Occupational therapists have been prescribing sensory diets for children for years. Adults need them too — here’s how to build one.
A “sensory diet” is not food. It’s the planned mix of sensory inputs your nervous system needs across a day to stay regulated — like brushing your teeth, but for your nerves. OTs have used them with autistic kids for decades. In the last five years, research has caught up to what autistic adults have been saying all along: we need them too.
What goes in an adult sensory diet?
The building blocks are simple: proprioceptive (deep pressure, weight, push/pull), vestibular (movement, swinging, rocking), tactile (textures you choose, not textures chosen for you), auditory (deliberate silence or a chosen soundscape) and visual (low-stimulation environments when needed).
A sample day
Morning: weighted blanket for 10 minutes before getting out of bed. A shower at a predictable temperature. Noise-cancelling headphones for the commute.
Midday: a 20-minute walk outside, ideally somewhere green and low-stim. Chewy food (apples, nuts) for jaw-based proprioceptive input.
Evening: dim lights from 7pm. A weighted lap pad while you watch TV. Pressure against a wall or the floor if you’re activated.
Why this works
AuDHD nervous systems don’t filter sensory input the same way neurotypical ones do. Over a day, the “sensory tax” adds up — and that’s often what people call burnout. A daily diet keeps the tax paid in small, predictable instalments instead of a single crushing bill at 5pm on Friday.
If you want a personalised plan, ask your GP for a referral to an OT who works with adult autistic clients. Medicare rebates apply under a Chronic Disease Management plan.
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