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Vision. Touch. Taste. Hearing. Smell.

The senses can play a vital role in helping to self-regulate. There are times when we all feel out of control inside, experience racing thoughts, overwhelm, and irritability. Where noises are bothersome, and we are ‘touched out’ by the end of the day. There are times when our anxieties are too big to focus on other things, and simple tasks feel like too much. There are other times when we feel calmer, and content, where we have the ability to relax our minds and replenish our bodies.

Typically, we adjust our sensory input automatically to manage these ever-changing feelings. We often do this without even thinking about it- if your environment is too loud perhaps you drown out the sound by using headphones or shutting background noise off. Maybe when you feel stressed you light a candle and get cozy under a blanket. There’s a reason why these things help to reduce our stress levels.

Sensory has to do with the nervous system and the ability to register and manipulate information based on various sensations (Lai, et. al., 2019). This is where self-regulation comes into play. During our day to day lives, we encounter a variety of environments and situations where we need to adapt to interact successfully. If we are unable to regulate, this becomes more difficult to manage emotions and engage in our surroundings.

We all have unique sensory profiles, which refer to our sensitivity to sensory input. Some are more prone to being ‘hyper’ or ‘hypo’ aroused by stimuli, meaning they need stimulation, however most fall in the middle of this range. It has been proven that there is a direct connection between anxiety levels and sensory input. By using grounding techniques and calming strategies, we can decrease our anxiety levels and help improve regulating emotions, increasing awareness, and enhancing coping skills which can provide us with a sense of empowerment and control.

By engaging our five senses, we can help to calm our nervous system. For moments when our surroundings are too loud and chaotic, it can lead to feelings of irritation, frustration and sensitivity to other sounds. This is called overstimulation, or hyperarousal to sensory input. In situations like this, it is important to decrease your stress level and sensory input by limiting the activation of your senses. Other ways to self-regulate using sensory input is to become aware of sounds, smells, sights, tastes, and feels of things that make you feel calm versus energized. Check out this resource to help you to become more self-aware of your unique sensory profile.

Lai, C., Yung, T., Gomez, I., & Siu, A. 2019. Psychometric Properties of Sensory Processing and Self-Regulation Checklist (SPSRC). Occupational Therapy International.