5 Quick Sensory Strategies to Reset + Recharge for Overwhelmed Parents

Let’s be honest. Parenting is one of the best things you’ve ever done, right? But it’s also one of the hardest, and the tough days can feel extra tough if you can’t take time to recharge. How can we find time to recharge when we have a newborn or clingy toddler attached to us 24/7, plus all of the non-parenting things piling up around us?

There are some amazing quick-fix sensory strategies for overwhelmed parents we can use to reset our nervous system in less than 5 minutes to stay away from that SOS breaking point feeling. But before we explore those strategies, we need to talk more about the sensory system and its role in determining whether we feel totally chill or about to explode. 

Overwhelm can be caused by the hidden sensory system: interoception. Interoception is your set of internal cues and how well your brain understands cues from your other organ systems. It includes hunger, thirst, the need to use the bathroom, pain, fatigue, and tension, among other things. Interoception is your body’s advocate for your most basic survival needs, and before we can focus on higher level tasks like co-regulating with our child, we first have to make sure our basic needs are met. Your brain can’t free up space for things like patience and deep connection when it’s full of hunger cues, pain from a full bladder, and a headache from dehydration.

When you feel yourself starting to get anxious, annoyed, upset, or reaching the point of a full blow up, pause. Then try one or more of the following tips.

 Take 15 seconds and close your eyes, and do a quick body scan. Are you hungry? Is your mouth dry because you’re thirsty? Does your head hurt? Do you need to pee? Do you have any aches and pains? Tension? What can you do right now to fix at least one of those issues before you continue to interact with your child? 

Ice water can stimulate the vagus nerve, which is a special part of our nervous system responsible for the “rest and digest” part of our brain. Stimulating the vagus nerve helps us get away from the fight or flight mode that tough days can trigger. Drinking through a straw adds another layer because sucking is a motor pattern that feels very calming and organizing to our brains. Similar to how your baby likes to nurse, drink bottles, or use pacifiers to calm down! Straws can do that for us as adults. 

As long as you use them to reduce noise and not totally shut it out, ear plugs are a great tool for managing sensory overwhelm when you're parenting. If you need someone to tell you you’re not a bad parent for tuning out, or at least lowering the volume of your newborn’s scream-crying, your toddler’s meltdowns, and all of the other chaotic and unpredictable noise that comes with kids, here it is. Loud, random, repetitive sounds can set our nervous system into high alert because your brain is constantly trying to monitor and assess when the next “bad” noise is coming, which is so exhausting. By using ear plugs or headphones with music, audiobooks, or podcasts to lessen some of the auditory input parenting throws at you, you’re actually giving your brain extra capacity to be present and connect with your child.

All sensory input matters, even the little stuff, even clothing. Have you ever been having a tough day, and something as small as an itchy tag, uncomfortable shoes, or a strap that won’t stay on your shoulder is the thing that ends up setting you off? So while we can’t control all kinds of input, we can control how our clothing interacts with our body and what kind of input we get from it. For example, if you’re someone who likes deep pressure, try using compression leggings or heavier, cozier sweaters and tops to provide calming, gentle pressure on days you’re feeling frazzled.

You can use babywearing as a tool to engage your senses in a positive way. Here’s an example to try next time your little one is in the carrier: Look at your baby. Count their fingers and toes. Watch their facial expressions. Breathe in deeply, and notice the calming scent of their head. Close your eyes. Feel the gentle pressure of their body against yours. Notice where the carrier is touching your shoulders and waist. Place your hand on your baby’s back. Feel them breathing in and out. Feel how small, and soft, and warm their presence is against your body. Take a second to soak it in and find a feeling of gratefulness and peace. 

Babywearing has other sensory benefits too, aside from helping you regulate and reset when you feel overwhelmed. Babywearing can help babies regulate their vital signs such as breathing, heart rate, and body temperature, which means their interoceptive input is going to be calming and pleasant. The close contact from being carried allows them to smell you, feel your body against theirs, hear your voice and heartbeat super clearly, and see the world from your view. Babywearing can help calm and soothe your baby, which means less negative auditory input for you. It allows you freedom of movement, which can provide positive input for both of you and boost your mood. All of these things are incredibly beneficial and calming and can even play a significant role in boosting their development!