Author: Annemarie Lombard

Everyone’s talking diets. We’re talking sensory diets (and snacks)

I’m pretty sure that after the festive season the words ‘snacks’ and ‘diets’ are on everyone’s lips (no pun intended!). Today we want to introduce you to a different kind of snack and diet.  It will not only keep you healthy, but will improve your happiness and mental health at the same time. We are talking about sensory snacks and sensory diets.

At Sensory Intelligence Consulting we advocate using your senses to improve productivity and well-being. Two of the main tools that we use are called sensory snacks and sensory diets.

SENSORY SNACKS are quick and easy ways to self-regulate (this means calm down and focus). We know that everyone is always pressured for time, so we want to give you quick, easy and practical sensory solutions to help you manage your stress levels. Sensory snacks can take anything from 5 seconds to 5 minutes, e.g.

• Quick breathing exercises,
• Smelling your coffee before you drink it
• Playing with a fidget toy

The idea behind sensory snacks is that we use them every day, and many times a day! To find your own sensory snacks, think of how you use your senses on a daily basis. Do you have a pet? Stroking your pet or burying your face in their fur is a sensory snack! Do you have to sit in traffic every morning? Take 10 deep breaths, or play instrumental music – that’s a sensory snack. Sensory snacks fit into your everyday life and take up no extra time.

SENSORY DIETS are activities to introduce in your daily living to meet your sensory needs in a more prolonged manner.  These are the activities we do after hours that we enjoy and that help us to de-stress. It nurtures our sensory needs through exercise, social activities, creative outlets, and other activities that we enjoy. Examples of sensory diets are yoga, running, going for a swim, surfing, dancing or playing outside with the kids. When considering your sensory diet, make sure it includes activities that you can commit to doing on a weekly basis, or even more often. Ask yourself the following questions:

• What do I love doing?
• What makes me feel calm?
• What gives me energy?
• What should I do more of?
• What should I do less of? (to make time for sensory diets!)

Dr Annemarie Lombard, founder and CEO of SIQ developed the Sensory Matrix™ – an online assessment tool that identifies our different sensory thresholds.  The results can assist us to choose activities that are aligned with our base, sensory needs and would therefore be more sustainable over the long term. Read more about it and find out what your sensory thresholds are!

Sensory Tips to Survive the Festive Season

This time of the year can be a connecting, magical, fun, overwhelming, frustrating, restful and hilariously crazy time! Today we want to give you some tips to survive the festive season, using your senses. We know that the December holidays can be a mixture of amazing and frustrating experiences. If you live in Cape Town, traffic definitely increases exponentially and a 10-minute drive can take you an hour. Last-minute shopping might have you dashing to the mall, along with thousands of others, navigating your way through Christmas decorations and Jingle Bell songs. If you have children you will find that they are picking up on the festivities – which means more energy! We haven’t even mentioned the big F yet… FAMILY!  Spending holidays with your family can be stressful at times.

All of the above might have you wondering how you are going to survive the festive season. Not to fear – we are here to share our TOP 3 TIPS TO SURVIVE THE FESTIVE SEASON, using your senses!

• Our number one tip is: Remember to take a sensory break. All the sounds, smells, tastes, colours and movement of the festive season can overload your senses. Make sure you take 10 – 15 minutes every day to unwind and calm down. This break can be anything from taking a quick walk outside, closing your eyes and taking deep breaths, turning down the radio and driving in silence or any other sensory break you feel your body needs.
• Our second tip is: Spend time in nature. Many of you will be going to the beach or camping near a mountain and this provides the ideal opportunity to get outside. Spending time in nature means you will probably walk, run or climb, which will use your movement systems to self-regulate. The silence of nature is also a great auditory break. And the natural colours give your visual system calming input. The importance of nature can not be over-stated. So whether this means a walk on the beach, or park run at Johannesburg Zoo – get outside!
• Our third tip: Adopt an attitude of gratitude. If we focus on the things we are grateful for, we are less likely to become stressed and overwhelmed. We can literally change the pathways in our brains to improve well-being this season. Sitting in traffic because you left shopping too late? Be thankful that you have friends and family to get gifts for. Fighting over what’s to make for Christmas lunch? Be thankful for the delicious food that you have when others don’t. You can even take the next step and volunteer your time somewhere where you can give back to someone in need. Or donate old clothes and books to a place near you. Focusing on what you have to be grateful for, and giving back to someone less fortunate, is after all what this time of the year is all about.

Any more tips and ideas to share with us on how to survive the festive season? Let us know!

Do you want your own, personalised guide to well-being simply by using your senses? Find out more about our Sensory Matrix™ here.