Regulation is not a mood. It is a physiological state.

A regulated nervous system can think, make decisions, tolerate uncertainty, manage sensory input, and participate in daily life. A dysregulated one cannot — regardless of how much the person wants to, or how hard they try. Willpower does not override a nervous system in a threat state.

For neurodivergent people, regulation is not something that happens automatically in the background. It requires active, ongoing management — and it requires knowing which tools actually work for your specific nervous system, not the ones that are supposed to work according to general advice.

This section documents the regulation systems I use. They are not prescriptions. They are a worked example. The principles are transferable. The specific tools are mine.

What regulation actually involves

Regulation operates across multiple sensory channels simultaneously. Most people manage several of these without noticing. For neurodivergent people, each channel may need deliberate attention.

The sensory environment — right now, as a working example

As I write this, June 21st 2026 there is a heatwave. The regulation setup in this room is:

The blinds are half down and the curtains half drawn to block direct sunlight and limit heat gain. I am wearing loose football-style shorts, a long loose t-shirt, and trainer socks — all chosen for thermal regulation and sensory comfort, not appearance. There is homemade sorbet made with perishable fruit in the freezer if I need a temperature reset.

On the desk: sour lemon sweets, mint sweets, and butterscotch sweets. These are not snacks. They are drip-feed sensory input during life admin — small, predictable hits that keep the system ticking over without requiring a full meal or a break. Next to them, a tin of Zam-Buk mentholated balm for a sharper clearing boost when focus drops.

On the transition table: a vanilla candle for winding down, a citrus candle for focus tasks. By the window: citronella — primarily to deter biting insects from entering the room during the heatwave, but it earns its place on the sensory roster too.

This is not a curated wellness aesthetic. It is a functional sensory environment, assembled from what actually works.

On gloves — a specific example of adaptive sensory tools

Gloves are not just a winter or gardening item for neurodivergent people.

I use gloves across a wide range of tasks, for a range of reasons that have nothing to do with temperature:

•Grip support during tasks that require sustained fine motor control (likely connected to dyspraxia)

•Keeping hands dry during washing up, which removes a significant sensory aversion barrier

•Protecting hands from smells during cleaning tasks — smell aversion is a real barrier to task completion

•Allowing moisturiser to absorb after skin-picking sessions, protecting already-compromised skin

•Wheelchair gloves for propulsion — essential because wheelchair rims collect everything, and without gloves that transfers directly to hands and then to food, face, and everything else

•Cycling and outdoor tasks — hand protection during physical activity

The broader principle: sensory tools often have multiple functions simultaneously. A single item can reduce aversion, support motor function, protect skin, and make a task achievable that would otherwise not get done. That is worth knowing before dismissing something as "just a preference."

Stimming — any time, any place

Stimming (self-stimulatory behaviour) is a nervous system regulation tool. It is not a symptom to suppress, a habit to break, or a sign of distress. It is the nervous system doing what it needs to do.

I advocate for stimming openly and without apology — in hospitals, in public, in professional settings. The social discomfort of others with stimming behaviour is not a good enough reason to deny someone a regulation tool.

👉 Stimming — full page, including videos

Sleep regulation

Sleep is a regulation system, not just rest. The conditions that allow sleep to happen are worth engineering deliberately.

•Bedding texture and weight affect sleep quality significantly. Fleece for warmth in winter; linen for coolness in summer. Experimenting with duvet weights and weighted blankets is worth the effort — the right combination is not obvious and varies by season, temperature, and current nervous system state.

•Screen-free wind-down — avoiding message apps and screens in the period before bed reduces the cognitive and emotional activation that delays sleep onset.

•Temperature management — the same principles that apply during the day apply at night. A room that is too warm is a regulation problem, not just a comfort issue.

Music regulation

Music is the most powerful regulation tool in this system. It gets its own page because the system is detailed enough to warrant it.

👉 Music Regulation — full guide and playlists

The sub-pages in this section 

Stimming What stimming is, why it matters, and why suppressing it is harmful. Includes video.

Music Regulation State-based playlist system, the runway method, and how to build your own.

Interests How special interests function as regulation, not just entertainment.

For the underlying theory of why sensory regulation works the way it does in neurodivergent nervous systems — including the autonomic layer and the alexithymia delay — see Distributed Capability Architecture → Autonomic Layer.