Is It Just Me? Or Is Everything Getting a Little Too Loud?

Have you ever been on a train and suddenly felt completely trapped?

It's noisy. It's busy. Perhaps your travel plans have changed, the train's delayed, or there's simply too much going on around you.

You start feeling agitated. Your breathing quickens. Your hands become clammy.

And all you can think is...

I just want to get off this bloody train.

Or perhaps you're at a party or a dinner, trying desperately to concentrate on a conversation while music plays and everyone talks around you.

You're practically lip-reading because you can't separate one voice from all the background noise.

Sound familiar?

Because it certainly does to me.

When did everything become so overwhelming?

As I've got older, I've noticed I'm becoming increasingly sensitive to noise, crowds and busy environments.

Situations I might once have navigated without a second thought can now leave me feeling exhausted, irritable or desperate to escape.

And that's difficult, because I love people. I love connecting, laughing and having meaningful conversations.

But I've realised there's a difference between enjoying people's company and being comfortable in every environment.

I don't have all the answers

I work in wellbeing. I practise Qi Gong, mindfulness and breathwork. I help other people find ways to feel calmer.

And yet, I still experience overwhelm.

I don't have all the answers, but I'm learning to recognise what I need and, more importantly, communicate it.

If I know I'm attending a busy event, perhaps I don't need dinner beforehand and drinks afterwards.

Perhaps the event itself is enough.

Perhaps I can tell my friends, “I'm really looking forward to seeing you, but I might not stay all evening.”

No elaborate excuses. No guilt. Just honesty.

Because when we explain how we're feeling, we give other people the opportunity to understand us rather than feel rejected.

And we give ourselves permission to do what's right for us.

Getting older, getting wiser?

I've also started wondering how much of this might be connected to perimenopause and the hormonal changes we experience as we get older.

Changes in anxiety, sleep and our ability to cope with everyday stress can become more noticeable during this stage of life.

Of course, hormones aren't necessarily responsible for everything, but it's a conversation worth having.

Because whenever I open up to other women about how I'm feeling, I hear the same two words.

“Me too.”

And suddenly, I feel a little less alone.

Let's learn to have better days

Perhaps getting older isn't just about accepting change. Perhaps it's about learning to work with ourselves rather than constantly pushing against what we need.

Let's stop overplanning.

Let's allow ourselves time to rest.

Let's set boundaries without apologising for them.

And let's recognise that sometimes looking after ourselves means doing less, not more.

I can't make overwhelm disappear. But I can choose how I respond to it.

And sometimes, simply being honest about how I'm feeling makes all the difference.

Because the hardest part isn't always the noise, the crowds or the exhaustion.

Sometimes it's feeling completely misunderstood.

So I'm opening up the conversation.

If you've ever felt like this, I'd love you to tell me.

Just two little words.

Me too.

Because I know I'm not alone.

But sometimes it really can feel that way.

Think New Thoughts.

Alex Feels