A waiting room that is kind to people sensitive to sound and light: ways to reduce stimulation
Some people feel sound, light and movement more strongly than others. The reasons vary: neurodevelopmental differences, health, age. For them, a bright, noisy waiting room where people keep coming and going can be a heavy place to be. This article looks at ways to reduce stimulation.
How people experience stimulation differs a lot, and these ideas will not suit everyone. For medical or care-specific needs, follow the advice of professionals.
"Sensory friendly" spaces abroad
In some countries, spaces designed for sensory needs are called "sensory friendly", and hospitals have begun to build them. Monash Children's Hospital in Australia, for example, has announced sensory spaces for children who are sensitive to sound, light and movement, equipped with lighting, sound and projectors for visuals (Monash Health, 2025).
Ways to reduce stimulation in a waiting room
- Lighting: avoid glare, replace flickering lights, and make at least one area dimmer.
- Sound: lower the volume of TVs and music; do not make calls and chimes louder than necessary.
- A place to be quiet: seats away from foot traffic, or a corner with a partition. When it is crowded, letting people wait outside can help.
- Knowing what is next: knowing roughly how long the wait will be reduces anxiety (ideas for easing waiting).
If you put a screen in
- No sudden changes: avoid scene cuts, sudden brightening and flashing.
- Sound off: a screen's audio tends to pile onto other sounds, so make silence the default.
- Lower the brightness: the screen should not stand out more than the room.
- Keep seats where it is out of view: some people cannot stand screens at all.
keensense, for comparison
keensense is a service run by the people who wrote this article. It shows natural scenery in a web browser. The scenes move slowly, with no sudden cuts (if you do not set them to change automatically), and the video can be shown without sound.
- Setup: open a dedicated URL in the browser of a TV, tablet or PC you already have. No account, sign-up, installation or special hardware (an internet connection is required).
- Scenes: campfire, candle, forest (five times of day), beach, park (cherry blossoms in spring, autumn leaves), night sky and a sea of clouds. A venue can choose one, or let the scene change automatically every 15, 30 or 60 minutes.
- Price: $69 per month or $690 per year. One license covers one location, with any number of screens inside that facility. A 7-day money-back guarantee applies if it doesn't work on your equipment or network.