Takeaway: Now more than ever, we can experience the negative effects of sensory overload in our daily lives; disconnecting through a variety of options is beneficial for us both physically and mentally.

To celebrate my birthday this year, I (Nicole) gifted myself a float tank experience. The reverberations of this exquisite refreshment continue to ripple throughout my body, mind, and spirit, and I had to share it with you.

I entered the perfectly warm, tiled room and found myself standing next to a giant water-filled, pod-like structure. To my right was a shower, and to my left was a bamboo bench, supplied with towels and a tray with an assortment of accoutrement: ear plugs, petroleum jelly, a washcloth, and a floaty ring to rest my head on. On the wall were directions to shower and wash with soap before entering the pod. After a warm shower, I slowly stepped into the pod filled with a little less than a foot of salted water. I slowly pulled the pod door shut and then rested back, placing my head on the floaty ring. And I began to float.

The lights remained on for a few more moments as I got my bearings: a small panel to one side of me with an emergency call, volume, and light control button. Then a soft soothing voice directed me to relax and let go. The lights went off and the music I chose began to play. I was in bliss. I floated for a half hour with music and then an additional half hour without, delighting in both the magic of sound and silence, feeling my body incrementally release tension from my neck, legs, and belly until a beautiful undulation in my spine emerged. 

I realize floating in darkness, in silence, in an enclosed space is not for everyone. But if it is for you . . . well
. . . wow! There is a sort of nutrient I didn’t even realize I needed that comes from completely unplugging and pausing from the endless stimuli of our modern world. I was able to let go in a way that felt deeper and more immediate than my usual meditation. Floating in the darkness reset my body, senses, brain, and heart. I’m amazed how energized and balanced I felt by unplugging.

Our modern world is constantly filled with sensory information—literally at the end of our fingertips. We have access to a world of information and entertainment in any given moment. Our senses are constantly being immersed in sight and sound that seems benign and yet constant. Birds, planes, cars, sirens, beeps, and beats. It’s no wonder I was hungry for a sensory break and didn’t even know it. 

Studies show that float tank experiences help ease muscles, tension, headaches, neck pain, stress-related pain, and other chronic pain conditions. For me, it was the experience of profound relief, release, and relaxation. It was as though the power to my fuse box was turned off, new fuses were replaced—even upgraded—and then gently, power was restored. Unplugging in this way recalibrated my sensory system to circulate and generate optimal energy flow. 

This experience underscored a very real biological hunger that can only be satiated by the essential nutrient derived from a sensory pause. Rather than reinforcing the dominant cultural imperative of time urgency where we fill every moment with something to do or consume, a sensory pause allows our biology an opportunity to slow down (rather than catch up) to the pace of our essence. Following this sensory isolation experience, it’s clear to me that many of us may be in a state of sensory overload.

SOS: Sensory Overload Syndrome

Sensory overload may not be an officially recognized medical condition, and yet we are experiencing its very real impact on our mental, physical, and overall well-being. “Sensory overload is when one or many of your senses become overstimulated . . . when your senses take in more information than your brain can process,” writes author Erin Eatough, PhD.¹

Many of us in the field of service are empathic and big-hearted. In addition to feeling what’s happening under our hands, many of us directly or indirectly experience the anxiety, grief, and fears of living through a pandemic, climate change, or injustice (just to name a few) happening in today’s world. We invite you to take a pause from the sensory deluge chronically assaulting your senses and find ways to unplug and recharge. Even if you can’t get to a float tank, or it’s just not your thing, consider giving yourself a sensory break. 

Finding Solace in a Sensory Refuge 

Besides sensory deprivation tanks, we can rebalance our excessive external orientation by temporarily withdrawing from our five senses (one of the eight limbs of yoga refer to this as pratyahara). Push pause on the constant stream of sounds by wearing a pair of noise-canceling headphones. And give your eyes a light break with a cool or warm eye cover. Perhaps add the grounding warmth and comfort of a weighted blanket to rest in the present moment. Set a pleasant-sounding timer for 10–20 minutes to enjoy some deep breathing as you affirm, “Here. Now.” Or, instead, allow your inner rebel to delight in a short nap in the middle of a sensory-rich day.

Screen Time

Scheduled screen breaks are particularly helpful in resetting our system. According to the book 24/6: The Power of Unplugging One Day a Week by Tiffany Shlain, there are massive benefits derived simply by turning off our screens for 24 hours once a week. Studies show that letting go of the screen helps us be more focused, productive, and creative. Taking screen and digital breaks helps humans sleep better, feel less anxious, and feel more connected.

Polyvagal Therapy and Self-Regulation 

The pioneering research conducted by Dr. Stephen Porges on polyvagal therapy has revolutionized the way scientists and healers understand and interact with the human nervous system. Simply stated, greater levels of relaxation, healing, and connection are associated with high “vagal tone.” However, when the brain becomes overloaded with excessive sensory stimuli, our fight-or-flight response may become triggered. Or worse, we might sink into dorsal vagal collapse, where we feel hopeless or helpless. The good news is that we can use our body to benevolently hijack our nervous system to increase our vagal tone. Scientists describe this and other processes of “self-regulation” as behaviors where we use our body to calm our brain, soothe our heart, and reset our autonomic system.

Reset Your Vagal Tone

Practice resetting your system during or after a full day of sensory input by toning your vagus nerve. High vagal tone provides a positive physiological state that allows us to respond to our environment rather than react to things with resistance or avoidance. This deceptively simple exercise uses eye movement to engage the suboccipital muscles—a group of four muscles located at the base of the skull—by drawing the top two cervical vertebrae into alignment. This easy exercise does not shift us permanently to a positive state but provides a way to improve, or “tone,” our vagus nerve function.  

The Basic Exercise

Start by lying down comfortably face-up. Interlace your hands behind your head. Resting your head on your hands, let your head gently rotate all the way to one side, back to center, then rotate to the other side. This allows you to notice how you feel before the exercise.

Now, take a minute to really let your head settle in the middle, just resting on your hands, eyes open. With your head staying in the center, let your eyes stretch all the way over, looking to one side, and hang out there for 30–60 seconds or until you feel yourself sigh, yawn, or swallow. Let your eyes return to the center, close them, and rest for a couple breaths. Now, open your eyes and repeat on the other side. That’s it. Because this is such an unfamiliar practice, it is recommended to repeat this several times throughout the day to cultivate bio-psychological integration and restoration.

Commitment to Self-Care

Whether taking a float, creating a sensory refuge, or resetting your vagal tone, sensory breaks generate a cascade of benefits for our well-being. Overall well-being is much more than good health. It is the direct result of lifestyle choices and behaviors around sleep, diet, physical activity, hygiene, work, play, relaxation, and technology use. A felt sense of well-being allows us to function optimally and reaps professional and personal rewards. And here’s the good news: Enhancing your vagal tone not only allows you to show up in your highest potential—you also become a living, breathing embodiment of self-care that inspires others to do the same! Your presence, your willingness to be in service of others’ well-being, and your commitment to self-care are essential ingredients in the continued evolution of humanity and technology.

We thank you for being a compassionate, caring human on our planet. Who you are and what you’re up to is needed more now than ever. And you discovering, experimenting, and modeling ways that favor your well-being benefits all of us.

Note

1. Erin Eatough, BetterUp.com, “What is Sensory Overload? Know How to Deal with Overstimulation,” December 28, 2021, www. betterup.com/blog/sensory-overload.