Sensitivity to Light and Sound with CFS: Why It Happens & How to Calm It
Introduction: You’re Not Crazy — Your Senses Are Just Amplified
How’s it going, guys? Miguel here from CFS Recovery. If you’re dealing with sensitivity to sound and light, this video is for you. Whether you have chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) or another hypersensitive nervous system disorder, you’ve probably noticed that your senses are turned way up. Bright lights might trigger a headache, and even a simple door closing could feel like a fire alarm going off in your brain.
I know exactly what that’s like — I dealt with this for over four and a half years. And today, I’m going to walk you through why this happens, and most importantly, what you can do to calm the nervous system so these sensitivities no longer control your life.
What Is Causing Your Sensitivity to Light and Sound?
Let’s break it down in simple terms. If you have CFS, your nervous system is in constant overdrive. This is also known as sympathetic dominance, and it means your body is stuck in “fight or flight” mode. When you’re in this state, everything is amplified — touch, sound, light, even thoughts.
This is why:
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Normal daylight feels blinding
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A closing door can trigger pain
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Background music makes your head pound
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And even soft sounds feel too loud
Why does this happen? It’s because your brain’s sensory centers are misfiring.
Normally, your brain processes sensory input in a calm and controlled way — about 90% for regular sensations, and only 10% for pain. But in CFS, that ratio can flip to 50/50 or worse, meaning:
Normal sensations (like light and sound) get interpreted as painful or dangerous.
It’s not just “in your head” — it’s happening in your brain’s wiring. But the good news is, this wiring can be retrained.
How This Looked in My Own Recovery
There was a time I had to wear a blindfold during the day just to survive. I kept my room as dark as possible — blinds shut, lights off, only a small bedside lamp on. If my grandma gently closed the door, I’d get a migraine. That’s how sensitive I was.
I even wore earplugs under noise-canceling headphones because the smallest sounds — footsteps, voices, dishes clanking — felt like I was being electrocuted.
But fast forward to now? I can go to concerts with flashing lights and loud music and feel totally fine.
How to Start Reversing Sensitivity
You don’t need to treat light sensitivity, sound sensitivity, or any other symptoms separately. They all fall under one umbrella: a hypersensitive nervous system.
Here’s how to start calming that system down:
✅ Step 1: Retrain the Brain
Your brain is stuck in an emergency loop. To interrupt that loop, you need to send it new signals. There’s a specific brain retraining exercise I walk through in a video you can watch here. It targets the sensory centers in the brain and helps reduce the overload.
✅ Step 2: Limit Stimulation — Gently
It’s okay to use sunglasses, noise-canceling headphones, or eye masks temporarily. But don’t go overboard — you don’t want to send your brain the message that all light and sound are dangerous forever.
Start by gradually exposing yourself to small amounts of light or sound, paired with calmness and reassurance. When you do this consistently, your brain learns it doesn’t need to overreact.
✅ Step 3: Focus on Nervous System Balance
All of this comes back to nervous system balance. You don’t need to be in a deep meditative state 24/7. But shifting away from fight-or-flight and into a calm, middle ground is key.
This can include:
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Practicing brain retraining
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Doing gentle breathing exercises
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Using restorative routines (without overstimulation)
Real Story: From Minus Energy to Outdoor Concerts
Shoutout to Tammy, one of the amazing members of the Recovery Jumpstart program. When she joined, her energy was below zero. She was barely functioning, had to nap multiple times a day, and couldn’t handle much noise or light.
But with consistent retraining and support, just a few weeks ago she went to an outdoor concert — music blasting, lights flashing — and she felt fine afterward. This is someone who couldn’t even stay awake for a few hours just months ago.
That’s how fast the nervous system can start to shift — once it’s given the right input.
Keep It Simple: Progress, Not Perfection
One of the biggest traps in recovery is overcomplicating the process. Like subscriber Jay pointed out in a recent comment:
“I noticed a reduction of symptoms just from relaxing my nervous system. I don’t know if it was the visualization or the meditation part — but it worked.”
Here’s my take: if something works — don’t overthink it. The most important thing is that you are sending your brain new messages. Whether it’s through meditation, retraining, or simply finding ways to feel safe and calm — keep doing what works.
Final Thoughts: You Can Recover from Sensitivity
I know how scary this symptom can be. It makes everyday life feel impossible. But I’m here to tell you — it gets better. The path forward is through understanding your brain and nervous system and retraining it step-by-step.
You are not broken. You are not stuck like this forever. Your brain just needs new instructions — and that’s something you can give it.