Understanding Sensory Processing: Hypersensitivity and Hyposensitivity

What Do These Words Mean?

Hypersensitive means a person feels too much. Sounds might hurt their ears. Clothes might feel scratchy. Lights might seem too bright. These experiences can be overwhelming.

Hyposensitive means a person doesn’t feel enough. They might not notice being cold, hungry, or hurt. They may crave tactile experiences or movement to feel more connected to their body. It’s also possible for someone to be both hypersensitive and hyposensitive. For example, loud sounds might be painful, but they may not feel pain from a scrape.

Types of Sensory Input

These are some of the senses that might be affected:

• Sound: Loud noises can hurt (hypersensitive) or be exciting (hyposensitive).

• Sight: Bright lights might be too much, or someone might enjoy fast, flashing lights.

• Touch: Tags on clothes might feel awful, or someone might not feel when they get a cut.

• Movement: Some people enjoy spinning or jumping, while others may feel dizzy or sick from small movements.

• Inside the body (interoception): A person might not feel hungry, tired, or the need to use the bathroom.

  
  

A Helpful Framework: Dunn’s Model

Winnie Dunn created a model that helps explain how people react to sensory input. It discusses how much a person notices and how they respond:

1. Seeker: Needs more input and actively seeks it.

2. Avoider: Notices too much and tries to avoid it.

3. Sensitive: Notices a lot but doesn’t always avoid it.

4. Low Registration: Doesn’t notice much and doesn’t seek input.

   
   

People can change between these styles depending on the situation.

Why It Matters

Understanding sensory processing is crucial. If someone is very sensitive, they might find school or work too noisy or bright. Conversely, if they don’t feel enough, they may not notice hunger or pain.

Lived Experience

Temple Grandin, an autistic author and animal scientist known for translating sensory experiences into clear, practical language, describes brushing her hair as genuinely painful, “like scratching with sandpaper.” She uses vivid comparisons like this to show how intensely some autistic people can experience everyday sensations.

Tony Attwood also notes that many autistic individuals develop their own coping strategies over time, such as avoiding loud environments or using familiar, repetitive movements to self-soothe and stay regulated.

Everyone’s Different

Every individual is unique. One person might be sensitive to sound but not to touch. Another might feel too little in one moment and too much the next. Reactions depend on lots of factors, including fatigue, stress, and what else has been happening that day. This is also true for both Adhd and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): sensory differences can show up as hypersensitivity (everything feels too much), hyposensitivity (not enough input registers), or a mix of both, sometimes even shifting across different senses or situations. And because neurodivergence isn’t a single “setting,” every individual is different, with their own pattern of needs, triggers, and supports that work best.

Strategies for Everyday Life

Creating a Sensory-Friendly Environment for Hypersensitivity

• Quiet Spaces: Designate areas for quiet time where individuals can retreat when feeling overwhelmed.

• Adjustable Lighting: Use soft, adjustable lighting to accommodate those sensitive to bright lights.

• Sound Management: Incorporate noise-cancelling headphones or soft background music to create a more comfortable auditory environment.

Creating a Sensory-Friendly Environment for Hyposensitivity

• Fidget Tools: Set up a “sensory recharge” spot with things that offer more input, fidget tools for physical feedback, puzzles for grabbing focus, hyper fixation projects (creating art, research etc) for novelty, or a weighted blanket for grounding.

• Stronger Visual Cues and Lighting: Use brighter or varying colour task lighting and clear contrast (labels, colour-coding, bold signs) to make important information easier to notice, especially in busy kitchens, workplaces, or study areas.

• Sound and Body Feedback Options: Some hyposensitive people focus better with extra input, so try steady background sound (like low music or white noise), rhythmic audio, or vibration/tactile reminders (phone buzz alarms, timers) to help with attention, transitions, and noticing time passing.

How to Help

Here are some practical ways to support individuals with sensory sensitivities:

• Give choices: Some people prefer tight clothes, while others do not.

• Believe them: Trust what they say about their sensory experiences.

• Help them notice body signals: Encourage awareness of feelings like hunger or fatigue.

  
  

Therapists can use tools like the Sensory Profile to understand each person's unique needs.

Encouraging Open Communication

Open communication really matters, because it helps the people around you understand what’s happening in the moment, for example, when someone is heading into sensory overload and what kinds of support actually help (like quiet, dimmer lights, fewer questions, or space to reset).

On the other end of the spectrum, even when it’s less intense, it also supports acceptance and practical adjustments when someone needs more input to feel regulated or focused, like background music, movement breaks, chewing gum, or a quick burst of exercise.

Final Thoughts

Feeling too much or too little isn’t bad, by understanding and respecting these differences, we can help manage sensory overwhelm or sensory underwhelm for ourselves and the individuals that we care about or support. This understanding is crucial for managing the overall symptoms that come with Autism or ADHD.

Reference (Harvard Style)

Attwood, T., 2007. The Complete Guide to Asperger’s Syndrome. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Dunn, W., 1999. Sensory Profile User’s Manual. San Antonio, TX: The Psychological Corporation.

Grandin, T., 2006. Thinking in Pictures: My Life with Autism. New York: Vintage Books.

Metz, A.E. et al., 2019. Dunn’s Model of Sensory Processing: An investigation of the axes of the four-quadrant model in healthy adults. Brain Sciences, 9(2), p.35.