Sensory overstimulation plays a big part in autistic burnout. So, in order to regenerate your nervous system and find your way out of the burnout, you need to pay attention to your sensory input. Your sensory system plays a big role in your well-being, and meeting its needs can help ease the weight of burnout. Here is what you can do to make the world more sensory-friendly (and pleasantly stimulating) to you.
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1. Sight
Adjust the lights in your home
A lot of autistic people I know prefer dim lighting or darkness. If that is you, you can adjust the lighting in the place you live so it isn’t too harsh. Play with candles, fairy lights, and Himalayan salt lamps, and create a warm, pleasant atmosphere in your home. You can also use a lava lamp for some visual stimulation.
I’m actually the opposite – spaces that are not lit well enough make me depressed and I have night blindness. In my home, I have lights that have several levels of brightness: very bright white light for the daytime and more gentle, warm light for the night. During the winter, I use a daylight lamp in the mornings.
Glasses that protect your eyes
If you wear glasses, you can choose transition lenses that will automatically adjust for the light level. (Again, I don’t use them because I hate when my world feels darker, but I know people who swear by them.)
Also, lenses with Crizal coating have been recommended to me by an autistic therapist (who is herself autistic). They help reduce glare, which is useful if you spend a lot of time under bright lights. They also block the blue light from computers and mobile phones, which can improve your sleep.
Reduce visual clutter
If your environment is too chaotic, it takes a toll on your mental health. You don’t have to become a minimalist, just hide the clutter from sight. Do you have enough storage space? Most of the things in your home should have a place inside a non-transparent piece of furniture. (And yes, I know it is quite difficult to be organized when you have ADHD as well, so take this advice with a grain of salt.)
2. Hearing
Hearing is probably the easiest sense to protect. There is a variety of noise-cancelling headphones that you can use. I have Apple AirPods and I like both their sound and noise-cancelling properties, but if you want real quiet, invest in over-ear headphones. I have heard good things about the Bose QuietComfort headphones or Sony Noise Cancelling WH-1000XM5. If you sleep in a room with someone who is snoring, there are also special earbuds designed to be comfortable while sleeping.
Reduce the background noise
When you need to be able to hear people talking, noise-reducing Loop earplugs or Flare Calmer earplugs alternative are an option. Loop earplugs reduce the volume of sound while keeping the sound quality clear. The Flare Calmer lets you hear the sound of human speech but filters out more disturbing sounds. I tried Loop and badly wanted to love them because so many neurodivergent people sing praises of them, but they didn’t agree with my tinnitus and I hated that I heard the sound of my speech distorted. I don’t have any of those issues with Flare.
Soundproof your space
To isolate your living space from the outside noises, lay down thick rugs or carpets, cover windows with curtains, and add enough furniture against the walls. (Bookshelves are ideal for this because books serve as an additional isolation. Also, books are always a plus for me!) Fabric wall hangings also dampen the sound. Look for adhesive-backed acoustic foam panels to put on your walls. You can also put fabric panels or acoustic tiles on the ceiling. The DYI cheap variation on acoustic panels is to put egg cartons on your ceiling and walls – but they don’t reduce noise as much.
Avoid auditory overwhelm
If you can, avoid situations when you hear multiple sounds at once, like music playing while someone is talking. Choose one sound source at a time. Turn off the devices you are not using, like fans or the TV, and run noisy appliances like dishwashers or washing machines when you’re not in the same room. You can also replace loud phone or computer alarms and notifications with soft, gradual sounds. Pay attention to which sounds are overwhelming for you, whether it’s high-pitched noises, repetitive beeping, or loud conversations.
White noise, nature sounds, and ASMR
White noise and pink noise can mask disturbing sounds, while green noise is great for falling asleep. Nature sounds can help you to be more relaxed. Some people also find listening to ASMR audio pleasant. But some neurodivergent people hate ASMR, so your mileage may vary. You can also try binaural beats or isochronic tones that will help you relax and focus.
Music you enjoy
Create a soundscape you enjoy. Play your favorite music, listen to songs that evoke feelings of comfort. Play your favorite song or songs on repeat (as many autistic people do). I listen to one specific playlist on Spotify while reading in the evenings, and another playlist full of energetic music while I do household chores. You can also listen to podcasts and audiobooks.
Make some noise
Don’t forget that you don’t only need to listen passively – you can make some noise too! Singing can be incredibly regulating for the auditory system. If singing feels overwhelming, you can start with gentle humming. Try different pitches or vowel sounds to find what feels most soothing to you. Repeat a melody or phrase to create a meditative rhythm. If you don’t want to use your voice, you can try tapping rhythmically. A great way to express and soothe yourself is to play a musical instrument.
3. Smell
Scent is an often underestimated sense, but it can greatly influence our emotions without us even noticing. I have a problem with getting used to new indoor spaces – and, after a lot of analyzing, I realized it has a lot to do with how a place smells. My home has a typical smell that my brain associates with comfort. When I stay at a friend’s place or in a hotel, the smell is different – and that makes me uncomfortable and subconsciously keeps my guard up. Now I intentionally try to get my brain used to a specific smell of a scented candle that I can bring with me when I travel and make the smell of a new place familiar.
Aromatherapy
You can use pleasant smells to make your home more comfortable to your senses. Experiment with scented candles and essential oils to find out what smells you enjoy. Lavender or vanilla can be calming, while peppermint, citrus, and eucalyptus can be energizing.
Safe smell
Use familiar and safe-smelling lotion, shampoo, or laundry detergent. I have my favorite brands of everyday hygiene products that I chose specifically for their pleasant, gentle smell. Smells tied to positive memories like the aroma of your favorite meal or a specific lotion can help ground and soothe you. Identify smells that consistently make you feel calm and incorporate them into your daily routine.
Avoid unpleasant odors
Try to stay away from unpleasant smells. Carry a handkerchief or scarf with a scent you enjoy to block unpleasant odors in a pinch. You can also use medical-grade nasal filters designed to block strong smells when you are in public.
Eliminate unpleasant smells from your home too. Take out the trash frequently and use bins with tight-fitting lids. You can place activated charcoal or baking soda in areas like the fridge or shoe racks to neutralize smells. Wear a face mask when you are cleaning. Open your window and let in some fresh air from time to time.
4. Touch
Surround yourself with pleasant textures. Use soft, smooth cotton for bedding, luxuriate in the feeling of a plush blanket wrapped around you. When you can, wear clothes that are sensory-friendly for you. For example, I wear only loose, cotton clothes. I need to avoid anything too tight, especially across the waist. When I find an item of clothing I can tolerate, I buy it in bulk. An extra pleasant sensation is my plush, fluffy hoodie.
Fidget toys can help you to calm down and stimulate you pleasantly. Try out a fidget spinner, fidget cube, sensory putty, or stress balls. If you feel comfortable with being touched, a professional massage can be really soothing and revitalizing.
You can play with warm and cool sensations. Heat can be comforting, and cold can energize you or stop anxiety, panic attacks, or PTSD flashbacks. I use a heating pad to help me fall asleep. A warm blanket, along with a cup of hot tea, is a comfort when I feel down. I use a warm and then cold shower to wake me up in the mornings. Cold water on my wrists, holding an ice cube, or immersing my face in ice water helps with anxiety and brings me out of obsessive thoughts.
5. Taste
Make sure you always have safe, familiar food available so eating isn’t an overwhelming experience. If you are easily overwhelmed, stick to mild and predictable flavors. Stock your kitchen with easy-to-prepare options for the times you aren’t feeling up to preparing a more complicated meal.
If your range of safe foods is wide enough, try to maintain enough variety to keep eating enjoyable. This goes double if you have ADHD because a good meal can give you a dopamine boost. Treat yourself to foods that bring you joy, or nostalgia, like your childhood favorites.
Also, remember to stay hydrated. If you can’t bring yourself to drink plain water, you can add a bit of juice to it, a bit of lemon, or a water enhancer like Mio drops. A herbal tea is also a good option. You can try different textures, like carbonated water, and different temperatures. Eating water-rich fruits and vegetables like grapes or watermelon can also increase your water intake if that is an option for you.
6. Proprioception
Your body uses proprioception to sense your position and movement in space. For example, without proprioception, you wouldn’t be able to touch your nose with your eyes closed or walk without consciously thinking about where to place your foot. Without proprioception, you wouldn’t be able to ride a bike or scratch an itch.
The sensory receptors that make proprioception possible, proprioceptors, are located mostly in your muscles, joints, and tendons. These receptors send your brain signals about your position and actions, which your brain processes and together with your vestibular system, vision, and nervous system work to give you the feeling of where your body is and how you are moving.
If you feel clumsy or disconnected from your body, you might need to work on your proprioception.
Pressure stimulation helps your proprioception. A weighted blanket provides deep pressure stimulation, which is a form of sensory input that activates proprioceptive receptors in the body. This input helps regulate sensory processing and improves body awareness. A weighted blanket provides a clearer sense of where your body starts and ends, which can help you if you feel disconnected from your body.
On top of that, deep pressure stimulation will help you feel calmer and more grounded. Some people liken it to the feeling of a firm hug. Deep pressure massages can also provide this benefit.
A lot of neurodivergent people like rocking and swinging movements, This is for a reason: rocking or swinging engages the proprioceptive system. By experiencing changes in position and movement, the proprioceptive receptors in your muscles and joints activate. The movement helps your brain understand how your body moves through space. This contributes to better coordination and body awareness. You can simply rock your body, or use a rocking chair, swing, or hammock to make it more fun. Rocking or swinging also stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps you to relax and let go of stress.
Physical therapy exercises that target specific joints and muscles help improve your proprioception too.
Conclusion
Navigating your way out of autistic burnout requires patience, self-compassion, and a willingness to listen to your body and mind. Feeding and soothing your senses is not just self-care—it’s an essential step toward healing. By identifying your sensory needs and embracing activities or environments that bring you comfort, you can gradually restore your energy and balance.
Remember, recovery is not linear, and what works today might evolve over time. Be kind to yourself, celebrate small victories, and honor your unique sensory profile as you find your way back to a more grounded and energized state. You’ve got this!
