Stress Management for Highly Sensitive People (HSP): Inner Work and Strategies for Coping with Stress, Overwhelm, and Negative Emotions

Episode #315 | 9 Grocery Shopping Tips to Prevent Sensory Overwhelm as a Highly Sensitive Person
Host: Todd Smith
Date: November 28, 2025

Episode Overview

In this Strategy Friday episode, host Todd Smith dives deep into the unique challenges that grocery shopping presents for highly sensitive people (HSPs). He explains why supermarkets can be such a “perfect storm” for sensory overload, details the lingering aftermath of these experiences, and shares nine actionable, HSP-friendly tips to transform grocery shopping from a dreaded ordeal into a more manageable—potentially even calm—experience.

Why Grocery Stores Overwhelm HSPs (00:25–07:10)

Todd opens by validating the all-too-common experience of sensory and emotional overwhelm for HSPs in big-box grocery stores. He breaks down the main triggers:

• Too much noise: Background music, beeping scanners, intercoms, rumbling carts, and conversations all stack into a “chaotic landscape.”
  • “Even normal volume can feel amplified. Because we hear things more subtly, we see things more subtly. That’s what being a highly sensitive person means.” (01:32)
• Crowds & emotional energy: Navigating through tight aisles, absorbing the moods of rushed, impatient, or emotional shoppers.
• Harsh lighting: Fluorescent and LED lights are often too bright or flicker in ways most people don’t notice—“just reducing the lighting a little bit can make a dramatic shift in how your nervous system feels.” (13:59)
• Decision fatigue: An overflow of choices—“For those of us who process information deeply, this can feel like the antithesis of the kind of environment in which we tend to thrive.” (04:37)
• Time pressure: Long lines and fast-paced crowd energy can trigger stress and self-consciousness.
• Strong smells: Produce, fish, cleaning supplies, or perfumes can overload the senses.

Todd underscores that HSPs “attempt to process a billion inputs in a short amount of time… and it’s just more than the highly sensitive brain can manage.” (06:17)

The Toll Beyond the Store (07:11–09:10)

• Lingering exhaustion: Even a short shopping trip can drain energy for hours.
  • “You wonder why such a simple errand has wiped you out… As a highly sensitive person, you have done something extremely demanding.” (07:38)
• Mental fog & irritability: Trouble focusing, scattered thoughts, short temper.
• Self-judgment: Questioning why you’re affected like this, leading to feeling abnormal.
  • “You’re not the only one bothered… about one-fifth of the world’s population is bothered by that. Because about that many people are highly sensitive people.” (08:44)
• Emotional sensitivity: Lower resilience, snapping at loved ones, or falling into self-doubt.
• Shutdown or avoidance: Withdrawing or procrastinating to avoid the ordeal.

9 Practical HSP-Friendly Grocery Shopping Tips (09:11–18:30)

Todd presents and elaborates on nine grounded strategies to make shopping less overwhelming. Each tip is designed to minimize sensory and emotional overload while maximizing focus and self-support.

1. Shop at Off-Peak Hours

(09:18)

• Early mornings or late evenings mean fewer shoppers, less noise, and shorter lines.

2. Make a List and Stick to It

(10:09)

• Pre-plan your meals, snacks, and stick to a list.
  • “That list is me that I brought into the store. And it reminds me why I’m there, what I need to do.” (10:42)
• Your focus stays anchored, preventing aimless wandering.

3. Bring Earbuds or Noise-Canceling Headphones

(12:06)

• Listen to calming music—or just create silence to shield from overwhelming noise.
  • “Bring something of yourself into the store instead of being just at the mercy of whatever is around you.” (12:36)

4. Dress for Comfort

(13:14)

• Layer up for cold air and harsh lighting. Wear comfortable shoes, a cap, or lightly tinted glasses.
  • “Just reducing the lighting a little bit can make a dramatic shift in how your nervous system feels.” (13:59)

5. Set a Time Limit

(14:33)

• Decide how long you’ll spend—be okay with not getting everything in one trip.
  • “You can get lost in the rabbit hole of a store… For me, the most important thing is having a list, because that keeps me focused throughout. But time limits can be helpful.” (15:01)

6. Shop Alone

(15:40)

• Solo shopping reduces the need to manage conversations or explain choices.
  • Or divide the list with a partner to minimize time in the store.

7. Eat Before You Go

(16:14)

• Low blood sugar equals low resilience. Don’t shop hungry—have a snack first.
  • “When your blood sugar is low, your resilience is low.” (16:36)

8. Stick to a Familiar Route

(17:08)

• Walk the store the same way each time for predictability and mental ease.

9. Practice Self-Compassion

• (Implied throughout; not numbered, but Todd’s tone consistently encourages self-acceptance.)
  • “This is not an abnormality. This is part of having the trait of being a highly sensitive person. It’s not something you have to fix. It’s just something you have to work with so that you can minimize the overwhelm as much as possible.” (18:05)

Memorable Moments & Notable Quotes

• “What starts as a 30-minute errand can quickly disrupt your entire day or your evening as a result.” (06:53)
• “Of all the nine, the one that stands out the most for me is carrying a list. It just grounds me. It’s like a rudder in the storm.” (18:40)
• Encouragement to listeners:
  “About one-fifth of the world’s population is bothered… Because about that many people are highly sensitive people.” (08:44)
• Supportive reflection:
  “Big retail stores and grocery stores may never be our favorite places as highly sensitive people, but with a little planning and care, we can minimize the effect that these places have on our nervous systems.” (17:37)

Episode Takeaway & Tone

Todd’s tone is validating and empathetic, focused on self-acceptance:
“This is part of having the trait of being a highly sensitive person. It’s not something you have to fix. It’s just something you have to work with so that you can minimize the overwhelm as much as possible.” (18:05)

Listeners come away with practical action steps and a sense of belonging—reassured that HSP struggles are real but manageable, with the right preparation and boundaries.

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:25–07:10: Why grocery stores overwhelm HSPs
• 07:11–09:10: The lingering toll and emotional fallout
• 09:11–18:30: Nine practical HSP shopping tips
• 18:40: Host’s personal favorite tip & closing encouragement

This episode is a must-listen for HSPs aiming to reclaim peace and cope graciously with one of life’s most mundane yet challenging errands.