Sensory processing
What does this mean?
What we see, hear, touch, taste, smell and how we move, helps us to understand what is happening, both in our environment and inside of our body. The senses give our brain information about the physical conditions of the body and environment so that we can use it to function and interact with objects and others appropriately. The senses help alert us to potential dangers. They impact our feelings and behaviours and help us to relax, concentrate, learn, move safely and plan our actions.
The senses work together (integrate) to detect, convert, organise and send sensory information to the brain via the brainstem. When this happens well, the brain forms perceptions, behaviours and learning. How easily we perform tasks and respond to situations depends on how efficiently our central nervous system processes the information.
How does it affect people?
Sensory processing differences can be relatively minor, others can impact behaviour, social life and performing everyday tasks. Differences are common in people with autism or ADHD and can result in challenges (such as coping in busy environments), benefits (such as better focus and strong interests leading to unique skills) and pleasure (such as greater enjoyment from music, lights, rides). The brain is adaptable and change is usually possible if needed, with the right sensory input and practice.
Sensory self-regulation
The (usually unconscious) ability to achieve, sustain and change alertness by filtering unnecessary sensory information and letting in enough for a coordinated, proportionate response to a situation or activity. If this process is not organised, there may be difficulties managing emotions and functioning, as self-regulation is the basis for all goals.
Sensory over-sensitivity
A person may experience more of a sensation than most people, which can feel very intense or uncomfortable, and therefore respond differently, like covering ears to noise. Being over-sensitive can lead to physical pain, such as when lightly touched. Over-sensitivity can lead to difficulties managing emotions due to sensory overload, feeling overwhelmed, anxious and difficulty thinking rationally. Protective responses of fight (anger, irritability, attack), flight (avoidance, fear, withdrawal), freeze (not moving or responding) to real or perceived dangers may occur, others may not notice the triggers.
Sensory under-sensitivity
A person may experience much less of a sensation than most people and may seek out more input to 'top up' the nervous system and experience it to a recognisable and useful level. A person may appear that they cannot get enough of the sensation, such as enjoying loud music, strong flavours, fast rides, or they may not respond at all, like not noticing a smell or sound that others can, or not being able to feel their own body.
There are naturally times when people get too much or too little sensory input. Stressful situations can make a person more or less aware of a sensation. Sleep, hunger and level of interest in a task can also have an impact on alertness. A person can be over- and under-sensitive within different senses, or they can be just right, depending on the state of their nervous system and the situation they are in.
Sensory discrimination
The brain's ability to process and interpret the details and differences between sensory information received through the senses.
Praxis
The brain's ability to identify, sequence, plan and execute new or novel and coordinated motor movements which impacts on performing everyday motor tasks and activities.
Sensory ladder
This tool shows the states of the nervous system. It can be used to check in with how you are feeling, which helps you become more in-tune with your feelings. Practicing regularly will help you respond to what your body needs. It can help you understand how your senses impact mood and behaviour. Learning strategies to change alertness levels on this continuum can help understanding of what to do to feel calm and alert, and to change unwanted behaviours.
- Shutdown: Overwhelmed, avoidant, withdrawn, may be unable to speak.
- Over-alert: Anxious, angry, upset, irritable, hyper, distracted, joyful, fight / flight. Extreme effort needed.
- Just right: Calm, alert, attentive, focused, ready to learn / engage / remember, rational, can control impulses and make good decisions.
- Under-alert: Bored, sleepy, underwhelmed, low motivation, low mood.
- Tired, resting, asleep.
Other factors
Behaviours are not always due to sensory needs. Consider whether there are physical, nutritional, biomedical (unwell, allergies, sleep difficulty), emotional, stress factors or whether the activity is the wrong level of challenge for suitable functioning.
What strategies might be helpful?
Sensory strategies set up the nervous system for success and support self-regulation. They are unique for each person - what may be calming to one person may be alerting to another person. 'Bottom-up' sensory strategies are more immediately useful to a person than 'top-down' verbal instruction / self-talk as they arrive at the brainstem first before verbal guidance, which must travel further through the brain.
Speak to your occupational therapist who will help you with understanding your sensory needs, how they impact your alertness and strategies that may help.
Guide for preparing sensory strategies
Consider what you already choose to engage in to alert or relax yourself, whether going on a walk, stroking a pet, music, massage or spicy food and write them down. Notice how they make you feel, which sensations are comforting to your nervous system and which are alerting. Write a visual plan / routine to schedule in sensory activities throughout the day as needed to help raise or lower alertness - small adjustments and predictability can make a big difference to helping you feel safe, manage your emotions, get organised and feel motivated.
Speak to an occupational therapist who can help you understand how you increase or decrease your alertness and what feels comforting or energising to your nervous system, to work out strategies to manage your alertness levels. There are no right or wrong strategies if they are safe and they help - every person is different in what they need to keep them feeling their best. Try out new strategies a few times to decide whether they are helpful. Having open conversations about your sensory needs can help everyone understand what is important so that adjustments can be made.
Resting and taking breaks is important for recovery from overstimulation. It helps to lower the blood pressure and improves the immune system, health and wellbeing. A good sleep schedule is important - the brain responds well to familiar cues around bedtime (see info sheet on sleep).
Mindfulness techniques - Paying attention to the senses, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgementally. This can be combined into usual activities, like eating, showering, stretches, nature walks, by focusing on 5 things you can see, feel, hear, smell, and taste. This improves self-awareness and reduces anxiety. Focused breathing, regularly taking in and focusing on slow, deep breaths, makes calming hormones release which relaxes the body, reducing anxiety.
You can find Examples here: Breathing exercises for stress - NHS (Practice regularly, start with 5 minutes per day)
| Sensory system | Typically alerting input | Typically calming input |
| Mouth |
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| Move / Deep pressure | Weight bearing activity (heavy work), resistance activities (stretching) and movement breaks that encourage muscles and joints to stretch and tense by pushing, pulling, carrying, moving heavy objects and adding weight and resistance increases proprioception. This is the most effective way to be grounded, organised, alert and calm or 'just right', whether over- or under-alert in any of the senses. | Leisure or power walks, running, jump rope, chair pull-ups and push-ups, marching, wall pushes, steps, stretches, dance, housework, gardening, cycling, swimming, exercise console games, vibration cushions, chin up door bar, steady swinging, ball games, jumping, rocking, go for a ride in a car - soothing movement, balance board, gentle spinning, exercise ball, trampette, wobble cushion for postural feedback. Slow continuous movement is calming - incorporate slowly if sensitive to movement. Fast and erratic movement is alerting. |
| Touch |
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| Look |
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| Listen |
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| Smell |
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