It’s become commonplace to hear people describe themselves or others as “overstimulated.” You might even find yourself using this term to explain why a crowded store or a busy day leaves you feeling completely drained. However, true overstimulation is more than just a feeling of being busy; it’s a clinically recognized condition where your brain becomes unable to effectively process the barrage of sensory information it receives.
Overstimulation, or sensory overload, happens when your brain cannot sort through all the sights, sounds, smells, touches or tastes coming at it at once. Psychologist Naomi Torres-Mackie at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City told TIME that in these instances, “You’re experiencing sensations, and you feel them more than they actually are.”1
This is distinctly different from overwhelm, which, while also unpleasant, is primarily an emotional reaction to stress or anxiety related to feeling buried under responsibilities rather than sensory inputs. Sensory overload often manifests in alarming ways, with symptoms ranging from physical responses like lightheadedness and muscle tension to emotional reactions such as anxiety, panic and even rage.
For someone truly overstimulated, a crowded subway car might feel “intolerable,” according to Torres-Mackie, triggering a strong urge to escape. Chronic overstimulation, meanwhile, often leads to persistent stress, burnout and a sense of being constantly overwhelmed.2 To understand if what you’re experiencing is overstimulation or overwhelm, and know how to best overcome it, it’s helpful to know the distinctions.
The Truth About Overstimulation
Overstimulation is a state where your brain struggles to handle incoming sensory information, while overwhelm is more broadly an emotional reaction to stress or anxiety. The term “overstimulated” has become a buzzword, almost slang, for describing feelings of being overloaded. However, this intense sensory experience is not the same as overwhelm.
• Overstimulation triggers intense physiological and emotional responses — The TIME article points out that reactions to overstimulation are often quite intense, especially for individuals with conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), autism, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety disorders and schizophrenia.3
Such reactions include a strong desire to flee, feelings of restlessness, anxiety, panic attacks and even agitation. Physically, individuals often experience lightheadedness, headaches, muscle tension and heart palpitations, highlighting the body’s significant stress response to sensory overload.
• New mothers frequently describe their experience as overstimulation — Caitlin Slavens, a psychologist specializing in maternal mental health, adds that many new mothers describe their maxed-out state as “overstimulated,” underscoring how sensory bombardment in modern life contributes to these feelings.4
While acknowledging that “overstimulated” is sometimes used loosely, experts underscore the reality of genuine sensory overload as a distinct experience.
• Overwhelm vs. overstimulation — Torres-Mackie explains the key differences between these two emotions:
“If you’re feeling really inundated with certain tasks and requests at work, and you’re still able to perform, you may be overwhelmed. But if you completely freeze, and you’re not able to perform — maybe you even have a panic attack — then you’re likely overstimulated.”5
• Coping strategies depend on the severity of the experience — It also helps to examine the cause and impact on daily life. If the sensation is merely uncomfortable, strategies for adaptation, like cognitive behavioral therapy, are effective.
As Torres-Mackie states, “Avoiding something that’s uncomfortable often backfires, because you don’t build the muscle to deal with it.”6 However, if the feeling is genuinely intolerable, it signifies a more profound state of overstimulation.
• Effective coping strategies for both overstimulation and overwhelm — The TIME article outlines practical, actionable steps to regulate the nervous system, manage intense feelings and achieve calmness and balance, including:
◦ Seeking a calming space
◦ Practicing grounding techniques to focus on your five senses
◦ Enlisting support from friends in social situations
◦ Using noise-canceling headphones to reduce auditory input
◦ Talking to a professional
For more insight into how feeling overwhelmed impacts your behavior, read “Here’s Why Feeling Overwhelmed Changes Your Behavior.”
Chronic Overstimulation Leads to Burnout
According to the book, “The Highly Sensitive Brain,” chronic overstimulation often presents as a cluster of problems, notably “feeling stressed out,” “suffering from burnout” or simply feeling “overwhelmed.”7
• Chronic overstimulation impacts both health and performance — The author, psychologist Elaine Aron, explains that this persistent state of overarousal not only diminishes restfulness and overall health but also, over time, impairs performance in professional and personal realms. Individuals experiencing this often let their own needs slide, contributing to the insidious nature of the problem.
• Life transitions frequently trigger overarousal in sensitive individuals — This is because these shifts demand quick adaptations to new stimuli and routines, a process that’s inherently challenging for those who prefer a slower pace and thoughtful reflection. Even positive changes, such as starting a vacation, moving or getting married, paradoxically bring about negative side effects like restlessness and sleep disturbances.
• Overstimulation and panic attacks are closely linked — The book draws a connection between intense overstimulation and panic attacks. It suggests that for sensitive individuals, panic attacks often arise from overwhelming sensory experiences, leading to a “terrifying sense of not being able to cope” and a subsequent fear of recurrence.
• Overstimulation-induced panic attacks differ from traditional panic attacks — These are often resolved more quickly when the underlying cause — overstimulation — is identified and addressed with appropriate coping strategies. Moreover, the physiological experience of overarousal is difficult to distinguish from fear, driving individuals to avoid situations that might trigger it.
• Avoidance behaviors reinforce overstimulation — Avoidance behavior manifests in various ways, such as reluctance to socialize in new environments, hindering the formation of new friendships or limiting social engagement to maintain a sense of control over sensory input.
• Short-term coping strategies focus on immediate relief — “The Highly Sensitive Brain” explains both short-term and long-term strategies for dealing with overstimulation. Short-term coping focuses on immediate self-care practices like adequate sleep, a healthy diet, regular exercise and downtime activities such as meditation or spending time in nature.
• Long-term strategies involve setting boundaries and lifestyle adjustments — Managing overstimulation effectively requires healthy boundaries in relationships and at work to limit exposure to overwhelming situations. This comprehensive approach suggests that managing overstimulation effectively requires both immediate responses to acute episodes and sustained lifestyle adjustments to minimize triggers and enhance resilience.
Sensory Overload Sparks a Fight-or-Flight Response
Sensory overload is a common experience that affects anyone. The Cleveland Clinic uses the analogy of an overwhelmed internet browser with too many tabs open to illustrate how sensory overload effectively “freezes up” your brain, hindering normal function.8
• Sensory overload is triggered by the sympathetic nervous system — This system, often referred to as your body’s alarm system, is responsible for the “fight-or-flight” response. This system activates when you sense danger or significant stress, and in the context of sensory overload, it’s triggered by aspects of your environment that your brain perceives as too intense or chaotic.
• Sensory overload is a real bodily response — Understanding this physiological basis is key to recognizing sensory overload as more than just a feeling; it’s a real bodily response to perceived environmental stress.
• Triggers for sensory overload vary widely from person to person — Some common sensory triggers include:
◦ Loud and constant noises like concert music or bustling restaurants are typical culprits
◦ Visual triggers, such as cluttered environments or bright, flashing lights
◦ Strong smells, such as perfumes or cleaning products, also lead to sensory overload
◦ Touch sensitivities, like scratchy or tight clothing
◦ Taste, particularly strong flavors or unfamiliar textures
• Overload often results from multiple triggers acting simultaneously — Being in a crowded, noisy, brightly lit and strongly scented environment like Times Square intensifies sensory overload.
• Mental and emotional symptoms of sensory overload — Sensory overload commonly leads to feelings of stress, anxiety, confusion, a paralyzing inability to focus, irritability and racing thoughts.
• Physical symptoms reflect the body’s heightened stress response — Sensory overload triggers dizziness, a flushed face, shaking or trembling, sweating and tightness in the chest. These physical symptoms reflect your body’s stress response, which may progress to a panic attack if left unmanaged.
• Certain conditions increase susceptibility to sensory overload — Individuals with anxiety may experience sensory overload in social situations or when facing phobias, while those with ADHD may struggle with focus, leading to overload. People with autism often have sensory aversions, making them more prone to overload when exposed to disliked stimuli.
For individuals with PTSD, sensory triggers evoke traumatic memories and induce sensory overload.
• Recognizing personal triggers is key to prevention — Identifying personal triggers is the first step toward prevention. Once triggers are recognized — whether locations or sounds — strategies to mitigate exposure or manage reactions can be developed. Practicing coping strategies like slow breathing regularly, even when not overwhelmed, builds resilience.
What to Do if You’re Overstimulated
Whether you’re grappling with overstimulation or the broader sense of overwhelm, know that there are practical steps to regain control and find your calm. The key is to implement strategies that soothe your nervous system and help you manage sensory input more effectively. To build a stronger foundation for handling stress and sensory challenges, consider these additional approaches:
1. Nourish your resilience with healthy carbs — Increasing your intake of healthy carbohydrates helps to lower cortisol, which is known as both a stress and an aging hormone. The carbohydrates help maintain your blood sugar level so your body no longer needs to raise cortisol to generate glucose. This nutritional support is key to building a stronger baseline defense against daily stressors.
2. Take a daily walk outdoors — “The Highly Sensitive Brain” highlights the importance of “downtime” including time in nature to cope with stimulation. Taking a walk outside is a simple yet potent way to incorporate this advice into your life. A brisk walk, especially in a natural setting, not only provides physical exercise but also acts as a sensory reset.
The fresh air, natural sounds and visual simplicity of nature offer a stark contrast to the often artificial and overwhelming stimuli of our indoor and urban environments. This time outdoors allows your nervous system to decompress and recalibrate, enhancing your ability to manage sensory input.
3. Prioritize proper sleep to recharge your system — Adequate sleep is not just about feeling rested; it is a cornerstone of your body’s ability to manage stress and sensory input. When you’re sleep-deprived, your nervous system becomes more reactive and less resilient, making you more vulnerable to both overstimulation and overwhelm.
Make sleep a non-negotiable part of your daily routine. Aim for consistent, restful sleep to strengthen your neurological defenses against sensory overload and to improve your overall ability to handle life’s demands.
4. Create your personal sanctuary — Establish a space where you can retreat to when the world feels like too much. This could be a quiet corner in your home, your bedroom or even just a comfortable chair. Equip this space with items that soothe you.
Maybe it’s a cozy blanket, a favorite pillow or an essential oil diffuser with calming scents. When you start to feel those familiar signs of sensory overload creeping in, heading to your sanctuary can be your first line of defense to de-escalate before you become completely overwhelmed.
5. Ground yourself in the present — One of the most immediate and effective techniques to combat overstimulation is focusing intently on your senses. As Torres-Mackie suggests, “You’re tapping into the very thing that’s feeling fraught” by consciously engaging your senses.9 Take a moment to notice what you feel physically — the texture of your clothes, the warmth of your skin. Observe your surroundings: what colors, shapes or patterns do you see?
Listen closely: can you identify different sounds, near and far? Engage your sense of smell with a comforting scent, like peppermint essential oil, to evoke positive feelings. Even something as simple as savoring a comforting taste, like a warm cup of tea, helps bring you back to the present moment and dial down the sensory chaos.
For more strategies on maintaining your calm in overwhelming situations, read “How to Stay Calm Among Chaos.”
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Overstimulation and Overwhelm
Q: What’s the difference between overstimulation and overwhelm?
A: Overstimulation occurs when your brain is unable to process the sensory information it’s receiving from your surroundings, like loud noises or bright lights. Overwhelm, on the other hand, is an emotional response to stress and anxiety, often when you feel like you have too many responsibilities and not enough capacity to handle them.
Q: What triggers sensory overload?
A: Common triggers include loud and constant noises, bright or flashing lights, strong smells like perfumes, certain textures or uncomfortable clothing, and even intense tastes. It often happens when multiple senses are bombarded at once, like in crowded, noisy and visually busy places.
Q: How does sensory overload physically and mentally affect you?
A: Sensory overload triggers both mental and physical symptoms. Mentally, you might feel stressed, anxious, confused, irritable and have racing thoughts or an inability to focus. Physically, symptoms include dizziness, flushed skin, shaking, sweating and chest tightness.
Q: Is sensory overload something that only affects people with specific conditions?
A: No, anyone can experience it, but it’s more common in people with anxiety, ADHD, autism and PTSD. Even without a diagnosed condition, past traumatic experiences or particularly intense environments lead to sensory overload in anyone.
Q: What are some quick ways to cope with sensory overload when it happens?
A: Focus on your five senses to reconnect with the present helps reduce the feeling of being overwhelmed. Creating a personal quiet space to retreat to is also helpful. In social situations, having a friend who knows your needs provides support. Using noise-canceling headphones helps minimize overwhelming auditory input and practicing slow breathing exercises helps calm your nervous system and regain control.
