Do you ever feel super overwhelmed in certain situations? Maybe you feel uncomfortable in loud restaurants, sensitive to bright, flashing lights, or become highly anxious in overcrowded spaces. This could mean you’re experiencing episodes of sensory overload, or overstimulation. For some people, overstimulation can make it difficult to focus or function on a daily basis. If you notice that your senses become too much for you to handle in certain environments, we’ve rounded up six things to do when you’re overstimulated, plus how to prevent sensory overload.
What Does It Mean To Be “Overstimulated”?
Overstimulation, or sensory overload, is when your senses are overwhelmed with too much information at once. This can make it difficult to process what you’re taking in and can trigger a physiological response. It could be sound, touch, taste, sight, smell, or loud noises, or any combination of the senses that trigger it. Prolonged exposure to bright lights, strong smells, certain textures and materials, and crowded spaces are common triggers for overstimulation.
Sensory overload can impact your ability to function properly. You may experience a loss of focus, anxiety and overwhelm, or a general state of discomfort. Some people who experience overstimulation may feel ill or nauseous, or even have panic attacks. For some people, overstimulation happens gradually, while for others it can happen all of a sudden, all at once. It can be a momentary discomfort in an overcrowded party, or it can be a persistent issue that impacts your daily life.
Sensory overload can happen to anyone, but there are some people who are more susceptible to it than others. This includes those with anxiety, ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder), autism, and PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). It’s more common in children, but overstimulation can occur at any age.
11 Signs and Symptoms of Sensory Overload
- Inability to ignore loud sounds, strong smells, or other sensory information
- Loss of focus
- Feeling overwhelmed, agitated, or irritable
- Feeling anxious
- Headaches, dizziness, lightheadedness
- General state of discomfort
- Feeling ill, faint, or nauseous
- Sensitivity to certain types of textures or clothing
- Restlessness
- Issues with sleeping
- Panic attacks
3 Ways to Prevent Sensory Overload
1. Identify Triggers
If you notice you experience symptoms in certain sensory situations, you can start to figure out what causes sensory overload for you. Is it a certain location? A particular smell? A blaring sound? If you can identify your triggers, you can come up with a game plan for interacting with those situations in the future.
2. Be Prepared
The more prepared you are to go into potentially overstimulating environments, the better. Practice deep breathing exercises, have noise cancelling headphones on hand, and develop an exit strategy for situations that may trigger you.
3. Communicate
Whether it’s at work, with your friends, or at an event, communicating your needs can be a huge help. Accommodations can often be made, which can make you feel more comfortable in the spaces you attend. But they can only be made if you communicate your needs in the first place.
6 Things To Do When You’re Overstimulated
1. Remove Yourself From the Situation
If possible, remove yourself from the situation that’s causing you to feel overstimulated. This may mean leaving a loud party, taking a break from your computer screen, or excusing yourself from a group conversation. There will be times when it’s harder to remove yourself from a situation than others. For example, if you’re at a wedding and start to feel overstimulated but don’t want to leave, think of ways you can find a mini-escape. Go to the bathroom for a while or step out to your car to get something you “forgot”. Find a quiet spot where you can close your eyes, breathe, and get into a good headspace. It can work wonders!
2. Breathing Techniques
When you’re feeling overstimulated, you can use breathing techniques to help you relax and calm down. It’s helpful to practice these techniques before you experience sensory overload so you know what to do in the moment. 3-3-3 breathing is one of the most popular techniques to calm down quickly. Breathe in for three seconds, hold for three seconds, and breathe out for three seconds. Practice this when you’re walking the dog, in line for groceries, or getting into bed. The more you practice, the more you’re teaching your body to relax in lots of different scenarios, and it becomes easier to tap into them when you need them.
3. Take a Break from Technology
Technology has become ingrained into our everyday lives. From laptops to smart phones to TVs, if we’re not careful, we could be spending all day staring at a screen. Although our devices allow us to stay connected and entertained, overstimulation can happen when you spend too much time consuming media through screens. It can lead to anxiety, lack of focus, fatigue, and even depression. It’s important to disconnect with technology regularly and especially when it’s causing sensory overload. Turn off your devices and read, take a walk, or catch up with a friend.
4. Try Noise Cancelling Headphones
If you’re someone who gets overstimulated with loud noises, noise cancelling headphones can make a world of a difference. You can wear them in numerous situations, from public transit, to a crowded mall. You can use them when you feel triggered or if you know the environment you’re going into may trigger you. Many noise cancelling headphones have a “quiet” and “aware” mode, so you can choose what works best for you depending on the situation.
5. Move Your Body
Physical activity is one of the best things you can do for your mental health, so if you’re experiencing overwhelm, anxiety, or restlessness from overstimulation, get up and move your body. Even going for a short work or doing some gentle stretches or yoga poses can help. Regular exercise helps calm your mind, reduce stress, and feel more stable emotionally.
6. Go Into a Dark, Quiet Room
If you’re at home or in someone’s home you feel comfortable with, and begin to feel symptoms, head into the bedroom, turn the lights off, and rest. Laying down in a dark, quiet room until you feel better allows you to remove yourself from the environment and reset your emotions. Make sure the room is dark with no stimulation, and take your time going back out until you feel better.
If you experience sensory overload episodes, we hope these tips help you prevent and deal with overstimulation.
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