Sights, sounds, and other sensory stimuli can be a source of real joy in our lives. But for some of us, too much input from one or multiple sources can quickly become overwhelming, making it hard for us to concentrate, sleep, or relax.
As someone who’s neurodivergent, I can become overwhelmed by the presence of certain sounds, loud noises, and busy environments, whether that be a crowded bus or a cluttered space.
Everyone is different, with varying triggers and tolerance levels that can differ daily. Personally, I am often unable to filter out excess noise or visual stimuli in my environment. This makes my brain work extra hard to stay focused on what I’m doing and can make it impossible to relax, as my brain becomes overwhelmed by everything around me.
Whether I’m feeling all of this consciously or not in the moment, encountering these things regularly or for long periods always results in the same thing: sensory overload.
Sensory overload can present in different ways and can include extreme fatigue, heightened sound sensitivity, and feeling unable to communicate. Below, I’ve shared some examples of the gadgets I regularly use to help reduce or control sensory input and those I use to decompress after a busy day, which I hope may prove useful to you, too.
What I use when I wish life had a volume button
I often find the world way too loud, especially when I’m not feeling my best. Not only can this make the noise from everyday activities like commuting or doing chores too much to handle, but it can also make it hard to fully participate in enjoyable activities.
When I want to focus or block out as much noise from my environment as possible, I rely on my Bose QuietComfort headphones. I’ve got many pairs of great earbuds, like my 1More PistonBuds Pro Q30 and my Motorola Moto Buds+ earbuds, but my QuietComforts have been a revelation.
Their full ear coverage and ANC do a fab job in dampening the noises around me, and they sound fantastic. As a result, I wear them whenever I’m using public transport, working in a busy office, or when I want to chill and fully engage in an audiobook.
For the times when listening to audio isn’t convenient, or if I want to be able to engage in what’s happening around me while still reducing the volume of the sound, I turn to my Loop Switch 2 earplugs.
I love the versatility of these Loops, as I can change the level of noise cancelling simply by clicking the outer ring back and forth.
With a list price of $59.95 / £54.95 / AU$94.95, they’re a clever combination of Loop’s Quiet, Experience, and Engage earbuds. This means I only need to carry this one pair with me, and can adjust the settings to suit throughout the day.
What I use to wind down after an overwhelming day
I love that I get to test out some of the best smart lights for my day job, as I’m a real fan of pretty and colorful lighting.
My all-time favorite is the Govee Table Lamp 2, which I’m so fond of that I have two of them; one in my bedroom and one in my living room.
In addition to its practical everyday uses, I’ve found it to be a wonderful tool for winding down, thanks to its vast array of scenes, which provide mesmerizing, colorful lights for me to get lost in.
I’ve also really enjoyed using the updated model, the Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro x Sound by JBL, on my desk when I’m working from home.
This upgrade delivers satisfyingly good audio from its JBL Bluetooth speaker, so I get to play my choice of background audio alongside the pretty visual display.
What I use to help me sleep
Sometimes, I can drop off moments after my head hits the pillow, but I can often find myself getting distracted by ambient noises around me. I can also find myself at a disadvantage even when my environment is blissfully quiet due to having tinnitus, which can get particularly loud after a noise-filled day.
When I need to reduce the impact of distracting ambient noise from sources like fans or other people’s TVs, I use my lovely lilac Loop Dream earplugs.
They’re perfect for dampening noise while still being able to sleep on my side, and they’re comfy to wear, which is a big plus for me as I have rather small and sensitive ears.
Sadly, earplugs are no use for the times when my tinnitus is out of control. Fortunately, however, I’ve found a nice hack that helps me out in those cases, which is listening to customizable white noise via my Soundcore Sleep A30 earbuds.
They’re not as comfy as my Loop Dream earplugs, but the mix of ocean sounds, rain, and distant thunderstorms I’ve created has been a game-changer when I need to distract myself from my screeching tinnitus.
Share your thoughts
I hope this list of my essential everyday gadgets gives you some helpful direction if you’ve been on the lookout for solutions to help with sensory overload from similar situations.
If you’ve found my suggestions useful, I’d love to hear from you in the comments below. And please feel free to share your own tips and gadgets, as they might just prove helpful for someone else.
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