17 Calming Tips for Highly Sensitive People
This post: If you’re overstimulated, anxious, and running on empty, these calming tips for highly sensitive people will help you recenter again.
There was a night recently when I didn’t go to my sons’ theatre performance. My husband and daughter went in my place while I stayed home with tea, a blanket, and a heavy mix of guilt and relief.
Because I knew I’d hit my limit.
As a highly sensitive person (HSP), I can usually tell when a flare is brewing. But sometimes, it sneaks in fast—leaving me with racing thoughts, sleepless nights, tight shoulders, bloating, light sensitivity, and that strange mix of exhaustion and restlessness that no amount of caffeine or quiet fixes.
It’s more than stress. It’s overstimulation layered with emotional burnout.
And for those of us who are introverted women navigating full, face-forward lives—raising chatty kids, teaching, hosting, supporting others—it builds up fast.
These days, I know better than to ignore the signals. I’ve learned what helps me recover from a flare with grace instead of guilt.
So I’m sharing this list with you.
These are the tips for highly sensitive people that I come back to when I’m worn thin and craving stillness. If you’ve ever felt like everything is just too much, I hope this meets you gently right where you are.
Need a gentle way to reset? My free Weekly Reset guide was made for sensitive souls like us—simple, grounding, and full of grace.
17 Grounding Tips for Highly Sensitive People
Support Your Mind
1. Name the Flare. Calling it what it is gives you permission to stop pushing and start pausing.
2. Ground Your Thoughts. A simple reminder: “This is a flare, not a failure.”
3. Mute the Noise. Log out, turn off the news, pause the input.
4. Brain Dump. Writing down everything cluttering your head is powerful.
Care for Your Body
5. Gentle Movement. Even five minutes of stretching or walking can reset your nervous system.
6. Nourish Softly. Warm, easy-to-digest food and plenty of water go a long way.
7. Breathwork or pilates. Simple practices bring your system out of fight-or-flight.
8. Try Heat or Cold. Heating pads for tension or a cool rinse for clarity.
Soothe Your Senses
9. Dim the Lights. Use soft lamps, not harsh overheads. Candles are even better.
10. Quiet the World. White noise, soft playlists, or pure silence—it’s okay to protect your peace.
11. Dress for Comfort. Choose fabrics and fits that don’t make your skin crawl.
12. Build a Nest. A soft, cozy spot to land when everything feels like too much.
Protect Your Energy
13. Cancel with Kindness. If it’s not urgent, let it wait. Space is healing.
14. Be Honest About Needs. Saying “I need a low-key night” is enough.
15. Pause the Problem-Solving. Don’t try to fix your life mid-flare. Clarity comes later.
Create a Gentle Recovery
16. Set the Tone at Night. Dim lights, no screens, hot tea, slow breath, hot soak in the tub.
17. Schedule Recovery. Block out post-busy days with margin instead of plans.
Bottom line: honoring your sensitivity isn’t indulgent. It’s responsible. It’s essential.
Let these tips for highly sensitive people become part of your toolkit. Keep them close. Use them with love.
Looking for a weekly rhythm that actually works for your sensitive soul?
The Weekly Reset is a gentle guide designed for highly sensitive women like us—equal parts grounding, practical, and grace-filled.
Taking a night off, skipping an event, saying “no thanks” to one more obligation—it’s not about withdrawing from life. It’s about protecting the energy I need to stay present in it.
If you’re an HSP navigating a full life, know this: you don’t need to be tougher. You need rhythms that support your wiring.
I’m right there with you, Friend.
Here’s to living well,
Kristy
