What to do when you're overstimulated? Here you'll find practical and soothing tips to calm your nervous system.
Do you know what to do when you're overstimulated? You might recognize this. You've barely woken up and you already feel it: it's too much. Your head is full, your body heavy . The slightest stimulus, a sound, a smell, someone asking for something. It feels like a storm brewing. You get irritated, struggle to think clearly, and yearn for one thing above all: peace.
Want to understand why scent has such a direct impact on your mood and stress levels? Then read the blog post: Peace of Mind . There you'll discover how scent helps you release tension and create peace of mind.
Overstimulation . It's a word that's popping up more and more often. And for good reason. We live in a world full of noise, busyness, and expectations. Especially if you're a mother, working, trying to stay social, and still want to take good care of yourself, it sometimes feels like there's never a moment's silence in your mind.
Overstimulation essentially means your nervous system is overloaded. Everything happening around you is absorbed, but there's no room to process it. You lose your balance more quickly, get headaches, feel stressed, or even tired. Even pleasant things can feel overwhelming .
But what can you do about overstimulation? How do you find the off button when everything is on?
Did you know there are very easy, natural ways to calm your nervous system? You don't need complicated therapies or a retreat abroad. Sometimes peace begins with scent...
The power of scent for overstimulation
Scent is perhaps the most underrated form of relaxation therapy. And yet it works incredibly quickly. As soon as you smell a scent, a signal is sent to the limbic system in your brain—you know, the part responsible for your emotions, memories, and instinctive responses.
And you know what's so great? Your limbic system doesn't distinguish between natural and synthetic scents. The only thing that matters is how the scent affects you . Whether it's an essential oil or a carefully crafted fragrance composition: if you feel calm, it works .
A scent can transport you back to a sense of safety in a single breath. To that one place where you don't have to do anything. To a memory of sun on your skin, fresh air, or a warm embrace.
Want to learn more about how scent affects your sense of belonging? Then read "Feeling Unattractive in Your Own Home ." You'll discover how scent helps make your surroundings feel warm, safe, and familiar again.
Scent therapy isn't about what's inside, but what it means to you . And that's what makes it so powerful for overstimulation. It doesn't help you escape , but land, in your own body, in the moment, in gentleness.
Which scents help with overstimulation?
Lavender: a calming place in the chaos
Lavender is a classic, and for good reason. This scent is used worldwide to relieve tension, bring peace, and improve sleep. But the beauty of lavender is that it doesn't make you drowsy; in fact, it soothes. It's as if your head is slowly clearing and you can breathe again.
Use lavender when you're overflowing. Light a scented candle when the kids are in bed. Place reed diffusers in your bedroom. Or spritz a subtle lavender scent on your pillow as a bedtime ritual.
Curious which other scents can help with stress and busyness? Then read "Scents for Stress" and discover which scent combinations calm your nervous system.
Peppermint: a fresh focus
Peppermint has a clarifying effect. Not in a busy, uplifting way, but rather in a clear, cool, and refreshing way. Peppermint is there for you when your head is full and you're struggling to concentrate. It creates space in your mind, as if a window has been opened.
Light our Breathe scented candle when you have a busy to-do list to tackle. Breathe gives you a little more air without overstimulating you.
Practical tips for using scent consciously
- Choose specific scent moments. Start your day with a fresh scent in the bathroom. End the day with a soothing fragrance in your bedroom.
- Create a quiet corner in your home. Place your favorite scented candle , something soft to sit on, and perhaps a book or notebook. A place where you can truly unwind.
- Combine scent with your breath. Consciously inhale through your nose, hold briefly, and exhale through your mouth. Let the scent guide you through that moment.
- Use subtle, clean fragrances. Avoid chemical-smelling or overpowering scents. Instead, choose carefully crafted fragrances that are gentle on the palate.
- Use different scents. Wax melts release fragrance immediately, reed diffusers slowly diffuse the scent throughout the room, and a spray works perfectly if you want quick results.
You don't have to do everything perfectly. Sometimes, just one scent a day is enough to dampen the noise.
You don't need a silent retreat to unwind. Sometimes, just one moment of fragrance a day is enough to reset your system.
Give yourself that off switch
Overstimulation isn't always preventable, but you can take better care of yourself when it happens. By building small moments of calm into your day. By giving your senses what they need. By allowing gentleness to enter, even when the world is screaming.
Scent isn't a miracle cure. But it can be a key to space, peace, and relaxation.
Curious which scents can help you with overstimulation? Our collection features calming fragrance combinations that will help you find peace, right in your own home.
Want to understand more deeply how scent influences your emotions and can be part of your self-care ritual? Then read the blog post I wrote about: Peace of Mind .
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