Sensory disorders – what are they and how can you help yourself?

Do you ever find that ordinary sounds seem unbearable? Can the feel of a tag in your clothing ruin your whole day? Or that after leaving a crowded shopping mall, you feel completely exhausted—as if you had run a marathon? If so, you may be experiencing sensory dysregulation —a phenomenon that affects far more people than you might think.

In this article, we will look at what sensory regulation and dysregulation are, in which mental disorders they occur, what they look like in everyday life, and – most importantly – what you can do to regain balance.

What is sensory regulation?

Sensory regulation is the way in which our nervous system receives, processes, and responds to information from our senses – images, sounds, smells, tastes, touch, as well as stimuli from within the body. When our sensory system is working efficiently, it is like a well-tuned radio: it receives signals from the environment and reproduces them appropriately. This allows us to maintain concentration, regulate emotions, switch smoothly between tasks, and enjoy everyday experiences.

Sensory regulation is the foundation for all higher forms of self-regulation. As Dr. Megan Anna Neff, a psychologist specializing in neurodiversity , points out: sensory regulation is the cornerstone on which emotional, behavioral, and cognitive regulation are based. If this foundation is unstable, the whole “house” begins to shake—no matter how hard we work to control our emotions or behaviors.

What are sensory integration disorders?

Sensory dysregulation occurs when our sensory system has difficulty managing and responding to stimuli – both those from the environment and those from within the body. The brain is unable to filter, block, or properly interpret incoming sensory information.

Sensory dysregulation can manifest itself in two main ways:

• Sensory hypersensitivity (hypersensitivity) – stimuli that are neutral for most people (e.g., the noise of air conditioning, fluorescent light, a tag in a shirt) become intense, irritating, and even painful.
• Sensory under-responsiveness (hyposensitivity) – the nervous system seems “muted,” as if the senses were on vacation. The person may not notice stimuli and actively seek intense stimulation.

Many of us have never learned to recognize these conditions. We often mistakenly attribute them to “anxiety,” “fatigue,” “stress,” or “anger” – without realizing that their source lies in sensory overload.

Are sensory integration disorders the same as sensory dysregulation?

It is also worth distinguishing between two terms that are often used interchangeably: sensory integration/processing disorder and sensory dysregulation. Sensory integration disorder (often referred to today as sensory processing disorder, SPD) describes a rather constant pattern of nervous system functioning– the way the brain perceives, filters, and organizes sensory stimuli on a daily basis. Sensory dysregulation, on the other hand, is a state in which this system is already out of balance: there are too many or too few stimuli in relation to what a person is able to handle at a given moment. A person may experience isolated episodes of sensory dysregulation even without a formal SPD diagnosis, but in people with established processing difficulties (e.g., in autism or ADHD), such states usually occur more frequently and more quickly.

How do sensory disorders manifest themselves in everyday life?

The symptoms of sensory dysregulation can be very diverse and depend on each person’s individual sensory profile. Here are the most common signs that your sensory system may be overloaded:

• A sudden wave of fatigue – a feeling of exhaustion that comes “out of nowhere,” especially after being in a stimulating environment.
• Irritability and tension – even minor stimuli (the sound of a pen clicking, the smell of a coworker’s perfume) trigger a strong emotional response.
• A feeling of panic or the urge to escape – a sudden, inexplicable need to leave a place.
• The need to block stimuli – reflexively covering your ears, closing your eyes, looking away.
• Difficulty concentrating – inability to focus in noisy, brightly lit, or crowded environments.
• Problems with clothing – difficulty wearing clothes with tags, made of rough fabric, or tight-fitting.
• Emotional breakdowns (meltdowns) – sudden emotional outbursts that are perceived by others as disproportionate to the situation.
• Dissociation – feeling detached from reality, “foggy,” feeling like you are in a dream – this is the brain’s defense mechanism against sensory overload.

The key point is that to outsiders, the reaction to sensory overload may look like a “normal emotional outburst” or “tantrum.” Meanwhile, beneath the surface, the sensory system is in a state of alarm.

In which disorders does sensory dysregulation occur?

Sensory dysregulation is not a separate diagnostic entity in current classifications (DSM-5, ICD-11), but it is an important component of many mental and neurodevelopmental disorders.

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD)

Sensory difficulties are a diagnostic criterion for autism in DSM-5. Over 96% of children with autism show differences in sensory processing. The brains of autistic people process sensory information differently – this can include both hypersensitivity and hyposensitivity to stimuli from various sensory channels.

ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder)

Sensory sensitivity is common in people with ADHD and is related to how the brain processes sensory stimuli. Sensory dysregulation in people with ADHD often manifests as distractibility in noisy environments, difficulty filtering out irrelevant stimuli, and impulsive responses to intense stimulation.

Anxiety disorders

Research has shown that sensory hypersensitivity (hypersensitivity) is associated with the severity of anxiety symptoms, including phobias and specific anxiety. The link between anxiety and sensory hyperreactivity is so strong that people with sensory dysregulation often misinterpret their experiences as “pure anxiety.”

PTSD and complex trauma (C-PTSD)

Trauma leads to profound dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system, often keeping the individual in a state of chronic arousal (hyperarousal) or withdrawal (hypoarousal). After trauma, the nervous system goes into a state of “hyper-alertness” – which looks very similar to the sensory profile of a person with hypersensitivity. Research indicates that people with C-PTSD (complex post-traumatic stress disorder) have a less flexible nervous system, which makes it difficult to cope with acute stressors and can lead to increased activation after trauma.

Borderline personality disorder (BPD)

People with BPD show deficits in sensory gating, which means that their brains have difficulty filtering out irrelevant stimuli. Sensory processing disorders are more common in people with borderline personality disorder than in the general population. Emotional dysregulation in BPD is partly driven by increased activity in limbic areas and weakened control from the prefrontal cortex, which also affects sensory processing.

Schizophrenia

Deficits in sensory processing—particularly in the gating of auditory stimuli—are well documented in schizophrenia. Individuals with this disorder may have difficulty distinguishing relevant stimuli from background noise, contributing to sensory overload.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and eating disorders

Recent studies indicate a link between altered sensory processing patterns and symptoms of OCD and anxiety disorders in adolescents. Sensory sensitivity to food textures, tastes, and smells also plays an important role in eating disorders, including orthorexia.

8 sensory systems – more than 5 senses

When we talk about the senses, most of us think of sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch. However, we have eight sensory systems, and three of them—often referred to as the “hidden senses”—play a key role in sensory regulation:

“External” senses (functional)

• Sight – processes visual information.
• Hearing – processes sounds.
• Touch (tactile sense) – processes tactile sensations, textures, and surface temperature.
• Taste – processes taste sensations.
• Smell – processes smells.

“Hidden” (fundamental) senses

• Proprioception – “body sense.” Receptors in muscles and joints inform the brain about body position, pressure, and movement. This is why hugging, lifting weights, or carrying a weighted blanket has a soothing effect.
• Vestibular sense – located in the inner ear, it is responsible for the sense of balance, movement, and spatial orientation.
• Interoception – “internal sense.” Receptors in the internal organs inform us about hunger, thirst, heartbeat, breathing, pain, body temperature, and the need to use the toilet. Interoception is directly related to the feeling of emotions. People with interoceptive difficulties may have trouble recognizing whether they are hungry, tired, or simply sensory overloaded.

Understanding these eight systems allows us to better identify our sensory needs and accurately select regulatory strategies.

Polyvagal theory and sensory dysregulation

Stephen Porges’ polyvagal theory provides an important neurobiological context for understanding sensory dysregulation. According to this theory, our autonomic nervous system operates on three levels:

1. The ventral vagal system – responsible for safety, social contact, and emotional regulation.
2. Sympathetic nervous system – activates the fight-or-flight response.
3. Dorsal vagal system – responsible for freezing, withdrawal, and dissociation.

Trauma and chronic stress cause the nervous system to “get stuck” in defense mode – either in a state of hyperarousal (constant alarm, hypersensitivity to stimuli) or in a state of hypoarousal (shutdown, numbness, “switching off”). Therefore, in people who have experienced trauma, sensory symptoms may intensify – the nervous system, being in survival mode, “amplifies” every stimulus as a potential threat. Read also our article: polyvagal theory activate the vagus nerve rebuild the nervous system

The polyvagal approach emphasizes the role of neuroception—an automatic assessment of safety that takes place below the threshold of consciousness. When neuroception signals danger (even if there is no objective danger), the body goes into a state of dysregulation.

How to deal with sensory dysregulation? Proven strategies

Develop a “sensory lens”

The first – and extremely important – step is to learn to look at your experiences through the prism of sensory regulation. Dr. Neff calls this the” sensory lens” – it’s about consciously noticing how sensory stimuli affect your emotions, energy, and well-being.

With this perspective, you can:

• Distinguish sensory overload from an anxiety attack.
• Recognize that your irritability is due to an excess of stimuli, not a “bad temper.”
• Identify specific sensory needs and communicate them effectively.
• Implement appropriate regulatory strategies.

Keep a sensory journal

Recording your daily sensory experiences helps you identify patterns, triggers, and calming factors. Pay attention to what sounds, textures, smells, tastes, and visual stimuli affect your mood and energy level.

Get to know your sensory profile

Each of us has a unique sensory profile—a unique combination of preferences, triggers, and calming factors. Identifying this profile is the foundation for effectively managing dysregulation. Checklists for the following may be helpful:

• Sensory preferences – what kind of lighting, sounds, temperatures, textures, and smells do you prefer?
• Triggers – what stimuli cause discomfort, tension, or panic?
• Calming factors – what stimuli help you regain your balance?

Create a “sensory diet”

A sensory diet is a personalized plan of daily sensory activities that helps keep your nervous system regulated. It is not a nutritional diet – it is a set of planned activities involving various sensory systems:

• Proprioception: carrying heavy objects, weight-bearing exercises, deep pressure (e.g., weighted blanket).
• Vestibular system: gentle rocking, swinging, walking.
• Touch: playing with kinetic sand, massage, working with clay.
• Hearing: listening to soothing music, using noise-canceling headphones, white noise.
• Sight: being in an orderly, visually calm environment, contact with nature.
• Smell: aromatherapy with soothing oils (lavender, chamomile, eucalyptus).
• Taste: chewing gum, drinking warm tea, crunchy or chewy snacks.

The sensory diet works in two ways – proactively (preventing overload) and reactively (helping to regain regulation after an episode of dysregulation).

Modify your environment

The environment has a huge impact on the state of our sensory system. Small changes can bring significant relief:[

• Replace fluorescent lighting with warm, dimmed light.
• Use noise-canceling headphones in noisy places.
• Keep your surroundings tidy—visual clutter can significantly burden the sensory system.
• Create a “sensory zone” at home – a quiet corner with dim lighting, comfortable seating, and minimal distractions.
• At work, ask if you can adjust the lighting or move your desk away from the window.

Use grounding techniques

Grounding techniques interrupt the cycle of overload and help shift your attention to something predictable and stable:

• The 5-4-3-2-1 technique: name 5 things you see, 4 you hear, 3 you can touch, 2 you can smell, and 1 you can taste.
• Conscious breathing with prolonged exhalation.
• Body scan.
• Holding a cold or warm object in your hand.

Practice mindfulness and body awareness

Mindfulness helps develop interoception—the ability to sense internal bodily signals. Regular mindfulness practice increases interoceptive accuracy and leads to a reduction in somatic symptoms, anxiety, and neuroticism. For people with sensory dysregulation, the following may be particularly helpful:

• Body scan.
• Conscious breathing.
• Trauma-sensitive yoga.

Sensory hypersensitivity? Try therapy.

Professional support can significantly speed up the process of regaining regulation:

• Sensory integration therapy – conducted by occupational therapists, teaches the brain to better process sensory stimuli.
• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) – helps identify and modify catastrophic thoughts related to sensory experiences and build emotion regulation skills.
• Polyvagal and somatic approaches – breathing techniques, acoustic vagus nerve stimulation, co-regulation-based exercises.

Sensory safety plan – your roadmap for difficult moments

Dr. Megan Anna Neff suggests creating a sensory safety plan – a personalized action plan for sensory overload. This is particularly valuable because when you are dysregulated, your decision-making ability is significantly impaired. A plan prepared in advance eliminates the need to think in a moment of crisis.

A sensory safety plan should include:

1. Sensory profile – your preferences, triggers, and calming factors.
2. A list of the 5 most effective calming measures – e.g., weighted blanket, noise-canceling headphones, lavender oil, walk, warm tea.
3. Self-regulation strategies – grounding techniques, breathing exercises, physical activity.
4. Communication scenarios – pre-prepared sentences to express your needs, e.g., “I feel overwhelmed and need a moment of peace.”
5. Nonverbal cues – passwords or gestures agreed upon with loved ones that mean “I need to leave.”
6. Exit strategies – identified escape routes from difficult environments.
7. Support network – a list of trusted people with contact details.

Sensory kit – your portable first aid kit

A practical addition to the plan is a sensory kit – a small set of items that help you regain control in any situation. It may include:

• Noise-canceling headphones or earplugs.
• A fidget spinner or stress ball.
• Essential oil (e.g., lavender) or scented lotion.
• Chewing gum or mints.
• Sunglasses (to filter out excess light).
• A soft object that provides tactile comfort.
• A card with self-regulation techniques (as a visual reminder).
• A photo of a loved one or pet (an element of self-compassion).

It is best to keep the kit in several places—in your bag, desk drawer, car—so that it is always within reach.

When should you seek professional help?

Sensory dysregulation is an experience that you can learn to live with – but you don’t have to deal with it alone. It is worth consulting a professional when:

• Sensory difficulties significantly interfere with daily functioning (work, relationships, leaving the house).
• You avoid many places and situations because of sensory sensitivity.
• You experience frequent emotional breakdowns or dissociation.
• You suspect that sensory dysregulation co-occurs with other difficulties (anxiety, depression, PTSD, autism, ADHD).

Specialists who can help include an occupational therapist specializing in sensory integration, a psychotherapist familiar with neurodiversity and sensory regulation, or a psychiatrist—if pharmacological support for co-occurring conditions is necessary.

Self-compassion – the key to the process

Finally, it is important to remember that sensory regulation is a process, not a goal to be achieved once and for all. Your sensory needs may change from day to day – and that is normal. What works to calm you down today may not be enough tomorrow.

When you experience sensory overload, try telling yourself:

• “This is a difficult moment. It’s painful.”
• “I’m not alone in this. Others have felt this way too.”
• “I’m doing everything I can—and that’s enough.”
• “I’ve faced difficulties before and survived.”

Sensory dysregulation no longer has to be an invisible backdrop to your life. Naming it, understanding your sensory profile, and creating a sensory plan are concrete steps that can give you back control over how you function on a daily basis.

Bibliography:

Acevedo, B. P. (2024). The Science and Art of Sensory Processing Sensitivity. Elsevier.

Miller, L. J. (2014). Sensational Kids: Hope and Help for Children with Sensory Processing Disorder. Penguin

ScienceDirect. Sensory processing deficiencies in patients with borderline personality disorder who experience auditory verbal hallucinations.

Sutton, J. et al. (2025). An Occupational Therapist’s Guide to Sensory Integration and Adult Mental Health. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Neal, J. M., & Edelman, S. (2019). The Importance of Sensory Processing in Mental Health. Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience.

Schauder, K. B., & Bennetto, L. (2016). Toward an interdisciplinary understanding of sensory dysfunction in autism spectrum disorder.

Porges, S. W., & Dana, D. (Eds.). (2018). Clinical Applications of the Polyvagal Theory: The Emergence of Polyvagal-Informed Therapies. Norton.

Autism.org / Advanced Autism. PTSD vs. Autism / PTSD and Autism: Overlapping Signs and Support Strategies (2021)

Federal Health Group. Understanding Sensory Processing Disorder in Adults: Symptoms and Effective Treatments (2024).

https://sensoryhealth.org/basic/your-8-senses

https://neurodivergentinsights.com/8-senses/