We rely on sensory input to help us make sense of the world.
But more is not always better.
Does it ever feel to you that the world is too loud?
That we are being bombarded with too much unwelcome distraction, interruption and noise?
I am not neurodivergent, but I’ve become increasingly aware of how distressing excess sensory input can be, whether it’s light, sound or smell, and it’s not just because I’m getting older!
Our technologies provide us access to the worldwide web, to a 24/7 news reel and the ability to connect with others with a couple of keystrokes at any time and almost any place. Great. Except when it’s too much.
Overstimulation causes harm when you feel you can’t escape from it, leading to increased internalised stress. Over time, this can lead to illness and/or distress. It results in your brain being unable to process the input, making it harder to prioritise or interpret the incoming information, which creates discomfort, anxiety or panic.
Introducing Lydia.
Lydia is a successful senior executive in a company she co-founded. She is a delightful person to spend time with. She’s always on the go, loves her work, is passionate about ensuring her staff and clients feel cared for, and works long hours.
Very. Long. Hours.
She’s come to realise that her health is now suffering, and things need to change, but where to start because she has nurtured a culture of always being available, of being willing to muck in and get her hands dirty at any time and always working hard to resolve problems, no matter how difficult or protracted.
Taking a deeper dive into her working life, she shared that her drive and commitment to her work makes it difficult for her to switch off. She wants to always be part of the action, meaning she was always interacting, talking with people, and participating in countless meetings.
She feels guilty when she takes time off, which she admitted doesn’t happen very often.
Yes, she is tired. She has been tired for so long, she can no longer remember what it feels like not to be.
She recognises that this is also causing her to be more irritable and cranky than normal, which she finds distressing.
Her evenings are spent entertaining clients, attending work-related functions or being online for a late-night online meeting with clients on the other side of the world.
She admits to not sleeping well and probably needing more. Which is an understatement as she has trained herself to only go to bed when she is satisfied everything that could be done that day was taken care of, usually around 11.30 pm or later. She hates putting things off if they can be completed today.
Her busy mind often wakes her around 2 am, and not being able to get back to sleep, she turns on her iPad to do some work. But then she forces herself to be up by 6 am to get to the gym before heading to the office.
I asked her what she thought she needed, and her answer was very clear.
To find a place that can provide her peace and quiet.
Lydia is not alone. I’ve had many similar conversations with men and women experiencing the same amount of sensory overload.
It can be sorted starting by understanding that we all need the right type of rest to allow our bodies and minds to restore and reset. We’re not designed for continuous sensory input.
This is where the principles of lifestyle medicine can be so helpful. Not everything requires medicalisation or a pill to fix.
Managing sensory overload.
The first step is building awareness of what type of sensory input is causing you difficulty, so you can take appropriate action to minimise the impact. Is it too many people, too many bright lights, too much pounding music?
Building awareness starts by recognising you’re someone who attends functions and makes a mental note of the nearest exit on your arrival. Or perhaps you’re someone who makes your excuses in a conversation and looks for the nearest bathroom to escape to.
We all have different tolerances to different sensory inputs. This is about recognising when you’re reached your limit.
Then you can also build in strategies to help minimise your exposure to triggering events.
For Lydia, it started with re-evaluating how much time she really needed to be at after-work functions and choosing to reduce these to one or two nights a week.
While very much a people person, strong, warm and empathetic, Lydia admitted she wasn’t so good at showing herself compassion or recognising when she needed to close the office door to give herself a break.
She agreed that making some minor adjustments to her daily schedule (with the help of her EA) would enable her to have time out between meetings, factor in time for proper meal breaks and improve her lifestyle choices, like including some healthier snacks.
She also agreed that her sleep pattern was abysmal. Improving the quality (and duration) of her sleep was paramount to improving not just how she felt daily, but also to lift her mood, quieten her busy brain so she could think more clearly and help her to enjoy more of what she does.
While meditation wasn’t something she wanted to try (the mere thought of it making her feel agitated), she did agree to spending more time outside each day, either for a walk in a quiet place to eat her lunch and practicing noticing what was around her.
After a few weeks, Lydia now relishes her time outdoors, to hear birdsong, to watch the clouds and feel the warmth of the sun on her face. Things she had forgotten make her feel good.
Finding peace and quiet is essential to better managing our busy lives.
Creating a ritual for whatever time suits you, so you can be still for a few minutes, lowers your blood pressure, cortisol levels and creates that delicious sense of calm and contentment. It also helps you manage stress more effectively.
Isn’t that something we could all do with more of?
I’d love to know what you do to get enough sensory rest into your day.
Refs:
Scheydt S, Müller Staub M, Frauenfelder F, Nielsen GH, Behrens J, Needham I. Sensory overload: A concept analysis. Int J Ment Health Nurs. 2017 Apr;26(2):110-120. doi: 10.1111/inm.12303. Epub 2017 Feb 9. PMID: 28185369.
