Strengthen proprioception – prevent sensory overload

AUTOMATED TRANSLATION, NOT YET EDITED

Many parents and teachers are familiar with this situation: A child seems quite calm one morning at kindergarten, reacting appropriately to minor nudges or touches – and suddenly, seemingly without warning, they have an outburst. The proverbial "cup overflows": One push too many, one noise too loud, one touch too unexpected, and the child lashes out or bursts into tears. What's behind this dynamic?

One key lies in a sense that is often overlooked in everyday life: proprioception – our muscle sense.

Proprioception as a regulatory sense

A. Jean Ayres, the founder of Sensory Integration Therapy, described proprioception as an "organizing" or "regulating sense." This sense provides the brain with information from muscles and joints: Where is my body in space? How powerful is a movement? How much force am I exerting?

Dr. Ayres recognized early on that proprioceptive signals have a filtering and control function . They help organize the multitude of environmental stimuli and compare them with internal body feedback. Thus, they create a foundation for attention, adaptation, and self-regulation.

Recent neurobiological studies support this view. Research into the neural basis of Ayres' sensory integration shows that proprioceptive signals are directly connected to networks that control arousal, attention, and emotion regulation. Children with impaired proprioception are more likely to exhibit difficulties in emotion control and social adjustment. Thus, proprioception is far more than a "sense of movement"—it influences our self-organization.

If the regulatory influence is missing

What happens when proprioceptive feedback reaches the brain only weakly?

With proprioceptive hyposensitivity, the nervous system lacks some of its internal control. Similar to a "deafness" to bodily signals, the brain is less grounded and less inhibited. The natural inhibition, which otherwise helps to block out disturbing stimuli, is not sufficiently activated.

The result:

• The threshold for stimulation drops . Sounds, light, touch, or movement reach the brain unfiltered.

• Stimuli have a more intense effect and can be experienced as stressful more quickly.

• The nervous system goes into alert mode , even if the stimuli are objectively not strong.

The cumulative effect of sensory stimuli is particularly relevant: A child may be able to handle ten small, fleeting touches in the morning quite well – judging by their visible behavior. But the signals accumulate in the brain. The brain gradually becomes increasingly aroused and alerted, causing the neurons to become increasingly sensitive. Finally, the eleventh touch is the last straw. From the outside, the reaction seems disproportionate – from the inside, it is the logical consequence of a gradual flood.

Three everyday activities to stimulate proprioception

The good news: Proprioceptive signals can be consciously strengthened. Powerful movements against resistance give the nervous system exactly the input it needs for regulation. Three simple yet highly effective activities are:

1. Trampoline jumping

Just 5–10 minutes, three times a day, provides intense proprioceptive and rhythmic vestibular stimulation. Jumping not only regulates the nervous system but also strengthens muscles and joints, thus improving fitness.

2. Hanging and pulling

A door bar in your apartment, for example, at the door to the storage room, allows for hanging or dangling, or powerful pull-ups. Supporting your own weight activates muscles and joints, resulting in increased proprioceptive feedback.

3. Exercises for office and school

Proprioception can also be encouraged at the desk: When doing the “chair prop”, you support yourself with both hands on the front edges of the seat and push yourself up so that your bottom leaves the seat and your feet leave the floor. Pulling forcefully with a Theraband or—just for the record—chewing gum also increases proprioception in the brain. Note: You need at least 2-3 pieces of sugar-free gum (as it's firmer) to ensure your jaws have enough resistance to work with force. Chewing gum is a discreet but effective form of proprioceptive stimulation via the masticatory muscles, which has been proven to improve performance.

Why an active lifestyle is crucial

I'm not telling you anything new, but from a new perspective: A daily routine rich in movement automatically provides your brain with the proprioceptive feedback it needs to stay regulated and organized. So: climbing stairs and cycling are your friends! What are the benefits for you?

• Movement supports neuronal plasticity – the nervous system remains "mobile" and can process signals more efficiently.

• An active lifestyle creates a balance between excitement and relaxation .

• Small breaks for exercise throughout the day prevent stimuli from accumulating unnoticed and ultimately leading to overload.

This makes it clear: If you provide your brain with good proprioceptive "food," you not only prevent sensory overload, but also lay the foundation for attention, emotional stability, and enjoyment of movement.

LINK TO THE PODCAST: You can learn more about the role of proprioception in our SiNN-VOLL podcast episode no. 4 – feel free to listen if you want to delve deeper!