¿why do we freeze up? the neuroscience behind stage fright explained - overcoming stage fright

Public speaking, playing an instrument in front of others, or presenting an important project triggers sensations in the body so intense that they sometimes make our mind go blank. It is not a lack of talent or preparation: it is a deeply human mechanism. Understanding what happens in the brain and in the body when stage fright appears makes it possible to intervene with concrete strategies and train a more useful response.

What we mean by stage fright and why it is so common

Stage fright is a stress reaction to a situation of social evaluation. The nervous system interprets public exposure as a possible risk to group belonging, something that, from an evolutionary perspective, was crucial for survival. That’s why, even if the room is full of friendly colleagues, threat circuits can be powerfully activated. The paradox is that the more we care about the outcome, the more likely the body is to turn up the volume of the response.

The fear circuit: from brain to muscles

When we perceive risk, the amygdala acts like a warning siren. It sends signals that switch on the sympathetic nervous system and the stress axis, releasing adrenaline and cortisol. This cascade increases heart rate, elevates breathing, redistributes blood flow to large muscle groups, and sharpens sight and hearing for immediate action.

Fight, flight, or freeze response

It’s not only fight or flee. Freezing is also an option in the system. On stage, freezing can feel like a blank mind, bodily rigidity, or difficulty starting the first sentence. It’s not laziness or lack of willpower: it’s an automatic pattern that tries to “go unnoticed” in the face of a perceived threat.

Cortisol, adrenaline, and performance

A moderate level of arousal can improve focus and energy. However, when adrenaline and cortisol spike, a threshold is crossed where fine coordination, working memory, and voice control deteriorate. This relationship between arousal and performance is known as the Yerkes-Dodson law.

Why we freeze up: the role of the prefrontal cortex

The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex supports working memory and executive control—exactly what we use to organize ideas and choose words. Under high stress, the amygdala dominates the network and the prefrontal cortex temporarily loses efficiency. Hence the difficulty recalling the opening, the mind going blank, or the appearance of filler words. In addition, language can suffer because fine control of breathing and the larynx depends on circuits that become less precise with sympathetic overactivation.

The social dimension of risk: evaluation, shame, and perfectionism

The brain is extremely sensitive to social evaluation. Anticipating shame or judgment activates the same circuits as physical pain. Perfectionism and high self-demand add cognitive load: the mind monitors every gesture and word, diverting resources from the main task. The so-called spotlight effect also plays a role: we overestimate how much others watch and remember us, amplifying fear.

Individual differences that modulate the experience

We don’t all react the same way. Learning history (good or bad prior experiences), genetics linked to stress reactivity, recent sleep, caffeine intake, and body state (hydration, glucose) all play a role. People with high interoceptive sensitivity notice internal signals more and may interpret them as dangerous, increasing the anxiety loop.

Common bodily signs of freezing up

• High, rapid breathing, feeling short of breath.
• Fine tremor in hands or legs, or overall rigidity.
• Dry mouth, tense voice or involuntary vibrato.
• Tachycardia and facial heat, sweaty palms.
• Mind going blank, difficulty finding the first sentence.

What to do in the moment: strategies that calm the system

Regulate the body first

• Long exhalations: inhale through the nose for 4 seconds and exhale for 6 or 8. Two or three cycles can lower arousal.
• Physiological sigh: double nasal inhalation followed by a long exhalation to quickly release chest tension.
• Sensory anchoring: feel the weight of your feet, connect with the floor, and relax shoulders and jaw. A stable posture signals safety to the brain.
• Skilled pauses: take micro-pauses of 2 to 3 seconds between ideas. They read as control, not insecurity, and allow you to catch your breath.

Reorient the mind toward the task

• Rename the sensations: “this is arousal, not threat; energy for my message.” Changing the label changes the response.
• External attention: focus on the purpose and on one person in the audience, not on the inner dialogue.
• If-then scripts: define if-then. “If my mind goes blank, then I take a sip of water and resume with the key point.”
• Brief self-compassion: “it’s human to feel nervous; I can move forward one step at a time.” It reduces the load of shame.

Support memory under pressure

• Roadmap of three to five key ideas, not word-for-word scripts.
• Cards with anchor words you can consult without losing your train of thought.
• Memorize only the first sentence and the main transition; a clear start unlocks the rest.
• Rehearse openings and closings: how you begin and how you end, even if the middle is forgotten.

Medium- and long-term training

Gradual exposure and imagery

The brain learns safety through repetition in increasingly challenging contexts. Start in small settings, progressively raise the size or importance of the audience, and alternate live practice with detailed visualization of the stage, light, sound, and your clear voice. Each positive experience updates the threat memory.

Breathing and vagal tone

Practicing 5 to 10 minutes daily of slow breathing with prolonged exhalation improves heart rate variability, a marker of nervous system flexibility. Softly vocalizing, humming, or reading aloud with diaphragmatic support also trains voice control under arousal.

Preparing the body and the voice

• Sufficient sleep the night before; sleep deprivation amplifies amygdala reactivity.
• Hydration and gentle vocal warm-up to avoid laryngeal tension.
• Neck and shoulder mobility and brief physical activation to channel adrenaline.
• Moderate caffeine if you’re sensitive; test effects in rehearsals, not on the key day.

Targeted supports

Some people use tools such as practicing with video recording to desensitize or seeking structured feedback. In clinical contexts, some turn to psychological interventions such as cognitive-behavioral therapy. The use of medication should be evaluated by a health professional based on each case.

Common myths and what’s worth knowing

• “Good speakers don’t get nervous.” In reality, they usually feel arousal and use it as fuel.
• “You have to eliminate anxiety completely.” Aiming to tolerate and channel it is more realistic and effective.
• “If I freeze once, it will always happen.” The brain changes with specific practice; each experience updates the prediction.
• “The audience notices everything.” Most people perceive less than you think and value the message over micro-errors.
• “A drink helps.” Alcohol can diminish fine control of the voice and memory; it often worsens performance.

Signs of progress worth noticing

• You get back on track sooner after a pause or lapse.
• The physical sensations are still there, but they diminish in intensity more quickly.
• Your focus stays more on the message and less on self-monitoring.
• The beginning is no longer the hardest point; you gain confidence in the first 30 seconds.

In summary: from freezing to expression

Stage blockage is not a personal flaw, but the combination of a well-intentioned brain alarm and a demanding interpretation of the social context. When we understand that the amygdala prioritizes survival over eloquence, we can design a plan that starts with the body, continues with attention, and ends with technique. Breathing with long exhalations, sensory anchors, if-then scripts, and gradual practice build learned safety. It’s not about eliminating nerves, but about creating conditions for them to collaborate with your message. With each chosen exposure and each deliberate rehearsal, the brain updates its map: the stage ceases to be a threat and becomes a platform for your voice.