HALT: A Method to Pause and Self-Assess When Feeling Stressed or Overwhelmed

What is the H.A.L.T Method?

We would bet that anybody who clicked on this article has experienced moments of stress, anxiety, or feeling overwhelmed. In fact, we would bet the same for anybody who didn’t click on this article. After all, stress and anxiety are a part of life for everyone. That being said, there are ways that we can pause and manage them when they come along. The H.A.L.T technique is one of these ways. It gives us a chance to pause, or halt, and take a moment to assess whether our basic needs are being met and, if they are not being met, how it might be influencing our stress-levels or mood.

H.A.L.T stands for four basic needs: Hungry, Angry, Lonely, and Tired. The H.A.L.T method involves taking a pause and asking oneself if their mood might be influenced by one of these things: 

Sometimes, managing our most basic needs is the back-door to managing our emotions. The idea of H.A.L.T is that by pausing, taking note of, and addressing these needs, we may be better able to protect ourselves against stress and anxiety.

How Hunger, Anger, Loneliness and Tiredness Affect Us

Hunger: Hunger leads to low blood sugar which can make us feel physically ill and fatigued, make it difficult to focus, make us feel irritable, and bring on mood swings. The term “hangry” is really no joke! If you engage in the H.A.L.T method and find that you are hungry, try refueling with something nutritious.

Anger: When we are feeling angry, our judgment can often become clouded, and we can become impulsive. If you engage in the H.A.L.T method and find that you are angry, try waiting a couple hours before making a decision or talking through your anger with a friend. 

Loneliness: Humans are social creatures, and we can often feel lonely when isolated from the people in our lives. When things are stressful, they can feel even more so when we feel like we are needing to deal with it alone. If you engage in the H.A.L.T method and find that you are lonely, try reaching out to connect with a loved one face-to-face.

Tiredness: When we don’t get enough sleep, there are a number of adverse physical and psychological effects. For example, we might experience fatigue, heightened anxiety, or problems with focusing, among others. If you engage in the H.A.L.T method and find that you are tired, try working on sleep hygiene and getting 7-9 hours of sleep per night.

How Can I Pause and H.A.L.T in my Daily Life?

H.A.L.T Check-Ins	Schedule time to check in on your basic needs! Use alarms or phone reminders.
H.A.L.T Journal	Keep a journal and track your hunger, anger, loneliness, and tiredness to identify and work on any patterns.
Mindfulness Meditation	Engage in body scans to increase your level of awareness of physical and emotional needs.
Building a Support Network	Work on creating an easy-to-reference list of people you can reach out to for support when you are feeling lonely.

References

https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/how-are-you-feeling-take-minute-halt-for-your-health-0515184

https://insighttimer.com/blog/halt-technique/