Creating Your Own Sensory Calming Room: A Personal Haven for Emotional Reset
Life can get overwhelming — especially when you’re living with chronic pain, navigating intense emotions, or simply trying to keep your nervous system from going into overdrive. A sensory calming room is a dedicated space where you can reset, regulate, and restore balance. Whether you live in a sprawling home or a small apartment, you can create a calming space that works for you.
In this post, we’ll explore:
The concept of Safety in Me’s
How to use the five senses for calming
Occupational therapy (OT) principles of using your sensory profile to tailor your space
1. Start with Safety in Me’s
Safety in Me’s are those elements that help reduce your pain levels. They’re deeply personal — items, images, scents, or words that make you feel secure and have a calming effect on you. In so doing, they trigger a parasympathetic response.
Examples:
A blanket that reminds you of childhood comfort
A family photo, spiritual text, or quote that anchors you
A small object with personal meaning (e.g., a stone you picked up on a beach holiday)
When creating your sensory calming room, place your Safety in Me’s somewhere visible and easy to reach. These serve as your first “touchpoint” when you enter the room — helping your brain register safety before anything else.
2. Calming Through the Five Senses
Our sensory system is a direct line to the nervous system. By intentionally engaging the senses, you can shift from a heightened emotional state to one of calm.
Here’s how to incorporate each sense:
Sight – Choose soft, warm lighting instead of harsh overhead bulbs. Use colours that feel soothing to you (blues, greens, warm neutrals). You could add nature imagery, fairy lights, or a small water feature.
Sound – Keep a playlist of calming music, nature sounds, or white noise. Noise-cancelling headphones can help if you’re sensitive to environmental sounds.
Smell – Use scents that you associate with calm (lavender, chamomile, vanilla). An essential oil diffuser or scented candle can provide gentle olfactory grounding.
Touch – Have a variety of tactile options: soft blankets, a weighted teddy bear, smooth stones, or textured fidgets.
Taste – Keep a small stash of comforting snacks or herbal teas that you are going to enjoy mindfully.
3. Use Your Sensory Profile to Personalise Your Space
Occupational therapists often assess a person’s sensory profile — how you respond to sensory input — to recommend personalised regulation strategies.
Some people are sensory seekers — they need stronger sensory input (e.g., deep pressure, stronger scents, or brighter lights) to feel calm.
Others are sensory avoiders — they prefer gentle, low-level stimulation (e.g., dim lighting, quiet spaces, muted colours).
Steps to personalise:
Notice what soothes you in daily life (e.g., Do you calm down in quiet spaces or when moving around? Do you prefer bright colours or soft neutrals?).
Adjust your space accordingly.
If you seek stimulation: incorporate vibrant colours, upbeat music, or more tactile items.
If you avoid stimulation: keep colours muted, sounds soft, and textures gentle.
Reassess and adapt. Your sensory needs can change depending on your mood, pain levels, and environment.
4. Tips for Small Spaces
Use a corner with a comfy chair and soft lighting if you can’t dedicate a whole room.
Store sensory items in a box or basket you can pull out when needed.
Noise sensitivity? A pair of noise-cancelling headphones can instantly create a sensory boundary.
Final Thoughts
Your sensory calming room doesn’t have to be perfect — it just needs to be yours. By incorporating Safety in Me’s, engaging your five senses, and tailoring the environment to your sensory profile, you can create a space that acts as a reset button for your nervous system.
Think of it as a daily investment in your emotional health — a place where your body and mind can exhale.
By Dr Michelle Beukes-King
