get a true break. Research consistently shows that prolonged stress — especially stress without clear resolution — can lead to fatigue, emotional overload, and a sense of disconnection. What you may be experiencing isn’t weakness or burnout from “not coping well enough.” It’s a very human response to sustained stress.

We’re Living in a State of Ongoing Stress

Even when we aren’t actively watching the news or thinking about what’s happening globally, our bodies still absorb the tension. Chronic stress keeps the nervous system in a heightened state of alert — always scanning, always bracing.

From a trauma-informed lens, this matters. Trauma isn’t only one major event. It can also come from long-term exposure to uncertainty, instability, or emotional overwhelm without enough time or space to recover.

Your nervous system doesn’t distinguish between:

• A personal threat

• Repeated exposure to upsetting information

• Emotional stress that never fully settles

It simply responds by staying “on.”

What This Can Look Like in Real Life

When the nervous system is overloaded, people often notice:

• Feeling emotionally numb or disconnected

• Being more irritable or sensitive than usual

• Difficulty concentrating or resting, even when tired

• A sense of guilt for not “doing enough”

• Wanting to withdraw or shut down

These are not character flaws. They’re protective responses.

As a therapist, I often normalize this for clients: your body is trying to protect you in the best way it knows how — even if those strategies no longer feel helpful.

Why “Just Rest” or “Take a Break” Isn’t Always Enough

Many people try to cope by pushing through, distracting themselves, or minimizing how they feel. While those strategies can help in the short term, they don’t always address what the nervous system is actually asking for.

Rest isn’t just sleep. True regulation happens when your body experiences safety, predictability, and connection — not just time off.

This is why people can take days off and still feel exhausted. The system hasn’t fully downshifted.

What Actually Helps When Everything Feels Heavy

Here are a few trauma-informed ways to support your nervous system during times like this:

1. Be intentional with information intake
Staying informed doesn’t require constant exposure. Limiting how often and when you consume news can significantly reduce nervous system activation.

2. Regulate through the body, not just the mind
Stress lives in the body. Gentle movement, temperature changes (like holding something warm or cool), slow breathing, or sensory grounding can help signal safety more effectively than positive thinking alone.

3. Name what you’re carrying
Saying “This is a lot” or “I’m more tired than usual” helps the nervous system feel acknowledged. You don’t need to justify your feelings for them to be valid.

4. Seek support that goes beyond coping
For some people, managing symptoms isn’t enough. Trauma-informed therapies, including EMDR, can help process what the nervous system has been holding onto so that relief isn’t just temporary.

You’re Not Failing — You’re Responding Normally

If things have felt heavier lately, there’s nothing wrong with you. You’re responding to a world that has asked people to hold more, for longer, with less relief.

Therapy doesn’t make the world less stressful — but it can help your nervous system feel safer while living in it.

If you’re curious about support, I’m Katherine Muniz, LPC, and I provide trauma-informed, EMDR-integrated therapy to adults across Texas via telehealth. You’re welcome to reach out for a free consultation to see if working together feels like a good fit.

Sources & Further Reading

(Included for those who want to learn more)

• American Psychological Association – Research on chronic stress, fatigue, and emotional exhaustion

• National Institute of Mental Health – Stress, trauma, and nervous system regulation

• World Health Organization – Prolonged stress and mental health outcomes

• Peer-reviewed studies on post-pandemic fatigue, social disconnection, and emotional burnout