What Is Sensory Overload; and How Can We Better Support It?

Alice Cantwell
Nov 19
3 min read

Bright lights. Loud noises. Strong smells and More

Everyday experiences that might barely register for some can feel like a full-on assault for others.

For many autistic and ADHD (AuDHD) people, sensory overload isn’t “overreacting”, it’s a neurological response that can leave you drained, disoriented or in shutdown mode before you even realise what’s happening.

This post is part lived experience, part reflection, part invitation to understand sensory overload not as a flaw within us, but as a signal that the world around us is too loud, too bright, too much.

Trying to Explain the Indescribable

Honestly, I don’t think sensory overload can be fully described.

Part of that is because I have alexithymia, it’s hard to label what I’m feeling or sense where it begins in my body. But it’s also because sensory overload is all-encompassing. It’s not just one sense, it’s the way those things layer until they drown out everything else.

It’s your body screaming for relief while your brain tries to hold it all together. It’s like a quiet build-up you don’t notice until suddenly, boom, you’re underwater.

💬 “It’s not overreacting, it’s my nervous system asking for safety.”

A Real-Life Example: The Airport

Let’s talk about one of the most overstimulating places on earth: the airport.

Even before I arrive, I’m already dysregulated. There’s the mental load of packing, planning, juggling work, managing a toddler and the unspoken anxiety of knowing what’s coming.

I wear my sunflower lanyard now, a small act of self-advocacy I used to resist because of imposter syndrome (“I’m not disabled enough”). But I’ve learned that needing support doesn’t mean weakness, it means awareness.

From the moment I step inside:

The bright, flickering lights feel like they pierce through my eyes.
The air smells of perfume, sweat and cleaning fluid.
The noise, a mix of machines, chatter, beeping and tannoys, blurs into chaos.
My internal sense (interoception), am I feeling sick? Am I angry? Am I flustered?

My Loop earplugs take the edge off, but they also distort sound, so now I can’t tell how loud I’m speaking. That small uncertainty becomes another layer of overwhelm. It also shows up as an irritation between my and my partner, as he can’t always hear me, then I end up getting frustrated.

By the time we reach security, I’m overheating, dizzy and emotionally flat. We use the accessible lane (thankfully), but even there, the overlapping sounds, the proximity of others, the unpredictability, it’s all too much.

And this is before the flight even starts.

On this note; I am grateful for the accessible lane, however it flows straight into fast track. Yes I didn’t have to queue, but still slung in with lots of busy rushing people, who enter your space, tannoys still bellowing out above and the temperature continually rising. I feel the accessibility lane is a nod in the right direction, but not fully inclusive and accessible.

Everyday Triggers of Sensory Overload

Sensory overload can creep in quietly or hit suddenly. It’s not just about one sense, it’s often the combination or accumulation that tips the balance.

Here are a few examples that might resonate:

Sense Common Triggers

Visual Bright lights, busy patterns, clutter, motion

Auditory Background chatter, alarms, overlapping conversations

Tactile Itchy fabrics, unexpected touch (could be being brushed by or a hug)

Smells Perfumes, food smells, cleaning products, smells that are undetectable to others, build up of multiple smells

Internal Hunger, thirst, pain, hormones, fatigue, temperature regulation

Sometimes it’s one. Sometimes it’s all.

Sometimes it’s just too much of everything at once.

How to Support Someone Experiencing Sensory Overload

Support looks different for everyone, but the goal is the same:

Reduce the sensory load and offer safety, not solutions.

At Home

Create calm spaces with low lighting and minimal noise
Offer tools like earplugs, headphones, or weighted blankets
Respect boundaries around touch
Keep environments predictable and clutter-free

At School

Allow sensory breaks and access to low-stimulation zones
Offer fidgets, chewies, or movement breaks—without shame
Reduce visual clutter and background noise
Use clear, consistent routines

At Work

Provide flexible working options and quiet spaces
Avoid strong scents or air fresheners
Respect communication preferences (emails over calls, for example)
Build a culture where regulation is seen as productivity, not avoidance

💡 Tip: Small environmental changes can prevent big emotional reactions. Sensory safety supports everyone.

Final Thoughts

Sensory overload is not a weakness or a behavioural issue. It’s a message from the nervous system saying:

“I’ve reached my limit.”

Understanding that changes everything. When we stop asking neurodivergent people to “cope better” and start designing environments that include, regulate, and affirm, everyone benefits.

If you’re neurodivergent and reading this: You’re not too sensitive. You’re tuned in.

If you’re supporting someone who is: Thank you for caring enough to learn.

Together, we can make the world a little softer on the senses.