What it is
Many ADHD brains co-occur with sensory processing differences. The same brain that struggles to focus can also be overwhelmed by ambient noise, fluorescent light, scratchy clothing, or sensory under-stimulation. The Sensory Regulation Kit is a small collection of physical things you keep nearby that help regulate your nervous system in the moment.
Not toys. Tools. The kit is task-specific. Different things help different states.
When to use it
- You feel "buzzy" or under-stimulated and can't sit still
- You feel overwhelmed by ambient noise/light/activity and can't think
- Your body is something, but you're not sure if it's anxious or tired or restless
- You're in a meeting/call where you need to listen but your body needs something to do
How to do it
A starter kit (everyone's is personal, build over time):
For under-stimulation (need more input):
- A small fidget with texture (clay, putty, a textured stone)
- A pen you like clicking
- Strong-flavoured gum or mints
- Cold water in a bottle (the cold itself helps)
For over-stimulation (need less input):
- Noise-cancelling headphones
- A weighted lap pad or weighted blanket
- A baseball cap or sunglasses (reduce visual load)
- A specific calming smell (peppermint oil, lavender). Small bottle
For "I don't know what I need":
- A hand on your chest or stomach
- A cold drink slowly sipped
- Standing up and pressing palms flat against a wall
- Three slow breaths with a long exhale (exhales calm the nervous system)
Keep the kit visible, near your work area. The visibility is part of it.
An example
I used to come home from a noisy day and immediately scroll for an hour, not realising I was over-stimulated and the scrolling was making it worse.
Built a small kit: noise-cancelling headphones, weighted lap pad, peppermint oil. Came home, sat down, put on the headphones with nothing playing, draped the weighted pad over my legs. Five minutes. Then I knew what I actually wanted to do. Sometimes it was a walk, sometimes a nap, sometimes food. Almost never scrolling.
The kit didn't fix me. It just gave me five minutes of regulation before deciding what came next.
When this fails
- You buy the kit and never use it. A common ADHD trap. Put the items physically in your path (see externalised cue).
- You use the wrong tool for the state. Fidgeting when you're already over-stimulated makes it worse. Pause and ask: do I need more or less input?
- You expect it to fix the underlying thing. Sensory regulation is upstream of decision-making, not a substitute for it. It clears the runway. The flight is still yours.
Try it this week
Pick one situation where you reliably struggle (transitions, end of day, noisy office, evenings). Add one sensory tool to it (headphones, fidget, weighted thing, cold drink). Notice whether your state shifts before you make decisions about what to do next.