Tools to Manage Overstimulation
Overstimulation is everywhere and the world isn’t going to quiet down for us. We need to take matters into our own hands, which means finding and utilizing tools that can limit our exposure to the sources of whatever overstimulates us. For me, it’s crowds, noise (including sudden and prolonged), and sometimes light. Even things like too many colours can overload my senses—so grocery stores, which I’ve previously talked about, are an uncomfortable place for me. They have everything I hate. I’ve compiled a list of some of the tools I use, a few my kids use, and a few I plan to explore.
Noise-Cancelling Headphones
I did an entire article on the value of noise-cancelling headphones and the wide range of available tools that fit into this category. If you’re not a music or white noise person, even hearing protection can reduce noise by a helpful amount. I have used noise-cancelling headphones since before my diagnosis, and my younger son used the hearing protection type last year, when he had a noisy classroom. If I’m listening to music in a noisy environment, I find music with a continuous sound to be the best. When there are engine noises (bus, train, boats), something with heavier bass helps to drown that out. This has led me to explore lots of new music I may have never listened to, which is kind of a win in itself.
Oversized Hoodies
As I write this, I’m sitting in a new oversized hoodie with a big, bulky hood that blocks out most of my peripheral vision. This is actually the Noisy Grass Premium Hoodie that I sell in my store, in a 5XL size. I prefer oversized hoodies because the extra fabric feels like I’m wearing a blanket, and the extra large hood pulls over my headphones and forward enough to help block out distractions, as well as any overhead lights that might be blinking or set to max brightness.
Outlook Calendar
A bit of a shift here, more of a work adjustment. I did previously mention work in another overstimulation article—though that was focused on the sources, while this is meant to be more of a “fixes” post.
Outlook’s calendar is a tool that I’ve started using to set aside “focus time” in my day—this stops me from doing whatever I’m doing, close my door, turn down my lights, put my phone away (if it’s not already gone), and get into whatever tasks require the most attention. If I have time-sensitive or complex deadlines, this is the time to prioritize those tasks. The calendar pops up a notification when focus mode starts, and I usually close Outlook after that to remove one last source of distraction. Often, I also put my headphones on for an additional layer of focus.
Sensory-friendly Space
This started as a “cozy corner” for my son. He would get home from his very noisy classroom and needed a place to decompress. This was the cozy corner. It had a soft blanket, his favourite stuffed animal, books and a book light, a soft-glow lamp, and fidget toys.
I try to keep my home desk sensory friendly as well, with uniform colours and limited RGB. My PC has a stupid amount of RGB, but luckily it’s all controllable and I just keep it off most of the time. I have RGB on my fans, RAM, CPU, GPU, keyboard, mouse, and capture cards. I do keep the keyboard on because the rainbow effect is relaxing—I like watching the colours dance down the keyboard.
Fidget Toys
I haven’t tested fidget toys much myself, but stress balls, fidget spinners, and objects with interesting textures, are all things we’ve tested at home. I am hoping to pick up a very clicky keyboard that I can take to work, as the feel and sound of loud keyboards is quite soothing—and if I close my door it shouldn’t interfere with my colleagues.
Weighted Blankets
Coming back to sensory-friendly fabrics, I’m hoping to pick up some weighted blankets this winter for my boys. I’ve read that these reduce anxiety and promote better sleep and relaxation, and while I haven’t observed my kids suffering from high anxiety or poor sleep, I remember myself at their ages and I definitely did. I also didn’t talk about it. With no downside, it seems logical to offer what could either be a solution to a silent problem or prevention of a future one.
In Closing
Overstimulation remains one of the most prevalent issues in living with autism. It’s an ongoing problem that I cannot seem to eliminate and can only mitigate. If you have any techniques or tools I haven’t discussed here, please leave a comment below so I can find more things to try.
