sensory saturation

Sensory saturation occurs when your senses—such as sight, sound, or touch—become overwhelmed by continuous or intense input. For example, if you stare at a bright light for a long time, your eyes stop responding as strongly because they’ve adapted to that constant stimulus. This process helps prevent sensory overload by reducing sensitivity, allowing you to focus on new or changing stimuli. In everyday situations, sensory saturation might make you less aware of a persistent odor, loud noise, or bright screen after prolonged exposure, essentially causing your perception to temporarily diminish or “tune out” the overstimulating input.