Looking After Your Autistic Self: A Personalised Self-Care Approach to Managing Your Sensory and Emotional Well-Being

Is more than one thing triggering this sense? For example, if I am suddenly reacting to a tag on my clothes, is the tag the only thing triggering my touch sense?

Identifying which sense to soothe: • Is it obvious which sense is being triggered?

Three steps to regulate the sensory system: 1. ‘How full is your cup?’ 2. What sense or senses need soothing or regulating? 3. What sensory soothing strategies can I use to ‘empty my cup’?

Managing to regulate the sensory system when you have SPD is a time-consuming and thought-consuming task, but once you get the hang of it, it becomes second nature.

Health changes. When we experience changes in our health, we can experience differences in our sensory integration.

Anxiety. When I am anxious, I need to work extra hard at regulating my sensory system. Anxiety hugely reduces my tolerance of sensory triggers, and makes me much more like to ‘over-react’ to sensory stimuli.

Hormonal changes. Hormonal changes can affect our sensory integration.

Your basic needs not being met. If your basic daily needs are not being met, including hunger, thirst etc., you are more likely to react to sensory stimuli.

Cognitive stress. When my mind is preoccupied, too busy, or under stress, I become much more sensitive to sensory triggers.