By Dr. Jodi Taylor, OTD, OTR, Senior Occupational Therapist
Sensory rooms have been gaining more attention lately, and for good reason. In my 45 years as an occupational therapist working with children and adults with autism and other intellectual and developmental disabilities, I have seen firsthand the profound impact these spaces can have. Sensory rooms help individuals manage sensory overload, regulate emotions, improve focus, engage in group activities, and de-escalate stress and anxiety—allowing them to fully participate in their daily lives.’
But what does that actually look like in practice?
Not too long ago, we celebrated the opening of our new sensory room at Bancroft’s Adult Day program in Gloucester. One day, an individual in the program felt particularly agitated, struggling to engage with the group. To help him regulate, we brought him into the sensory room and settled him into the sound shell chair – a cozy cocoon that blocks out external noise, allowing the user to focus only on the music playing through the chair’s built-in speakers.
Since it was the holiday season, we played soft, calming Christmas carols. To everyone’s surprise, he sat in the chair for ten whole minutes, which is unusual for him, as he typically prefers to wander and jump. When he finally got up, the transformation was remarkable. He was calm, in control, and no longer overwhelmed. When he returned to group activities, he was able to participate and engage right away.
This simple yet powerful moment demonstrated how a carefully designed sensory environment can make a world of difference—helping individuals regulate, recharge, and reconnect with the world around them.
Sensory Processing and Autism Spectrum Disorder
Sensory processing is just what it sounds like: the act of processing information gathered from our senses. We process sensory information all day long, and we all need to re-regulate when our senses become overwhelmed or underwhelmed.
Have you ever turned down the radio while driving to concentrate on directions? Stepped outside for fresh air after being in a stuffy room? Wrapped yourself in a blanket to feel comforted after a long day? Or taken a walk to clear your mind after sitting at a desk for hours? These are all ways we instinctively seek out sensory experiences that help us re-regulate, allowing us to refocus, reset, and fully engage with the world around us.
Many individuals on the autism spectrum or with other intellectual and developmental disabilities have sensory processing disorder, a neurological condition that affects how they process sensory information. This can manifest in myriad ways.
For instance, an individual might be overwhelmed by loud noises, sensitive to bright lights, averse to certain textures, or have difficulty with balance and coordination. These sensory challenges can lead to feelings of overwhelm and frustration. They can also affect a person’s ability to engage and interact with the people and the world around them.
If sensory processing issues remain unaddressed, challenging behaviors, such as agitation, aggression, anxiety, or completely checking out and canceling out the world, often result. A sensory room is an invaluable tool for helping individuals with sensory processing challenges.
What is a Sensory Room?
A sensory room is a carefully designed space that offers controlled sensory experiences—such as lighting, textures, sounds, and scents—to support individuals with sensory processing challenges. Sensory processing challenges can cause individuals to be overstimulated or understimulated in certain circumstances.
A well-designed sensory room can be customized to suit the needs of the individual(s) using it. The sensory experiences in the room can help stimulate underactive senses and provide a calming environment from the outside world’s overstimulation.
In this safe, controlled environment, individuals with autism (ASD) and intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) can regulate emotions, reduce anxiety, and improve focus through personalized sensory input.
For an overstimulated individual, a sensory room can have a calming effect by utilizing sensory elements such as soft lighting, calming sounds, and textured materials. Some people with ASD may also engage in sensory-seeking behaviors, actively searching for sensory input to feel grounded or regulated, and sensory rooms can provide a safe space to explore different sensory experiences.
With access to a sensory room where they can choose experiences that meet their needs, individuals with ASD and I/DD can learn to better manage their emotions and responses to sensory stimuli.
Sensory Rooms as Part of a Holistic Approach
Sensory regulation is critical to an individual’s ability to engage and interact with the world around them. When sensory needs are met, anxiety decreases, emotions feel more manageable, and individuals can better engage with people, activities, and their surroundings.
Sensory rooms assist with the following:
Sensory Regulation
Sensory rooms provide tailored sensory experiences, including calming lights, textures, sounds, and movements. These elements help individuals manage sensory overload and better regulate their emotions, resulting in calmer behavior in everyday situations.
Improved Focus and Attention
The controlled sensory room environment allows individuals with ASD and I/DD to focus and concentrate more effectively on tasks, enhancing their engagement in learning activities.
Reduced Anxiety and Stress
When individuals feel overwhelmed, they can use the sensory room to de-escalate and alleviate anxiety through calming sensory inputs, making it easier to transition back to regular activities.
Motor Skill and Development
Sensory rooms can include activities that promote the development of fine and gross motor skills through tactile experiences, movement-based activities, and proprioceptive input.
Social Interaction
Sensory rooms can also facilitate social interaction by providing a shared calming experience with peers.
Self-Advocacy
Having access to a sensory room empowers individuals to recognize when they need a sensory break and advocate for themselves to use this calming space.
At Bancroft, sensory rooms are part of a holistic approach to supporting the children and adults in our care. Because we are a nonprofit, we rely on community partners to help build sensory rooms in our existing programs. I’d like to personally thank the generous donors who helped us build sensory rooms in our Gloucester and Burlington Adult Day programs and the new sensory room at our Preschool & Early Education program.
[Watch this video featuring the new sensory room at our Gloucester Adult Day & Employment Program.]
The Critical "When" of Sensory Rooms
Many people ask, “When should I guide an individual to utilize a sensory room?”
The honest answer is that it depends on the individual. Just like us, some people require more or less intensity, frequency, or duration of sensory input. This should be considered when designing and implementing a personalized sensory program or routine. The goal is always to help individuals reach and maintain a regulated state, allowing them to fully participate in daily activities such as self-care, learning, social interactions, and leisure pursuits.
For example, one of our students at the Bancroft School relies on the sensory room three times a day to help regulate his energy and focus. An energizing sensory break in the morning helps wake him up and prepare for the classroom. Before lunch, a calming break allows him to decompress and get ready for the sometimes overwhelming lunchroom, with its many people, noises, smells, and demands. In the afternoon, another energizing session helps him transition smoothly into his end-of-day routine—cleaning up, packing his belongings, and preparing for transportation. Integrating these sensory breaks into his schedule helps him stay focused, manage transitions, and fully participate in his school day.
Another student, who is nonverbal and had limited Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) use when she first came to us, initially responded to every interaction with intense emotional and physical reactions. When we introduced her to the Lycra swing in one of our sensory rooms, which provides deep pressure by hugging her whole body, along with the soothing, rhythmic motion of a rocking chair, it helped her calm down and re-regulate. This allowed her therapist to start building a connection with her.
Over time, this trust extended to others in her environment, and she developed a way to communicate. While she still requests the swing daily, the intensity, frequency, and duration of her use have significantly decreased, showing her growing ability to regulate and engage with those around her.
The Optimal Time to Re-Regulate
It’s important to remember that introducing an individual to the sensory room or experience should occur BEFORE they escalate into extreme behaviors. For some people, this escalation manifests as aggression or severe anxiety, while for others, it may lead to a complete withdrawal from their surroundings, causing them to shut down. If you pay attention, you can notice the subtle changes that indicate a person is experiencing sensory processing difficulties. This is the optimal time to re-regulate.
The ultimate goal is for the individual to develop self-awareness and self-efficacy, understanding what they personally need to stay regulated and engaged in daily life. This is the true value of a sensory room. While it is an incredibly effective tool for calming and re-regulating, its impact goes beyond that. It also serves as a space for developing the skills needed to manage sensory experiences independently, enabling greater participation in learning, social activities, and everyday routines.
Building a More Inclusive Future, One Sensory Room at a Time
Sensory rooms are more than just spaces filled with calming lights, sounds, and textures—they are powerful tools that support self-regulation, learning, and independence. By integrating sensory experiences into daily routines, individuals with autism and other intellectual and developmental disabilities can develop the skills they need to thrive.
Creating these spaces takes commitment, collaboration, and community support. As awareness of the importance of sensory regulation grows, there is an opportunity for businesses, organizations, and donors to play a vital role in expanding access to sensory rooms.
At Bancroft, we are dedicated to integrating sensory spaces across our programs, ensuring that individuals have the tools they need to regulate, engage, and thrive. By investing in these spaces—whether in schools, adult day programs, or public areas—you can help create more inclusive environments where individuals with sensory challenges can reach their full potential.
