If Noise Overwhelms You, This Might Explain Why

(Part 1 of the “How Sound Helped Me Heal My Nervous System” Series)

When Everyday Sounds Feel Like Too Much

For years, I couldn’t understand why normal household sounds made me feel so unsettled. If the TV was on too loud, or my kids had a few friends laughing in the next room, I’d feel my whole body tense. My face would tighten before I could stop it. My nerves felt like live wires.

I’d retreat to another room to “calm down,” but I wasn’t actually calm — just disconnected.

My short fuse worried me, because I love my family deeply, and yet sound — of all things — could make me snap.

It was confusing and painful. Were they being too loud? Or was I being too sensitive?

Should I ask them to turn things down, or was it my job to tolerate it? Either way, no one was feeling like their true selves.

Back then, I had no idea that what I was experiencing wasn’t a character flaw — it was a nervous system response.

The Ear’s Hidden Role in Stress

Our ears do far more than help us hear. Deep inside the middle ear are two tiny muscles — the stapedius and tensor tympani — that constantly adjust to protect the inner ear from loud or unpredictable sounds.

This built-in defense system is called the acoustic reflex. It’s the ear’s version of a “volume control.” When sound gets too intense, those muscles contract, making the middle ear a bit stiffer so less sound passes through.

It’s a brilliant design — until chronic stress, trauma, or tension cause the reflex to get stuck.

When that happens, the ear can misinterpret ordinary sound as threatening. Background noise feels overwhelming. The nervous system stays alert, scanning for danger that isn’t there.

When Protection Becomes Overprotection

In my case, this reflex had been overworking for years. The more tightly wound my nervous system became, the more sensitive I felt to sound. Even joyful noises — laughter, music, conversation — could send my body into defense.

And here’s the tricky part: when your ear’s “safety filter” misfires, it doesn’t just change how you hear. It changes how you feel.

You might notice:

• Difficulty focusing in noisy spaces

• A sense of irritation or anxiety around sound

• Feeling tired or emotionally drained after social situations

• Trouble feeling safe, even in familiar environments

Your body isn’t trying to sabotage you — it’s trying to protect you. It just needs help remembering what safety feels like.

The Good News: Sound Can Also Heal

When I first discovered the Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP), I was skeptical. How could listening to specially filtered music help retrain my stress response when nothing else had?

But over time, I felt the difference. My ears started to soften, and so did I.The sounds that once felt jarring began to feel gentle again. I could sit with my family during dinner or watch a movie without bracing against the noise.

By helping the ear and brain relearn what safe sound feels like, sound-based therapies like SSP and the Rest and Restore Protocol (RRP) don’t just change hearing — they change how we experience the world.

They invite the body out of defense and into connection.

What I Wish I’d Known Sooner

If you find yourself wincing at sounds that others seem fine with, it doesn’t mean you’re broken — it means your body is trying to help. Your nervous system might just need a little guidance to retune.

Sound therapy is one way to do that — not by forcing calm, but by giving the body new sensory experiences of safety.

And when the ear learns to relax, so does everything else.

Coming Up Next:

In the next post, I’ll explore what happens higher up in the brain — the Frequency Following Response — and how rhythm and resonance help the nervous system restore balance and flow.

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✍️ About the Author

Andrea Goodwin is a Somatic Coach and the founder of Retune Health, a science-backed, heart-centered wellness practice that helps high achievers and wellness seekers regulate their nervous systems, release subconscious stress patterns, and restore balance in body, mind, and spirit.

With over 20 years of experience as a healthcare executive, Andrea brings a unique blend of real-world leadership, clinical insight, and holistic care to her work. Because burnout and overwhelm show up in our bodies, minds, and energy, she offers deeply personalized, mind-body-spirit support to help clients feel more grounded, clear, and alive, often in ways they never thought possible.

Through 1:1 sessions, group programs, and integrative experiences, Andrea guides clients toward a more intuitive, connected, and joyful way of being.

🌿 Explore sessions or subscribe to the newsletter at www.retunehealth.com

📍 Based in the northwest suburbs of Chicago | Virtual sessions available worldwide