"At first glance, this doesn't make much sense. We're used to thinking that less noise and less movement should feel more calming. But sensory comfort isn't just about how much stimulation there is. It's about whether the nervous system can stay oriented. Neuroscience offers a useful way to think about this-not in terms of volume, but in terms of coherence."
"The brain is constantly trying to answer a simple question: What's happening next? In the waiting room, that question hangs unanswered. On the sidewalk, it's answered with every step. When that question has an answer-when events unfold in a way that makes sense-perception feels smooth. When it doesn't, attention stays suspended. In the waiting room, the cues are thin. Nothing is clearly starting or ending. There's no sense of progression. Silence doesn't signal rest; it signals an uneasy waiting. The nervous system stays tuned for change."
Quiet environments can feel more stressful than busy ones when events lack clear progression. Predictability of sensory input matters more than sheer reduction of stimulation for maintaining orientation and attention. When the brain can anticipate what comes next, perception feels smooth and the nervous system relaxes; when cues are thin and progression is unclear, attention stays suspended and waiting feels uneasy. Environments with movement and noise can be comfortable if they offer coherent, trackable structure. Predictability requires organization and direction, not literal sameness. Many autistic and ADHD profiles involve a stronger need for structure and predictable sequencing rather than a desire for identical stimuli.
Read at Psychology Today
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