Our senses are bombarded every day — the coworker who wears a lot of perfume, bright white office lights, endless computer screens. “When you overload the senses, you overload the mind,” explains Saundra Dalton-Smith, MD, who explores seven types of rest in her book Sacred Rest: Recover Your Life, Renew Your Energy, Restore Your Sanity. “Your body and emotions will respond adversely.”
These are some signs of sensory overstimulation:
- You’re jarred by loud sounds.
- You dislike being hugged or touched.
- Big, sensory events like concerts or fireworks are a misery.
To rest your senses, Dalton-Smith suggests taking the inputs one at a time. Start by considering something you do or encounter daily, like dealing with loud noise from street construction or staring at a computer screen for hours. Then identify “restful alternatives to undo the effect of that specific constant stimulation.” This could be as simple as giving your eyes a break by looking out a window or taking a walk to escape the sound of construction.
You can also build some more deliberate sensory rest into your daily routine:
- Commit to avoiding screens for the first and last hour of each day.
- Get some noise-canceling headphones to wear at the office.
- Take a daily or weekly walk in nature and listen to the birds.
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