January is Mental Health Awareness Month, dedicated to raising awareness and promoting mental wellness for all. For those with sensory sensitivities, like children on the autism spectrum or adults with anxiety disorders, mental health can be deeply impacted by sensory experiences. Finding ways to support mental wellness through thoughtful sensory engagement can make a big difference. That’s where the team at Stacy’s Sensory Solutions Steps in.
Weighted blankets, fidget toys, sound machines, and other sensory products we provide can create pleasant sensory input that has calming, focusing, and grounding effects.
Many simple, creative sensory activities can support mental wellness this month as well. Here are some ideas for celebrating Mental Health Awareness Month through sensory engagement:
Soothe With Scents
Create a calming scent experience at home by gathering items with pleasant smells like lemons, lavender, fresh coffee, vanilla, or pine needles. Place them in small bowls around your home or office to provide little whiffs of soothing scents. Essential oil diffusers are another option for dispersing calming aromas.
At Stacy’s Sensory Solutions, we understand how beneficial a great scent can be for a calm mind. We invite you to explore our essential oil options and purchase from our wide range of 15 ML essential oil bottles.
Get Moving and Fidgeting
Movement and fidgeting provide sensory input and stress relief. Take relaxing walks outdoors, stretch, dance to music, or take your dog to the dog park.
If you have the wiggles and can’t go out, we say get a small sensory toy like a fidget spinner. These offer an easy, portable outlet of release that calms the mind and helps you get in the right state at the right time.
Enjoy Textures
Add tactilely pleasing objects around your home, like thick cozy throw blankets, soft cushions, or pieces of portable pocket putty. Tracing hands along different textures can have a centering effect.
If you need a more permanent sensory station in your home, texture boxes with various materials glued inside are good sensory tools.
Listen to Soothing Sounds
Curate calming playlists or nature soundtracks to listen to while resting, reading or working. Sounds like ocean waves, rainfall, or forest bird songs release tension. If outside noise disturbs you, try noise-canceling headphones or a white noise machine.
Sip and Savor
Mindful tasting of food and drink engages the senses. Brew a fresh pot of herbal tea, notice its aromas, and slowly savor the flavors. For younger children who need sensory relief, let them decorate their plates with food with fun pictures or shapes.
Create Cozy Spaces
Designate a comfy corner, nook, or room for relaxing sensory experiences. Use soft blankets, pillows, bean bag chairs, fairy lights, and stuffed animals to create a peaceful retreat space. Play calming music or nature sounds to enhance the vibe.
At Stacy’s Sensory Solutions, we help families and businesses create sensory rooms and spaces on their properties. From a simple relaxation corner to a full-blown sensory experience, we can help you create the perfect sensory room for your family.
Find Your Mental Groove This January
When it comes to celebrating mental wellness with sensory sensitivity on the table, the key is finding sensory experiences that create pleasant feelings of calm and comfort for your unique needs.
Notice activities that make you feel happiest and most relaxed. Avoid sensory input that feels overwhelming. Be patient and compassionate with yourself or your child as you discover soothing sensory strategies.
For those seeking sensory products, Stacy’s Sensory Solutions has a range of tools like weighted vests and blankets, fidgets, and beyond. With our thoughtful selections in-store and online, we know our products help people of all ages find sensory comfort.
Celebrate Mental Health Awareness Month With Stacy’s Sensory Solutions
This Mental Health Awareness Month, be kind to yourself and your senses. Look for small daily ways to care for your mental well-being through engaging your senses. The simple act of letting a scented candle soothe your nerves or taking a mini sensory break handling clay can work wonders.
With some creativity, compassion, and help from Stacy’s Sensory Solutions, you can make this month an uplifting celebration of mental health.
How will you bring more sensory wellness into your January? Contact us today to get the relaxation started.
