Most of us occasionally feel overwhelmed by loud noises, strong smells, or itchy fabrics, especially when we’re tired, stressed, or uncomfortable. In these moments, our senses can become flooded with too much information, making it difficult to fully process what we’re experiencing.
But if you have been through trauma, experience an anxiety disorder, or are neurodivergent, you may have heightened or altered sensory experiences. These differences in how you process sensory stimuli can impact your life in ways that often get overlooked or misunderstood, especially in work environments. Struggling with office noise, bright lights, certain fabrics, or unexpected touch isn’t about being “too sensitive” but a valid sensory response. When these challenges go unrecognised, they can contribute to stress, fatigue, anxiety and burnout.
Raising self-awareness and accepting others non-judgmentally is key to creating a more inclusive and supportive environment where everyone can thrive.
What is Sensory Regulation?
Sensory regulation is about responding to sensory stimuli in our environment. It is a process that helps our nervous system manage sensory information, and to maintain balance and energy levels. When our sensory system works well, we can easily process and understand sensory information around us. This helps us to stay calm, focused, and comfortable.
What is a Sensory Profile: Sensory Regulation Differences
There is natural individual variation in how we process sensory information; some of us experience more significant sensory reactivity than others. For some people, this is part of being neurodivergent. For example, individuals on the autism spectrum[i] and those who are ADHD commonly report quite significant sensory differences. Sensory challenges are even included in the diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorder. [ii]
For others, sensory overload can be related to sensory processing disorder (SPD), which relates to significant difficulty processing sensory stimuli information, causing our brain to become overwhelmed. As a result, a person may find it hard to handle information from sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell.[iii] Although sensory processing disorder is not officially recognised as a medical diagnosis in Aotearoa New Zealand, it can be very distracting and upsetting. This makes it difficult for individuals to study, work, interact with others, attend events, or engage in hobbies and sports.
Sensory overload can lead to visible distress, such as pacing, rocking, crying, yelling, or smashing objects, known as an emotional meltdown or a shutdown, where a person withdraws, goes silent, freezes, or has an outburst. Both are involuntary responses to overwhelming sensory input; recognising them can help with understanding and support.
Three Sensory Profiles
Research shows that differences in how we process sensory information are valid responses unique to each person. A study by MacLennan et al. (2021) found that there are three main types of sensory reactivity:
Heightened sensitivity (hyperreactivity)
People with heightened sensitivity are overly sensitive to sensory input. In other words, certain stimuli such as bright lights, loud noises, or certain textures, smells, and tastes can feel overwhelming and create distress. For instance, a highly sensitive person may find the lighting in an office environment distracting or unbearable.
Reduced sensitivity (hyporeactivity)
Individuals with reduced sensitivity to sensory input may not notice certain sensations or may react more slowly. For example, a person may not notice pain, fail to recognise when their hungry, or not realise they are cold until they are shivering.
Sensory seeking
Those who are sensory seeking actively crave sensory input to feel balanced, relaxed, or regulated. Sensory seekers may enjoy deep pressure (like weighted blankets), loud music, intense flavours, or bright colours. They may also enjoy repetitive movements, such as fidgeting, pacing, heights, or going on a swing.
Individuals vary and it is not unusual for a person’s profile on one sense to differ to another sense. For instance, someone might be sensory seeking when it comes to sound, preferring noisy environments and listening to music most of the time, while being hyperreactive to bright light, finding fluorescent office lights almost physically painful.
Understanding your sensory profile can help you manage your environment, reduce discomfort, and improve your wellbeing.
Signs of Sensory Overload in Adults
While sensory processing experiences are unique to each individual – what may be overwhelming for one person can be soothing for another – recognising your signs of sensory differences can help manage sensory overload effectively. Here are some specific signs to pay attention to:
Sensory overload in daily life
- Heightened sensitivity to loud or sudden noises in the workplace or home
- Discomfort in brightly lit rooms, especially those with fluorescent lighting
- Overwhelmed by massive crowds like malls, public transport, or parties
Physical discomfort and sensory aversions
- Aversion to certain textures in clothing or bedding
- Discomfort from specific food textures and tastes, complicating meal preparation and dining out
- Distress from strong odours, limiting comfort in public spaces or with household products
Physiological reactions
- Headaches or nausea in overstimulating environments
- Difficulties in managing parenting responsibilities or chores due to sensory sensitivities
Concentration and energy level issues
- Difficulty in focusing in environments where there are multiple stimuli, which affects work and daily life
- Chronic fatigue due to handling sensory input
Emotional and social issues
- Increased anxiety or irritability in sensory-rich settings, which affects intimacy and social interactions
- Intimacy and sex difficulties due to sensory aversions (skin-to-skin contact, unexpected touches, soft whispers too close to her ear, etc.).
Knowing Your Sensory Preferences and Challenges
Understanding your sensory profile starts with how different environments, situations, and stimuli affect you. Asking yourself the following questions may help:
- Am I overwhelmed by loud noises, bright lights, certain textures, and strong smells?
- Do I get overwhelmed by internal sensations such as hunger or thirst?
- Do I notice pain, temperature changes, or social cues, such as standing too close to others or bumping into people?
- Am I craving sensory input such as fidgeting, pacing the room, engaging with strong textures, loud sounds, or intense tastes? Why do I do this?
- Are any past experiences impacting my sensory sensitivity?
- How do I react when I feel flooded by loud noises, bright lights, and other sensory information?
Recognising these patterns can help you understand your sensory profile and make informed adjustments to your surroundings and routines.
To gain a deeper understanding of your sensory needs, you can also undergo a formal sensory assessment with a psychologist or occupational therapist who specialises in sensory sensitivities.
How to Manage Sensory Processing Challenges
While everyone might have different triggers, here are fourteen effective strategies for managing sensory sensitivities.
To cope with sensory hypersensitivity:
- Modify your environment to reduce sensory overload by using light covers, sunglasses in bright environments, earplugs, or noise-cancelling headphones in noisy settings.
- Avoid strongly scented products and perfumes.
- Use soft, loose clothing and remove irritating tags.
- Choose foods that won’t create aversions to certain textures, temperatures, or spices.
- Avoid exposure to crowded and overstimulating places.
To manage sensory hyposensitivity:
- Increase sensory input by using fidget toys or other sensory tools.
- Take frequent breaks throughout the day to move your body.
- Eat foods with intense flavors or mixed textures to provide sensory stimulation.
- Use deep pressure and visual supports like weighted blankets, lap pads, or compression clothing for deep pressure input.
- Seek out sensory experiences you enjoy, such as swings, bungees, rock climbing, and roller coasters.
General Sensory Regulation Strategies
- Practice self-calming techniques like meditation, mindful breathing, yoga, or relaxing activities like reading, journaling, or colouring.
- Get proper sleep and make self-care a priority.
- Set and enforce boundaries. Boundaries are essential if you feel overstimulated. Recognise your sensory limits and advocate for your sensory needs in work and social settings.
- Seek professional support if needed. If sensory overload impacts your daily life, consider seeking help from a therapist. Therapy can provide strategies to manage triggers, reduce anxiety, and improve emotional regulation.
The Importance of Self-Awareness and Acceptance
Understanding your unique sensory profile allows you to manage everyday life more easily, advocate for accommodations, and develop effective coping mechanisms. Self-awareness and self-advocacy are crucial as they enable you to accommodate your sensory preferences, decrease stress, improve productivity, and boost your wellbeing. Promoting acceptance of yourself and others allows for more inclusive and compassionate workplaces and communities.
If you are interested in workplace neurodiversity initiatives or other support, visit MindMatters Clinic for tools and resources.
References
[i] https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1362361309103794
[ii] https://www.autismspeaks.org/sensory-issues
[iii] https://www.additudemag.com/sensory-processing-disorder-in-adults/?srsltid=AfmBOoqRAu_ERvhyA7WN-1k_QjwUitTZe1lR7mnrhc1a0nhyDpD9citC&