Sensory Overload Isn’t Just About Noise: Hidden Stressors You Might Be Missing
- Emily Linder
- Sep 11
- 6 min read
When most people hear the term sensory overload, they think of loud noises, blaring alarms, or crowded spaces full of shouting voices. While sound is certainly a powerful trigger, it’s only one part of a much bigger picture. For neurodivergent individuals, such as those with autism, ADHD, or sensory processing sensitivity, sensory overload can come from multiple, less obvious sources that often go unnoticed or unaddressed.
Understanding these “hidden” sensory stressors is key to creating environments, routines, and relationships that feel safe and sustainable. This blog explores what sensory overload really looks like, which stressors are most often overlooked, and how to identify and manage your own sensory needs with greater clarity and compassion.
What Is Sensory Overload?
Sensory overload happens when one or more of the senses takes in more information than the brain can effectively process. This can result in a flood of input that overwhelms the nervous system, leading to irritability, anxiety, shutdowns, or meltdowns.
Common signs include:
Feeling easily agitated or jumpy
A sudden urge to flee or escape a space
Difficulty focusing or forming words
Headaches or fatigue
Emotional outbursts or dissociation
Withdrawal or numbness
Everyone can experience sensory overload from time to time. But for neurodivergent people, it may happen more frequently, with greater intensity, and in response to stimuli others find manageable or even enjoyable.
Why Sensory Overload Isn’t Just About Noise
While sound can be a major trigger, it is often just the most obvious one. Sensory input involves all the senses, including visual, tactile (touch), olfactory (smell), gustatory (taste), vestibular (balance), proprioceptive (body awareness), and interoceptive (internal bodily sensations) systems.
When someone is overwhelmed, it may not be just the music volume, it could also be the fluorescent lights, the scent of someone’s cologne, or the scratchy tag in their shirt. These stressors may be subtle, but when layered together, they can push a person past their threshold.
Hidden Sensory Stressors You Might Be Missing
1. Lighting and Visual Clutter
What it is: Bright, flickering, or artificial lighting. Spaces with a lot of visual input like patterns, clutter, or chaotic design.
Why it matters: Harsh lighting can lead to eye strain, migraines, and disorientation. Visual clutter makes it harder for the brain to filter relevant information, increasing cognitive load.
How to adjust: Use soft, indirect lighting like lamps instead of overhead fluorescents. Opt for neutral decor and reduce visual noise in your environment.
2. Scent and Chemical Sensitivity
What it is: Strong perfumes, air fresheners, cleaning products, scented candles, or even food smells.
Why it matters: For those with heightened olfactory sensitivity, strong smells can cause headaches, nausea, or anxiety. These reactions are real and not just “preferences.”
How to adjust: Create scent-free zones where possible. Use natural or unscented cleaning products. Ask others to avoid perfume when visiting.
3. Textiles and Clothing
What it is: Itchy fabrics, tight waistbands, clothing tags, seams, or layered outfits that trap heat.
Why it matters: Tactile sensitivities can make certain clothing intolerable. Constant low-level discomfort can drain mental energy and increase irritability.
How to adjust: Prioritize comfort. Choose tagless, soft, breathable fabrics. If formal attire is required, plan recovery time afterward.
4. Temperature and Air Flow
What it is: Being too hot, too cold, or exposed to drafts or stagnant air.
Why it matters: Many people with sensory sensitivities are more susceptible to environmental discomfort. Even slight shifts in temperature can cause distress.
How to adjust: Dress in layers. Use fans or space heaters to regulate micro-environments. Don’t dismiss your body’s signals.
5. Proprioceptive and Vestibular Triggers
What it is: Crowded spaces, elevators, tight seating, or environments where movement feels restricted or unbalanced.
Why it matters: The proprioceptive and vestibular systems help you feel grounded in space. When these systems are overstimulated or deprived, it can feel disorienting or even nauseating.
How to adjust: Take movement breaks. Use grounding techniques like stretching or weight-bearing activities. Seek seating with good support and enough space.
6. Food Texture and Taste
What it is: Slimy, crunchy, mushy, or mixed textures in food. Strong or unexpected flavors.
Why it matters: For people with oral sensitivities, certain foods can trigger gag reflexes, anxiety, or aversion. This is often misunderstood as “picky eating.”
How to adjust: Respect food preferences. Don’t pressure yourself or others to “just try a bite.” Offer safe food options during social events.
7. Internal Sensations (Interoception)
What it is: Hunger, fullness, needing to use the restroom, fatigue, or illness that is hard to notice or interpret.
Why it matters: Difficulty recognizing or responding to bodily cues can lead to sudden overwhelm or shutdown. You may only realize something was wrong after it becomes urgent.
How to adjust: Use timers to check in with your body throughout the day. Build routines that support eating, hydration, and rest.
8. Social and Emotional Energy
What it is: Extended conversation, emotional tension, eye contact, or unclear expectations in social settings.
Why it matters: Social interaction is a sensory and cognitive task. The demand to interpret social cues and mask neurodivergent traits can be overstimulating.
How to adjust: Set boundaries around social energy. Plan downtime after social events. Use scripts or exit strategies when needed.
The Cumulative Effect: Layered Overload
Sensory overwhelm often doesn’t come from one thing alone. It’s the stacking of multiple inputs that sends the nervous system into survival mode.
Picture this: You’re in a brightly lit grocery store. The carts squeak. The background music is just loud enough to be irritating. Someone’s perfume is overwhelming. You’re wearing a jacket that’s a little too warm, and you’re already hungry. Any one of these might be tolerable alone but together, they can trigger meltdown, shutdown, or escape behaviors.
Understanding sensory load in layers helps explain why someone might suddenly “lose it” or need to withdraw. It’s not overreacting. It’s the body saying enough.
How to Recognize Your Sensory Thresholds
Everyone’s sensory profile is different. What soothes one person might stress another. The key is to become a curious observer of your own nervous system.
Ask yourself:
What environments make me feel calm and grounded?
What sensations do I seek when I’m overwhelmed?
Which inputs (sounds, lights, smells, textures) make me clench my jaw or hold my breath?
What patterns emerge before I shut down or snap?
Keeping a sensory journal can help you track patterns and identify your top stressors. Note the setting, sensations, emotional state, and recovery needs.
Building a Sensory-Supportive Life
You don’t need to eliminate every trigger to feel safe. But you can build in supports that reduce your overall load and give your nervous system room to breathe.
🔹 Environmental Tweaks:
Use soft, warm lighting and blackout curtains
Create a “low-sensory zone” at home
Keep headphones, sunglasses, or calming textures on hand
🔹 Sensory Breaks:
Schedule “nothing” time between appointments or tasks
Use sensory-friendly tools like weighted blankets, fidget items, or aromatherapy
Engage in grounding rituals like breathing exercises or nature walks
🔹 Communication Tools:
Advocate for your needs with phrases like “This space is a bit much for me right now” or “Can we switch to scent-free products?”
Offer alternatives during social planning (e.g., outdoor cafes instead of crowded restaurants)
Honoring Sensory Needs Is Self-Respect, Not Weakness
There is no moral virtue in enduring environments that fry your nervous system. You are not “too sensitive” or “difficult” for needing certain supports. Sensory needs are biological, not behavioral. Honoring them is a legitimate form of self-care and a crucial part of mental health for many neurodivergent people.
You don’t have to justify your reactions. You just have to notice them, trust them, and respond in ways that help you stay regulated.
Sensory Awareness Is Empowering
When we expand the definition of sensory overload, we unlock compassion, not just for others, but for ourselves. Sensory awareness allows us to reclaim agency in environments that weren’t built for us. It offers insight into behavior that might otherwise be misinterpreted. And it reminds us that comfort, safety, and ease are not luxuries. They’re necessities.
So the next time your brain feels like it’s on fire, ask yourself: What’s really going on in my sensory world?
The answer might surprise you. And it might also set you free.
Disclaimer: This content is NOT meant to be a replacement for therapy. This is also not treatment advice or crisis services. The purpose of this content is to provide education and some fun. If you are interested in receiving therapy look up a therapist near you! If you are in Akron, Ohio visit www.calibrationscc.com to schedule with one of our counselors today! We offer free video consultation calls so you can make sure we will be a good fit for you.
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