Do you find bright or noisy places overwhelming? Are you more moved by pieces of art and music or emotional shows than the people around you? Is it hard for you to get anything done when many things are going on at once around you? If you said yes to the questions above, then you might be a highly sensitive person. But what exactly is a highly sensitive person? 

A highly sensitive person is someone who is sensitive to sounds, sights, emotional cues and other stimuli. This means that people who are highly sensitive may be more affected by their surroundings than others. Highly sensitive people can be very empathetic and tend to feel other people’s emotions as well as their own. The words “highly sensitive” come with a social stigma, as being sensitive is seen as a weakness. But there’s absolutely nothing wrong with being a highly sensitive person. 

As a highly sensitive person, I’ve found that many parts of life can become extremely overwhelming, leaving me with no energy. I’ve also found that it is important to take time to take a breath in order to be able to function without being uncomfortable, irritated and unhappy. Below, I have made a list of a few things highly sensitive people need to survive. 

1. Alone time.

Because highly sensitive people are easily affected by their surroundings and emotions, whether that be someone else’s or their own, having some time alone in a quiet place with low lighting is the perfect thing highly sensitive people need to recharge and be away from the hectic world for a while. 

1. A good night’s sleep.

Rest is important for everyone, but for highly sensitive people it is especially important. Not getting enough rest can cause highly sensitive people to become overwhelmed, irritable, drained and overall miserable. Going to bed at a decent time is crucial, even naps are good to rest even for a little while. 

1. A creative outlet.

Many highly sensitive people are creative in nature, whether that be writing, drawing, painting, music or any other creative activity. Creative outlets allow highly sensitive people to let out all of the emotions and frustrations they feel in daily life. 

1. Sufficient self care.

Self care is important for everybody, but it is definitely necessary for highly sensitive people. From taking warm baths and listening to music, to finishing important tasks on time, self care allows people, especially the highly sensitive ones, to have peace of mind and be kind to themselves. 

1. Being surrounded by people who don’t make you drained.

There are some people who just suck all the energy from the people around them, especially from introverts and highly sensitive people. Finding people who make you feel happy and calm is very important and relieves stress, unlike being in a group of people who create drama and leave you feeling exhausted. 

Overall, highly sensitive people just need to be in a calming, low-stress environment that leaves them feeling refreshed instead of environments that make them uncomfortable and leave them feeling tense and aggravated. And there is nothing wrong with being a highly sensitive person. It can actually be a wonderful thing, so if you are, take pride in your sensitive nature.