Personal Hygiene Tips for Neurodivergent Individuals: A Practical Guide
- Kaitlyn Boudreault
- Oct 2, 2024
- 5 min read
Updated: Oct 22
Why Hygiene Can Feel So Hard, and What That Really Means
Taking care of your health is one of the most essential life skills, and it requires consistency.
However, for some individuals, even the simplest hygiene tasks can feel like trying to climb a mountain.
Does this sound familiar? Maybe you have faced difficulties with brushing your teeth, showering, or combing your hair.
If this describes you, you might be struggling with neurodivergent personal hygiene challenges, and you’re far from alone.
Research indicates that a large majority of autistic adults (up to 78 %) show measurable executive function challenges that impact self-care activities. Adults with ADHD also show elevated EF deficits, though the exact percentage varies across studies.
If you are dealing with personal hygiene issues, consider consulting a mental health counsellor or neurodivergent coach for support.
This blog is a guide to understanding hygiene barriers and offers neurodiversity-affirming hygiene tips to help you develop a sustainable routine that meets your sensory needs.
What Is Neurodivergent mean?
Neurodivergent refers to any neurotype where a person's brain functions differently from what society considers “typical.” The concept stems from the neurodiversity movement, which embraces neurological variation as part of human diversity.
In the 1990s, autistic rights advocates recognized that some individuals exhibited brain functions that diverged from societal norms. These individuals were not exclusively autistic but identified with other neurodivergent identities. From this, Kassiane Asasumasu coined the term "neurodivergent."
Each neurotype presents its own strengths and challenges. Under a neurodiversity-affirming lens, this diversity is not something to be fixed, but something to be supported.
Tourette's
Anxiety
Learning disabilities like dyslexia
Medical conditions like multiple sclerosis (MS) and epilepsy
Giftedness
AuDHD (a combination of ADHD and autism)
Traumatic brain injury
Whether you live with ADHD, autism, or another form of neurodivergence, your personal hygiene routine may need to be uniquely tailored.
What Is Personal Hygiene?
Personal hygiene refers to daily tasks that keep your body clean and protect against infection and disease. These include:
Body Hygiene: Bathing or showering regularly to remove dead skin cells and lower disease risk.
Hand Hygiene: Washing hands after using the restroom or touching surfaces
Oral Hygiene: Brushing and flossing teeth to prevent gum disease and tooth decay
Nail Hygiene: Trimming and cleaning fingernails
Skin Hygiene: Moisturizing and using deodorant or antiperspirant
Clothing Hygiene: Wearing clean clothes daily
Environmental Hygiene: Keeping your living space clean and organized
Micro-step your hygiene routine using this personal hygiene checklist
For neurodivergent adults, these tasks often require extra energy and effort due to executive function issues, sensory processing difficulties, and mental health struggles.
Why Is Hygiene Challenging for Neurodivergent People?
You may forget when you last brushed your teeth or struggle to start hygiene tasks. ADHD and autism often come with EF challenges such as task paralysis, time blindness, and difficulty prioritizing.
Certain sensory inputs, such as water temperature, strong smells, or certain textures, can feel unbearable. For example, water pressure or mint toothpaste may cause sensitivity.
Among autistic adults, 77 %-95 % report sensory-processing differences. Among adults with ADHD, studies show that around 20 %-45 % report sensory hypo- or hypersensitivity.
Lack of Motivation and Demand Avoidance
When the world feels overstimulating and exhausting to navigate, tasks like showering or brushing your teeth can lose urgency. You may avoid tasks due to
Fine Motor Skill Challenges
Brushing your teeth or using floss may require fine motor skills that are difficult to manage consistently.
Marginalization and Burnout
BIPOC, LGBTQ+, disabled individuals, and women experience systemic stressors that reduce the energy needed for hygiene.
Which hygiene barrier do you identify with most?
Executive Functioning Challenges
Sensory Sensitivities
Lack of Motivation
Fine Motor Skill Challenges
Strategies to Improve Personal Hygiene for Neurodivergent Adults
If you resonate with these personal hygiene challenges, try these practical, neurodivergent-friendly hygiene strategies.
Break Tasks Down
The idea of multiple hygiene tasks can feel overwhelming. Break hygiene tasks down. For example, instead of “brush teeth,” list small steps:
Walk to the bathroom.
Open the drawer.
Wet the toothbrush.
Add the toothpaste,
Brush your teeth.
Celebrate progress, as every step counts.
Choose sensory-friendly Tools
Opt for hygiene tools that meet your sensory preferences, such as:
Soft-grip, gentle bristles, or electric toothbrushes
Mild toothpaste
Soft towels or sponge alternatives
Warm water or adjustable shower heads
Unscented products
Create a Hygiene Kit
To minimize the need for planning and organization when you have low energy, have a ready-to-use kit with essentials like:
Dry shampoo
Mouthwash
Deodorant
Face wipes
Experiment with different points in the day to find what works best for your energy levels and circadian rhythm.
Make It Enjoyable
If a lack of motivation occurs for you, add an element of fun. Add music, colourful products, or scented candles to make hygiene feel more like self-care and less like a chore.
Trying to engage in personal hygiene tasks when you feel overwhelmed may not yield success. Try to use grounding techniques like deep breathing, STOP, or TIPP methods before hygiene tasks.
Use Alternatives When Needed
Although washing with water and soap tends to be the best practice, it may not always fit your sensory needs. If showers are too much, use:
Wet wipes
Sink hair rinses
Warm washcloths
Dry shampoo
Remember: Something is better than nothing.
When motivation and memory wane, ask a friend or coach to help you stay on track. Even a virtual “get ready together” session can offer motivation.
Establish a Flexible Routine
Planning, time management, and organization when you are feeling overwhelmed can be a challenge. Plan hygiene tasks around your natural rhythms. For example, always brush your teeth after your morning coffee or always shower before bed.
Societal standards often overlook neurodivergent needs. If brushing twice daily isn’t sustainable, aim for once. If flossing is too hard, try mouthwash. Neurodiversity-affirming care values progress over perfection and doesn't seek to follow unrealistic norms.
Seek Accommodations at Work and School
If your hygiene struggles impact school or work, you may be eligible for accommodations under disability law. These could include:
Flexible dress codes
Extended breaks
You are not lazy or broken. Hygiene is harder when you're neurodivergent. Treat yourself like you would treat a friend and be kind to yourself as you experiment with strategies that work for you.
Seize the Moment
When you're having a good day and feel up to showering, do it. If a thought occurs to brush your teeth, act on it. Such moments of energy are difficult to come by and should be utilized.
A therapist can help you identify your strengths and overcome obstacles, making it easier to initiate, continue, and complete personal hygiene tasks.
Book a Free Consultation With Blue Sky Learning
Looking for support with executive dysfunction, ADHD hygiene struggles, or sensory processing difficulties? Blue Sky Learning offers neurodiversity-affirming therapy and coaching to help you build personalized hygiene routines.
Book a free 20-minute consultation with one of Blue Sky Learning's coaches or therapists by emailing hello@blueskylearning.ca or following the link below to begin creating a plan that fits your brain and your life.
Comments