Just as some people are quick to raise their anxiety level, some suggest that some people have a sensitive inflammatory response.

One part of the fight or flight response is turning off the sensory filters that usually reduce stimulation that makes it to the cognitive and executive parts of the brain. Many TBI sufferers have suffered damage to this sensory filtering gate. We live our lives in an over-stimulated state until we learn new ways to reduce over-stimulation. I struggle to drive because my brain is constantly trying to resolve all of the fast moving objects.

We can reduce anxiety by reducing stimulation in our environment. No caffeine. Reduced auditory stimulation. Some even need reduced visual stimulation, such as less visual stimulation on the walls.

As we experience over-stimulation, toxic waste can build up in our brain tissue. If we do not get quality, restorative sleep, those toxins never get flushed or drained out. Proper quality sleep is the most important need we have.

I never get in bed and try to fall asleep. I wait in a quiet state with low stress visual and auditory stimulation until I'm starting to fall asleep and quietly get in bed. I usually fall asleep in just a few minutes. I had to learn this skill. It took me 2 years to figure this out.