ADHD · ADHD & Neurodiversity
Sensory Regulation Worksheet
Map your sensory profile so you can dose your environment on purpose
Neurodivergent nervous systems often run too high (overstimulated) or too low (under-stimulated). This page maps your profile so you can dose your environment on purpose.
Inputs that overstimulate me (overwhelm, shut down, melt down)
- Loud or layered sound
- Bright or fluorescent light
- Strong smells
- Crowds, lines, busy rooms
- Tight clothing, tags, seams
- Unexpected touch
- Screens at night
- Multiple conversations at once
Inputs that under-stimulate me (boredom, fidgeting, doomscroll urge)
- Silent rooms
- Long meetings with no movement
- Repetitive easy tasks
- Solo work for hours
- Lack of texture or interest in the environment
My regulating inputs (the ones that bring me back to middle)
Sound (music, white noise, silence)
Movement (walk, swing, rock, weights)
Pressure (weighted blanket, tight hug, swaddle)
Temperature (cold shower, warm bath, hand-warmer)
Oral input (gum, crunchy food, cold drink)
Visual (dim, ordered, minimal — or rich and patterned)
My daily sensory budget
- One predictable low-stim time per day (no screens, no talking)
- One movement break every 90 minutes
- Noise-canceling option available before I need it
- Sunglasses / cap for bright environments
- A 'recovery' window scheduled after high-stim events
Regulate the input, not the response
Most meltdowns and shutdowns are downstream of unmet sensory needs. Adjusting the environment is the most reliable intervention — willpower is the least.