How to Stop Feeling Overstimulated in Your Own Home

Posted on 2/3/2026, 7:40:56 PM

It’s honestly kind of wild what “relaxing at home” and just having alone time in general looks like now. Like, it’s usually a Netflix movie that’s playing, but nobody’s actually watching it (but can hear just enough to follow a little bit of it). Well, that, and a phone is getting scrolled, while you experience some brain rot. Then, because apparently one screen isn’t enough, a laptop is open too, maybe a video game running, maybe YouTube on the side, maybe a random tab spiral that’s been alive for three days. And yeah, sure, it feels normal because it’s common, but common doesn’t mean calming.

Like, a lot of people talk about dealing with anxiety more than ever, and maybe there’s a chance that some of it is due to the sheer amount of information you’re exposed to on a daily basis. But yeah, then the body starts doing that thing where it feels restless and tired at the same time. Brain feels busy, but also kind of empty. Like, the house is technically “quiet,” but the nervous system is acting like it’s in a casino with all the noise and flashing lights your brain is being exposed to. 

Basically, that’s overstimulation in a nutshell: too much input, too little recovery, and a home that’s supposed to be a refuge starts feeling like another place that’s asking for attention. A home honestly shouldn’t be like that; it’s supposed to be a calm refuge, and maybe it’s time to start doing that. 

You Have to Stop Treating Background Noise Like a Requirement

And for some reason, people act as they need to. A lot of overstimulation at home comes from the assumption that there always has to be something on. Like, maybe it’s a show, a podcast, music, a video, an audiobook, anything, just fill the silence. But if the brain is already fried, more audio input doesn’t soothe it; it keeps it activated. So the first move is not “never play anything again.” It’s choosing a quieter sound by default. 

One thing at a time, lower volume, shorter bursts. If a movie is on, let it actually be the focus, not wallpaper while scrolling. If scrolling is happening, maybe don’t also blast a plot-heavy show in the background that nobody’s following anyway. Now, with that part said, silence can feel weird at first. That doesn’t mean silence is bad or anything like that. No, caise it’s not, it’s honestly pretty great. 

 It usually means the brain is used to constant stimulation, so quiet feels like something is missing. Give it a little time. So, just ten minutes of lower input can feel uncomfortable at first, then it starts feeling like relief. You just have to give this to yourself and keep it consistent, and it can feel so nice.

Is There Any Visual Noise?

People talk about clutter like it’s only an aesthetic thing. Granted, that does play a giant role, though, but it’s not just about prettying up the space. Just think of it this way, what clutter you see, well, it’s visual reminders, like it’s reminders that stuff needs to get done, and yep, that means chores! That pile says, “Deal with me.” That random mail says “unfinished.” That chair with clothes says “decision fatigue.” And the brain doesn’t ignore it as well as it pretends to. 

This doesn’t mean turning the home into a magazine spread. Go ahead and do that if you want, but it’s probably time to fix up this clutter so things are going in the back of your head all the time, the second you see it (because it demands attention).

Are Notifications Turned On?

Well, the reason why this is being asked is that a lot of people are guilty of having notifications on, and even having their phone on (or on vibrate) to the point where they deal with and see notifications all the time. Getting super blunt here; notifications are overstimulation in its most pure form, constant little taps on the shoulder. And the worst part is that they train the brain to stay on standby. Even when nothing is happening, the brain is waiting for something to happen.

Maybe it’s time to finally turn off notifications, like, is there anything actually important enough that you need them on? Chances are, you don’t end every single app giving you a notification (and most try to sell you garbage anyway). If something was actually important enough, people would call, no, really, a person would actually call. 

You Seriously Need to Stop Multi-Screening 

Yep, this one has absolutely got to go, this is seriously not healthy! So, why is this so bad? Well, multi-screening is one of the biggest overstimulation habits, and it feels harmless because it’s happening while sitting down. But it’s actually a lot of cognitive load. The brain is constantly switching focus, which takes energy. It’s not resting, it’s juggling.

You can’t do that, if you’re bored of a show, then watch something else, don’t scroll on your phone instead. You need only one activity, if you’re playing a video game, only play a video game, don’t scroll on TikTok or whatever else at the same time. 

Start Doing Low Stimulation Activities 

Some people are now choosing to do screen free activities to get themselves to feel less anxious and overstimulated, which, yes, is a great idea and you should do that. For example, you can color from a coloring book, or crochet, learn how to sew, sports, exercise, well, you get the idea here. But it’s not bad to do anything screen related either. 

Like, as long as it’s low stimulation. For example, you could play a game of chess on your tablet, if you own a Kindle, then read a book from that, something that’s more on the relaxing side is all that matters here so you won’t feel a bunch of emotions, and you won’t get overstimulated either. 

Make Home Feel Like a Place to Recover

Sometimes overstimulation isn’t just screens. But it’s also the feeling that home is another place to manage. Like, the constant to-do list, the half-finished projects, the pressure to optimize everything. That “always behind” feeling can make a person feel tense even on a quiet day. So it helps to build in small “done” moments. Like, your bed should only be for rest, not for doomscrolling, maybe do chores at the end of the day so everything feels done. When you sit on the couch, put the phone away, well, basically, make routines so your brain knows when it's time to rest.