The overstimulation doesn’t hit all at once. It builds.
For me, it’s after a busy day at work—switching from business brain, to bus driver to mom mode as I pull into the driveway. I walk into the house and instantly see the dishes in the sink, the trail of backpacks and socks, and the mental checklist that starts ticking: What’s for supper? Do I have time to shower tonight? Did I switch the laundry?
Then it’s cheer drop-off, or maybe grocery pickup squeezed in before the store closes.
And just when I think we’re winding down for the evening… my daughter kicks into full performance mode. Cartwheels across the living room. Singing at the top of her lungs. Dancing with the kind of energy I haven’t felt since 2007.
I love her energy. I love her joy. But my body? It’s screaming “too much.”
My jaw clenches. My ears feel like they’re buzzing. And the nonstop bouncing, spinning, and singing right before bedtime pushes every button I have left.
This is overstimulation. And if you’ve ever felt this way, I want you to know—you are not alone, and you are definitely not crazy.
What Overstimulation Really Feels Like
Overstimulation isn’t just “having a bad day.” It’s when everything feels too much. Too loud. Too messy. Too fast. Too everything.
- You feel like crawling out of your skin when the TV and tablet and kid voices all blend together into what can only be described as sensory soup.
- Your body tenses when someone touches you—your spouse and even your kids—because it feels like one more thing to carry when your arms are already full.
- You get snappy or withdrawn, and then you beat yourself up for reacting that way because “other moms handle this just fine.”
Let me make this clear: You’re not broken. You’re not dramatic. You’re not a bad mom. You’re a human being with a nervous system that’s trying to mother in a world that never seems to slow down.
Why Moms Get Overstimulated So Easily
We’re not just responding to right now. We’re holding a running to-do list in our heads that would make a project manager break into a cold sweat. We’re making 47 micro-decisions before 10 AM. We’re carrying our families’ emotions, appointments, worries, and needs—not to mention our own.
Managing the household tasks others don’t even realize exist.
Sometimes it feels like the entire family runs on the quiet calculations we’re doing in the background every single day.
That’s a lot of tabs open. (reminds me of my internet browser) And when your nervous system gets overloaded with noise, touch, demands, and clutter—it reacts. It’s not you being weak. It’s your body saying: “I need a pause before I short-circuit.”
What Helps: 3 Gentle Grounding Practices
You don’t need to “fix” yourself. But you can create little resets that help bring your body and mind back online when everything feels like it’s glitching.
1. Say “I’ll get to that in 5 minutes”
Give yourself permission to not respond instantly.
Even naming a delay helps your brain feel less overwhelmed.
2. Apply pressure to a grounding reflex point
Try gently pressing your thumb into the center of your palm or into the solar plexus reflex on your foot.
Simple reflexology touch points can help reset your nervous system fast.
3. Do a “Body Shake”
Stand up and gently shake out your hands, shoulders, and legs. It sounds silly, but even 10 seconds of this can help discharge built-up energy from your nervous system.
You Are Not Alone
Every overstimulated mom needs to hear this: You’re not failing. You’re adjusting to the volume of modern motherhood. And that volume is stuck on maximum most days.
You’re still a beautiful, loving, capable mom—even if you need to step away. Even if you lock the door. Even if you say “Not right now” to tiny hands tugging at you for the fifteenth time in an hour.
You’re not supposed to be everything to everyone all the time. And if no one’s told you today— You’re doing better than you think.
P.S. If You Need a Moment to Reconnect With You…
I created a guided meditation called Inner Identity—and I’m offering it free to you because I know how hard it can be to carve out even one peaceful minute. Use code “shine” at checkout and give yourself that moment. You deserve it.