Sensory Environment
People experience and react to sensations in the world around them differently. Some people find certain sensations to be overwhelming, while others miss or do not notice sensations. Some people seek additional sensations to feel comfortable in their environment, while others avoid sensations that are distracting to them.1 For example, some students concentrate best in a quiet room, while others need a loud and busy coffee shop to concentrate. Some people like a dark and quiet space to sleep, while others need to have the TV on, craving the noise and light. Some people will be able to differentiate between the smell of each meal in a buffet line, while others will smell food in general. These sensory processing differences are experienced by all people, and only become a problem when they interfere with the ability to perform daily tasks.2 A sensory environment that does not match your preferences can interfere with your ability to concentrate on schoolwork because your brain is working hard to regulate your system. You may feel stressed out or distracted, but you do not know why. After understanding one's own sensory processing patterns, there are ways that sensory input can be changed to manage stress and set up the environment for better function in academics.
2. Visual (eyes): the difference between light and dark, or a wall with many patterns versus plain. Ability to focus on your laptop and shut out the other shapes and colors around you.
3. Taste: sweet, spicy, salty, sour, flavorful, flavorless. Tasting the difference between red wine and white wine without looking.
4. Smell: smoke, cinnamon rolls, eucalyptus, body odor. Differentiating between the smell of baked goods in general, and the specific smells of maple donuts, cinnamon roll, and honey wheat bread.
5. Auditory (sound): quiet, loud, calming music versus hard rock, talking versus shouting. The ability to concentrate on school-work with someone having a loud phone conversation next to you.
Hidden Senses:
6. Proprioception (sense of self-movement and position in space): this is how you can tell the difference between the sensation of receiving a hug vs. raising your arm, even if your eyes are closed. This is how the impact on the joints and movement of the limbs tell the body what it is doing without looking.
7. Vestibular (movement in space): this is sensed by the inner ear. Vestibular sensations tell you if you are upright, upside-down, spinning, or falling, without needing to look.
*More about Sensations
Each person has a unique way of processing sensations, and the way they are processed can be different depending on each type of sensation. In other words, you may fall in the sensory sensitivity quadrant for sound, but in the sensation-seeking quadrant for proprioception. For example, a person may find proprioceptive input (tight hugs, weighted blankets, and weight-lifting) to be calming and comforting, but feel hypersensitive to tactile sensations in such a way that wearing jeans feels like being dressed in sandpaper. It can be irritating and stressful when something in your sensory environment is just not right. So, if you feel stressed out, having a hard time falling asleep, or are having a tough time focusing in class or on homework, remember the 7 sensation domains and consider what sensations in your environment might be bothering you (or what you need more of) and do your best to modify them. It will help more than you might think!
References
7 Senses:
1. Touch: the feeling of sandpaper versus silk on your skin. Differentiating between the feeling of grass on your leg vs a crawling spider.2. Visual (eyes): the difference between light and dark, or a wall with many patterns versus plain. Ability to focus on your laptop and shut out the other shapes and colors around you.
3. Taste: sweet, spicy, salty, sour, flavorful, flavorless. Tasting the difference between red wine and white wine without looking.
4. Smell: smoke, cinnamon rolls, eucalyptus, body odor. Differentiating between the smell of baked goods in general, and the specific smells of maple donuts, cinnamon roll, and honey wheat bread.
5. Auditory (sound): quiet, loud, calming music versus hard rock, talking versus shouting. The ability to concentrate on school-work with someone having a loud phone conversation next to you.
Hidden Senses:
6. Proprioception (sense of self-movement and position in space): this is how you can tell the difference between the sensation of receiving a hug vs. raising your arm, even if your eyes are closed. This is how the impact on the joints and movement of the limbs tell the body what it is doing without looking.
7. Vestibular (movement in space): this is sensed by the inner ear. Vestibular sensations tell you if you are upright, upside-down, spinning, or falling, without needing to look.
*More about Sensations
Dunn's Model of Sensory Processing1
According to Dunn's Model of Sensory Processing, sensory preferences can be explained by a neurological sensory threshold continuum and a behavioral response continuum. The sensory threshold continuum ranges from low threshold to high threshold and describes how much the person notices the sensations around them. Someone on the low threshold side will notice more sensations in the environment than people with a high sensory threshold. People with a high threshold may miss or not notice things in their environment.1 For example, a person with a low sensory threshold may need to wear joggers because the scratch of jeans bothers them. Conversely, someone with a high threshold may not notice that their sock is folded in their shoe.| Low Registration (high sensory threshold --> behavior of missing or being slow to respond to sensations) It takes more sensation for the person to feel/notice it. The person is slow to respond to sensations, misses things in their environment, and adapts easily to a variety of settings. This person may not notice when someone is calling their name in the grocery store or be slow to respond. They may not notice their shirt is on inside out. |
Sensation Seeking (high sensory threshold --> behavior done to counteract the feeling of "missing" or lacking sensation) The person seeks out environments that are rich in sensory stimuli. They get bored easily and may create sensations to meet their needs in "boring" or low-sensation environments. These are people that find the library to be too quiet, or too boring. They may crave loud music or spicy food. |
| Sensory Sensitivity (low sensory threshold --> behavior of being sharply aware of the environment, and/or easily overwhelmed) It takes less sensation for the person to feel/notice it. They notice sensory features of the environment easily, are distractible and are highly aware of their environments. This is a person who may notice during a lecture, that a picture is crooked on the classroom wall. Or, they might be extra sensitive to the slimy sensation of cooked Brussels sprouts, which would make it difficult to eat them. |
Sensation Avoiding (low sensory threshold --> behaviors done to counteract these feelings or hypersensitivity, such as canceling on a party) The person is bothered by the stimuli they are sensitive to, so they avoid environments that provide too much sensation, such as clubs or malls. These people do well with routine and consistency. These are the people that may say that school feels too loud, too bright, and too busy. |
Each person has a unique way of processing sensations, and the way they are processed can be different depending on each type of sensation. In other words, you may fall in the sensory sensitivity quadrant for sound, but in the sensation-seeking quadrant for proprioception. For example, a person may find proprioceptive input (tight hugs, weighted blankets, and weight-lifting) to be calming and comforting, but feel hypersensitive to tactile sensations in such a way that wearing jeans feels like being dressed in sandpaper. It can be irritating and stressful when something in your sensory environment is just not right. So, if you feel stressed out, having a hard time falling asleep, or are having a tough time focusing in class or on homework, remember the 7 sensation domains and consider what sensations in your environment might be bothering you (or what you need more of) and do your best to modify them. It will help more than you might think!
Experiences with Sensation Preferences
- "People clicking pens, that drives me mad! I can't even listen to music when I study; I know a lot of people can, but I can't, even not classical music—it does not work, I need complete silence. But yeah, clicking the pen—I'll kill you, I hate it I hate it!"2
- "I'm slow in everything and everything is too quick for me to pick up. It's not that they talk too fast, it's me that's too slow."1
- "During the last while back I have noticed that noises all seem to be louder to me than they were before. It's as if someone had turned up the volume." 1
- "My concentration is very poor. I jump from one thing to another. If I am talking to someone, they only need to cross their legs or scratch their heads and I am distracted and forget what I was saying. I think I could concentrate better with my eyes shut."1
Sensory Environment for Schoolwork
Your sensory environment may be impacting your ability to focus on schoolwork. Research shows that sensory preferences have an impact on students' day-to-day functioning in higher education.2 Set yourself up for success by recognizing your preferences and meeting those needs. Here are some tips for modifying your environment to help with academic performance. Keep in mind that you may be high threshold for some sensations and low threshold for others. Also, the sensory system is complex because it grows and changes with our experiences. In other words, keep trying and adapting these strategies to find what works best for you. As you become more familiar with your system, try to come up with some strategies of your own.Strategies:
- Low Threshold Preference (sensory sensitivity and sensation avoiding): You may feel overwhelmed by sensations because your brain notices them fast and in a detailed way. Reduce or organize sensory input in your environment to increase focus and reduce stress. Screen out distracting stimuli and find acceptable ways to escape.1
- Touch:
- If scratchy clothes are distracting, wear soft clothes to class
- Remove tags from your clothing
- Taste:
- If you are trying to focus in class and a taste is bothering you, chew a piece of gum, eat a mint, or drink a flavored beverage (coffee, coconut water, sparkling water) - don't let an after-taste from your lunch distract you from your exam!
- Some people have a hard time eating and focusing on school at the same time. If that describes you, then save your snacks for before or after class. While studying, take snack breaks where you can fully focus on the snack before going back to your work.
- Smell:
- If a smell (or a group of smells) in your environment is bothering/distracting you, you can try replacing it with a more pleasant smell.
- burn a candle
- put on scented lotion before an exam or class
- rub a favorite essential oil on your wrist to smell during class/exam/study, or use an essential oil bracelet
- Take a break: go step outside for a breath of fresh air.
- Reduce smells that bother you. If perfume, scented lotion, or washing detergent bother you, find a mild version of these products.
- use unscented lotion
- try using soap nuts or hypoallergenic detergent
- avoid perfume, or use essential oil in its place.
- If a smell (or a group of smells) in your environment is bothering/distracting you, you can try replacing it with a more pleasant smell.
- Visual:
- Light: if the fluorescent lights in the classroom bother you, wear a ball cap to shade your face, or sunglasses (if allowed)
- When studying, it's okay to make the room dimmer if it is calming for your brain. Turn down the lights and pull the shades.
- Remove clutter: it may be tough to focus on schoolwork in a cluttered environment because the brain needs to filter out these visual distractions. Either find a low-clutter place to study or de-clutter your home study area
- Turn off the TV: This is both visual and auditory stimulation the brain needs to filter. Try turning it off so your brain can focus on your schoolwork.
- Use a "helper" piece of paper during exams to block out other questions, focusing on one at a time. This way, your brain will not have to ignore the other questions, it can focus on the one at a time.
- Take a break: if you must do schoolwork in a visually busy area (on the airplane, in the bus, on the stands during a track meet), take breaks periodically.
- Close your eyes for a few seconds and take a deep breath
- Go outside
- Look out the window
- Auditory:
- Wear earplugs during exams to block out distracting noises (clicking, writing, shuffling paper)
- If you are worried about the way earplugs might look, then get flesh colored earplugs, wear your hair down over your ears, wear a beanie to class, or keep your hood up.
- Bring earplugs with you to noisy study areas – coffee shops, breweries, group study library section.
- You could also wear headphones with no music - this will block some of the noise and signal to other people that you do not want to be bothered.
- If it works for you, listen to calming music when studying to block out distracting sounds (tapping, clicking, talking, etc.)
- Turn off the TV: This is both visual and auditory stimulation the brain needs to filter. Try turning it off so your brain can focus on your schoolwork.
- Wear earplugs during exams to block out distracting noises (clicking, writing, shuffling paper)
- Vestibular:
- linear swinging can have a calming effect on a disorganized system. You may consider investing in a hammock to use before/after exams or classes. A hammock will give you a tight proprioceptive squeeze in addition to gentle vestibular input
- Proprioceptive: If sensations around you are overwhelming, proprioceptive input can have a calming/regulating effect.
- Take a moving break: stretch, jump, run, weight lift, walk, do push-ups, do jumping jacks
- Give yourself a tight hug
- Use a weighted blanket: when studying at home, a weighted blanket may be a good addition to your learning environment because it can have a calming effect.
- Hand hugs: press your hands together at the tips of the fingers. Push firmly. This provides proprioceptive input to the joints in your hands
- Walk across campus with a backpack full of textbooks
- Touch:
- High Threshold Preference (low registration and sensation seeking): You may miss things or be slow to respond to sensations. Increase sensory stimuli in your environment or enhance it to "scratch the itch." Also, make important sensory information obvious so it can't be missed. 1
- Touch:
- Use a fidget or stress ball during lecture: you can fidget with a golf ball under your foot or in your hand, with a grip master, rubber band, piece of puddy, fidget spinner, climbskin finger massager ring, or any other fidget tool that is not disruptive but helps you focus
- If you need one during the exam, let your professor know.
- Take moving breaks during study time – stand up and stretch
- Sparkling water - this cold and fizzy drink can be alerting during class or study time, because it provides tactile (touch) sensation to the mouth.
- Put some cold water on your face, or stand outside in the cool air
- Use a fidget or stress ball during lecture: you can fidget with a golf ball under your foot or in your hand, with a grip master, rubber band, piece of puddy, fidget spinner, climbskin finger massager ring, or any other fidget tool that is not disruptive but helps you focus
- Taste:
- Add taste to your learning environment to give your brain the input it needs. Strong tastes can have an alerting effect on the brain. This can help you stay awake and focused in a boring environment (an environment that is not stimulating enough for your brain).
- Minty: gum, mint leaves
- spicy: pieces of jalapeño, spicy jerky
- sour: lemon slices, war heads
- salty: salted nuts, pretzels
- sweet: fruit, honey pouches, chocolate
- Add taste to your learning environment to give your brain the input it needs. Strong tastes can have an alerting effect on the brain. This can help you stay awake and focused in a boring environment (an environment that is not stimulating enough for your brain).
- Smell:
- Add smell to your environment to stimulate your olfactory senses.
- Scented lotion,
- Essential oil bracelets/necklaces,
- Perfume,
- Candles
- Find an environment with smells you enjoy: coffee shop, bakery, dining hall, garden
- Add smell to your environment to stimulate your olfactory senses.
- Visual:
- Use a highlighter: If you miss visual input, such as skimming through your textbook and not processing any information, use a highlighter to help you "zone in" on important information. Make it obvious for yourself.
- You can also do this in your planner - highlight important due dates, exams, and meetings
- Color-coded notes: Using different pen colors to organize your notes can reduce the likelihood that you will miss or bypass important information when studying.
- When studying, try reading your notes with a "helper" piece of paper to block out the rest of the notes so you can go line-by-line. This can help with exams, too.
- Your brain may need a busy visual environment to stay alert for studying. Find a place to study that meets this need.
- Turn on the lights, open the blinds - brightening the room can help stimulate your visual system, especially if you have a high threshold for visual stimuli.
- Use a highlighter: If you miss visual input, such as skimming through your textbook and not processing any information, use a highlighter to help you "zone in" on important information. Make it obvious for yourself.
- Auditory:
- Crunchy Snacks: these sound louder to you than anyone else, and can help you focus in class or when studying. Carrots, pretzels, snap peas, apples, etc.
- Music: listen to music while studying to increase auditory input.
- Noisy environment: if your brain needs a noisy environment – find one! Use the group study section of the library.
- Record lectures: You don't want to miss anything. If processing the auditory information fast enough to take notes is tough for you, sit in the front of the class and make a voice memo on your phone.
- Vestibular:
- During class, you might tip your head from side to side and turn from left to right to stimulate the vestibular system
- Spinning break
- Try standing up and spinning around in a circle for a few seconds to alert your brain
- Or, find a swing or hammock to spin on
- Jump up and down
- This will give you proprioceptive and vestibular input and can be a good way to organize your system between classes.
- You could do box jumps before class
- Yoga poses can be done before class to scratch that sensory itch before a study session (especially if you are at home)
- Try inverted yoga poses, like downward-facing dog.
- Do a headstand as a vestibular break when studying
- Proprioceptive:
- Move before class, walk, jump, work out, or stretch, to give your body the input it needs before you need to sit down and focus.
- Chew gum during class: this provides proprioceptive input to the temporomandibular joint (jaw to the skull)
- Chewy snacks: bring jerky or dried fruit to class/study sessions
- Crunchy Snacks: carrots, apples, snap peas, pretzels
- Hand hugs: press your hands together at the tips of the fingers. Push firmly. This provides proprioceptive input to the joints in your hands
- Stretching: try stretching your arms or bending/straightening your leg at the knee to give yourself mini moving breaks in class or during exams.
- Moving breaks: when trying to study, you may feel "wiggly" or have the itch to move. You will likely focus better if you "scratch the itch." Do jumping jacks, push-ups, stretching, or go for a brisk walk.
- Touch:
More Resources:
- STAR Institute for Sensory Processing: https://sensoryhealth.org/
- YouTube: What is Sensory Processing Disorder?
References
- Brown C. (2001). What is the best environment for me? A sensory processing perspective. Occupational Therapy in Mental Health, 17(3/4), 115–125.
- Clince, M., Connolly, L., & Nolan, C. (2016) Comparing and exploring the sensory processing patterns of higher education students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 70(2). doi: 10.5014/ajot.2016.016816
Developed 2021 by Quinn DeStefano, OTD Student
Reviewed 2021 by Aaron Grusonik, MA, Psy.D
Reviewed 2021 by Aaron Grusonik, MA, Psy.D
