Are you a highly sensitive person who feels overwhelmed by noise, travel, or shared living spaces? You’re not imagining it — and you’re not alone.
In this Compassionate Conversations episode, Esther Kane, MSW is joined by writer (and HSP) Maryanne Pope, for a powerful follow-up conversation on noise sensitivity, sensory overload, and what it’s really like to live and travel as a highly sensitive person.
From tiny home living and constant background noise, to budget travel, shared rooms, and sensory burnout, this episode explores how HSPs experience sound, smell, and stimulation differently — and why quiet is not a luxury, but a biological need.
You’ll also hear:
✨ Why noise hits HSPs harder than most people
✨ Tools that actually help with noise sensitivity (earplugs, headphones, white noise)
✨ The hidden link between deep work, creativity, and sensory overwhelm
✨ A hilarious (and horrifying) real-life story about smell sensitivity while traveling
✨ How to advocate for yourself without guilt
✨ Why protecting your health must come before being “easygoing”
If you’ve ever been told you’re “too sensitive,” this conversation will help you reframe your sensitivity as wisdom — not weakness.
👉 Chapters
00:00 – Are You Overstimulated by Noise? (HSPs & Sensory Overload)
01:58 – Tiny Home Living: When “Quiet” Becomes Constant Noise
03:15 – Trains, Dogs, Construction: Daily Noise Triggers for HSPs
04:34 – Traveling as a Highly Sensitive Person
05:59 – Shared Spaces, Budget Travel & Sensory Burnout
06:28 – Finding Real Quiet as an HSP (Florida Retreat Story)
07:37 – Noise Sensitivity Survival Tools (Headphones, Earplugs, White Noise)
09:00 – Why HSPs Need Deep Quiet to Think & Heal
11:38 – How Highly Sensitive People Process Experiences Differently
12:23 – Introvert vs Extrovert Energy in HSPs
13:15 – Social Overstimulation & the Need for Alone Time
15:23 – BONUS: Smell Sensitivity in Highly Sensitive People
15:59 – When Chemical Smells Become a Health Issue
17:04 – Choosing Between Noise vs Smell Sensitivity
19:52 – Learning to Advocate for Yourself as an HSP
21:15 – Boundaries, Health & Using Your Voice
22:15 – Final Reflections for Highly Sensitive Viewers
📌 Mentioned in this episode:
*Previous video Esther and Maryanne did on Sound Sensitivity & HSPs:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VskvI9W05VQ
*Maryanne Pope’s blog post on smell sensitivity:
https://www.pinkgazelle.com/2025/11/19/toxic-air-freshener/
👍 If this resonates, please like, comment, and share — it helps more highly sensitive people find this conversation.
Links
To watch episodes on Esther's YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@compassionateconversations441
www.estherkane.com
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Esther Kane, MSW, RCC
