Feeling Wired or Shut Down? Try a Sensory Diet for Trauma Recovery
- Updated: May 1, 2025
I used to think I just had low energy. Or maybe I was “too sensitive.”
Some days I felt like a fire alarm—easily triggered, always on edge. Other days, I was ice cold. Zoned out. Checked out. Numb.
It wasn’t until I learned about sensory regulation that things began to make sense.
In this post, we’ll explore how a sensory diet—a set of simple activities and tools—can help trauma survivors reconnect with their bodies, regulate their nervous systems, and stop feeling like they’re either “too much” or “not present at all.”
What You'll Learn
💡 What Is a Sensory Diet (and Why It Matters for Trauma Recovery)
Just like your body needs food to function, your nervous system needs sensory input to stay balanced.
A sensory diet is a personalized set of activities designed to help you feel more calm, focused, and present.
It isn’t about restrictions or routines—it’s about learning how to feed your nervous system what it’s been missing.
Think of it as building a relationship with your body.
You experiment and notice. Then you respond—with care.
⚠️ Why Trauma Survivors Need Sensory Support
When you’ve lived through trauma, your nervous system doesn’t just “get over it.”
It learns to overreact. Or shut down. Or both.
You might avoid loud sounds. Or crave tight pressure.
You might need silence—but also feel uneasy in it.
A sensory diet gives your system gentle, body-based ways to find regulation—without needing to explain, justify, or push through.
It can help you:
Feel more grounded and embodied
Reduce anxiety and sensory overwhelm
Improve focus and emotional regulation
Rebuild trust with your physical self
🧠 How Sensory Input Helps a Trauma-Wired Nervous System
When you’ve lived through trauma, your body doesn’t forget.
Your nervous system stays on alert—scanning for danger, even when none is there.
You might notice it in small ways:
Feeling jumpy or easily overwhelmed
Struggling to fall asleep or truly rest
Reacting strongly to little things
Or floating through life half-checked out, like you’re not really in your body
This is what happens when your internal alarm system (fight, flight, freeze, or fawn) never gets the message that the threat is over.
A sensory diet gently rewires that system. Not with force. Not with talk. But with consistent, calming input your body can actually feel.
Here’s what that looks like in action:
Predictable input = less panic. Rhythmic movement, weighted blankets, or soft textures tell your body, “You’re safe now.”
Activates your calm system. Certain sensations tap into your parasympathetic nervous system—that “rest and digest” state we often lose after trauma.
Brings you back into your body. Sensory activities help you feel yourself again—in a good way.
Gives you agency. You get to choose what works, how often, and when. That’s power. And after trauma, that’s everything.
🧭 Finding Your Sensory Profile
We all respond to sensory input differently.
What soothes one person might overwhelm another.
Some trauma survivors crave deep pressure. Others can’t tolerate even light touch.
You might love white noise—or need total silence to think.
This isn’t about what’s “normal.” It’s about what’s regulating for you.
That’s where your sensory profile comes in.
Start by asking:
Do I feel more calm or more agitated after certain sounds, textures, or movements?
What sensory experiences feel grounding—and which ones feel draining?
When do I feel most in my body (and not just in my head)?
There’s no one-size-fits-all formula here.
Your job isn’t to perform regulation. It’s to notice your cues and follow what helps.
Keep a simple journal or note on your phone.
You’re not tracking symptoms—you’re learning your own nervous system language.
🧩 Customizing Your Routine Around Your Trauma History
If you’ve lived through trauma, not all sensory input will feel safe—even if it’s calming for someone else.
This is where a lot of “self-care” advice goes sideways.
For example:
Yoga might feel too exposing for someone who’s experienced body-based trauma.
Essential oils or candles could be triggering if scent was tied to a traumatic event.
Eye contact or mirrored movements might stir panic instead of peace.
This doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong.
It means your body remembers, and it needs you to listen.
When building your sensory routine, ask:
What used to feel safe, and now doesn’t?
What do I instinctively avoid? Is it discomfort—or a deeper cue?
What kinds of sensations feel safe enough to explore slowly, over time?
Start with low-intensity, predictable inputs that feel neutral or mildly pleasant.
A soft fabric. Gentle swaying. Warm tea. Weighted pressure. Bare feet on the ground.
This is a practice of learning what safety actually feels like in your body.
Not what’s trendy. Not what’s prescribed. What works for you.
Try different activities and notice how your body responds. There's no one-size-fits-all approach to a sensory diet. What works for someone else might not work for you, and that's perfectly okay.
🧺 Sensory Diet Activities to Try (and How to Make Them Yours)
You don’t need a complicated routine to start feeling more regulated.
You just need the right input—at the right time—for your nervous system.
Here are a few examples to test out:
💪 Proprioceptive Input (Deep Pressure + Body Awareness)
Weighted blankets or compression clothing
Wall pushes, resistance bands, or slow yoga poses
Carrying heavy groceries or doing grounding chores (like sweeping or organizing)
These help you feel more solid and grounded in your body.
🌬️ Vestibular Input (Balance + Motion)
Gentle swinging, rocking, or slow spinning
Walking while listening to music
Using a balance board or slow stretching
These reset your internal sense of movement and rhythm.
✋ Tactile Input (Touch + Texture)
Holding smooth stones, soft fabrics, or textured objects
Using a hand roller or sensory brush
Playing with water, sand, or clay
These can soothe or stimulate depending on what you need.
🔇 Auditory + Visual Input (Calm or Alerting)
Lo-fi music, sound bowls, or nature sounds
Dimming the lights or using warm bulbs
Looking at repetitive motion (like a lava lamp or fish tank)
These help you manage overwhelm or increase focus—without overstimulation.
🧠 Now, Make It Personal
You don’t need to do everything—just build a short list of 3–5 go-to activities you can use when you’re:
Too wired: to help you slow down
Too numb: to gently reawaken sensation
In survival mode: to feel something real and safe
Start small. Keep track of what feels good and what doesn’t.
This isn’t a routine to master—it’s a relationship you build with your body.
The image below sums up these tips. Next, let’s discuss how you can use a sensory diet in your overall healing journey.
🧶 Weaving Sensory Work Into Your Bigger Healing Journey
A sensory diet isn’t meant to replace therapy, coaching, or deep emotional work.
It’s meant to support it—to give your body the regulation it needs to even do the work.
Because let’s be honest:
It’s hard to talk about your trauma when your body feels like it’s on fire.
It’s hard to reflect deeply when you haven’t eaten, slept, or breathed in 12 hours.
That’s where sensory work comes in—it lays the groundwork.
Here’s how it can fit with what you’re already doing:
In therapy: Use grounding activities before or after tough sessions to stay regulated.
In coaching or leadership spaces: Apply body-based regulation before difficult conversations or big decisions.
During journaling or inner work: Use texture, scent, or sound to stay anchored when emotions rise.
In relationships: Practice micro-regulation (like holding a smooth stone or using calming breath) when navigating triggers or intimacy.
This isn’t about doing more.
It’s about building habits that protect your capacity—so you don’t burn out in the process of healing.
Creating and embracing your sensory diet is an act of reclaiming your right to feel good in your skin. It’s self-love. It’s self-compassion.
⚠️ When It Doesn’t Work Right Away: Setbacks, Overwhelm, and What to Do
You’ll have days when your sensory tools don’t regulate you.
Days where weighted blankets feel suffocating, or your go-to playlist makes you anxious.
That doesn’t mean you’re broken. It means your nervous system is giving you new information.
Here’s what to watch for—and how to respond without spiraling:
🔁 You feel nothing after a calming activity
Try switching sensory categories. If deep pressure isn’t landing, go for movement. If sound isn’t doing it, try texture. Your nervous system might need a different kind of input today.
😵 You feel overstimulated or even panicky
This can happen, especially if your trauma history involved sensory overwhelm. Step away. Breathe. Downshift into less—dim lighting, quiet, neutral input. You’re not failing—you’re recalibrating.
🧠 You get frustrated with how slow it feels
Healing your nervous system is not linear. Some days you’ll feel grounded, and other days you’ll be right back in freeze. The key is consistency over intensity.
🙅🏾 You start avoiding your sensory routine altogether
Pause and ask:
Did I overload myself with too many new things?
Am I trying to force a feeling instead of noticing what’s actually happening?
Do I need to simplify?
Go back to what felt barely good enough and rebuild from there.
This work isn’t about performance. It’s about building trust with your body again—one small input at a time.
🧭 Making Regulation Part of Everyday Life
You don’t need to carve out an hour a day for healing.
In fact, some of the most effective sensory routines take less than five minutes.
This is about integration, not intensity.
Here’s what that can look like:
Morning: Splash cold water on your face, stand barefoot on the ground, or stretch slowly before opening your phone.
Midday: Take a 3-minute break to do wall pushes, chew gum, or drink warm tea in silence.
Evening: Dim the lights, use a weighted blanket, or journal with a tactile object nearby.
Don’t wait until you’re overwhelmed to regulate.
Use your sensory routine like scaffolding—it supports you before things fall apart.
And remember: your sensory needs will evolve.
What works today may shift tomorrow—and that’s not failure. That’s healing in motion.
FAQs about Starting a Sensory Diet
1. What exactly is a sensory diet?
A sensory diet is a personalized set of activities designed to help regulate your nervous system. It uses movement, touch, sound, and other sensory input to help you feel calmer, more focused, or more grounded—especially after trauma or chronic stress.
2. Do I need a therapist or occupational therapist to create one?
While sensory diets are often used in occupational therapy, many adults can build their own with basic guidance. Start small—things like weighted blankets, swinging motions, or calming music. The key is noticing what soothes your system and building from there.
3. Is this just for kids or people with sensory issues?
Not at all. Adults with trauma, anxiety, or chronic dysregulation often benefit tremendously from sensory regulation practices. If you’ve ever felt “too much” or “too shut down,” a sensory diet can help bring you back into balance—without needing to explain everything with words.
Final Thoughts on Using a Sensory Diet
You’re not too sensitive. You’re not lazy.
You’ve just been living in a nervous system that’s worked overtime to keep you safe.
A sensory diet isn’t about being trendy or perfect—it’s about giving your body the cues it never got:
You’re safe now. You can stay.
This process takes time. What calms you today might shift next month. That’s normal.
But the more you learn what regulation feels like, the less you’ll tolerate chaos disguised as normal.
And that’s healing.
Ready for more?
💛 Work with me, Denise G. Lee – If you’re ready to feel again—on your terms, with safety, clarity, and no performance—I’d be honored to support you.
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You’re not supposed to be perfect.
You’re just supposed to come home to yourself.
