Sensory triggers: Spot them before they hit

If you've ever found yourself wondering "where did that come from?" after a hard moment — this one's for you. 

So many of us live in reactive mode, not because we're failing, but because our nervous systems work in ways that aren't always easy to read in real time. The good news? You can learn to listen.

Here are four gentle ways to start noticing your sensory patterns, no perfect system required. Just small, honest moments of checking in with yourself.

Sensory Journaling

Don’t worry if it’s neat, in a pretty notebook, in your notes app, or just on post-it notes. If you’ve been triggered by a sensory event (loud noises, weird lighting, the smell of gas, whatever!) once your system has come back to baseline, jot down some notes. Write down what was going on and how you felt right before the overstimulation or meltdown hit. Make note of what helped to bring your system back into alignment. Then start thinking about other common areas where that specific trigger may show up again. Make a list! Patterns will show up over time, so every few weeks take a moment and look through your triggers. What commonalities do you see? Could be the time of day they occur, the environment, how you slept the night before, or any other pattern you notice.

Schedule Self Check-Ins

Set a few phone reminders throughout the day. One in the morning, one in the afternoon, one in the evening. Check in with yourself - how are you feeling? How does your body feel? What is affecting you positively or negatively? Take note of your energy level - are you raring to go? Or ready for a nap? Once again, patterns will emerge. Think back on the week and your check-ins. Did you find yourself skipping the afternoon check because you were always busy or “in the zone” with work? Did you generally feel reactive or calm in the evening?

Ask Others

This one is a little tricky, because you need to make sure you are asking people who know you well, and whom you can trust to be straightforward with you. Once you’ve identified those people in your life, ask them for their observations. Have they noticed that certain times of day are better or worse for you? Have they seen a one environment be more comfortable for you than another? When do they see you most calm, at ease, and truly yourself?

Listen to Your Body

If checking in with feelings and emotions doesn’t work for you, pay attention to the way your body is physically communicating with you. Take note of tension, fatigue, headaches, sore muscles, heck, even a bad hair day. Jot down symptoms on a calendar or on your calendar app. Once again, it’s all about the patterns. Are there certain days of the week where you feel better than others? Where were you on those days? What was different from the other days? Using your symptoms and the dates/times they occurred as data points will allow you a broader view of the ways external factors affect you.