This time of year—filled with exciting events and changes—can also be a bit disruptive. Routines often shift due to seasonal activities, extended vacation breaks, and travel. Many of us are also in places where daylight hours are shorter, which can affect our overall sensory and emotional regulation. Establishing habits that support a consistent sensory regulation routine can make a big difference during this season. Floreo can be a healthy and supportive part of that routine.
Routines are helpful because they keep us on track with our healthy habits. What are the parts of your Learner's day where you can build a consistent routine? It might be the morning after waking up or at nighttime when preparing for bed. Perhaps it is associated with mealtime. It is easier to maintain new routines when they are tied to something you already do each day consistently. Building Floreo into your routine during the day (whether it is a few minutes in the aquarium to Find the Fish or creating a moving picture in Peaceful Painting) can help to maintain emotional regulation.
If we have strategies (such as using VR to either calm or alert) as part of our habit, it is easier both to maintain our regulation during the day or regain our sense of regulation when we really need it. What are the inconsistent times at which your Learners might need an opportunity to regulate their systems? Typically, these would be times when your routine is disrupted for a special activity, an unexpected visitor shows up, or you are in an unfamiliar environment for a few days because you are traveling. Help your Learners understand that the Floreo learning experiences can be a familiar, grounding space where they can decompress and regroup.
What are your Learner's needs at these times? For each of us, we have times when we may want to wind down and other times of day when we may want a bit more energy. Guided Meditation: Sitting in the Snowfall can help someone's personal "engine" cool down a bit, whereas a lesson such as Snowy Landscapes, where the Learner experiences movement, can be a bit more alerting.
Food for thought, if you are considering using VR around bedtime: For better quality sleep, many suggest that it is helpful to discontinue all screen time 30 to 60 minutes before the projected sleep time. If you plan to use Floreo in the evening, try using it at the beginning of the nighttime routine.
The Emotional Regulation skill category in the Floreo app is a good place to find lessons for your Learner's sensory diet. But it doesn't stop there. If your Learner has a preferred Floreo lesson (perhaps Chit-Chat with Alejandro is a favorite, or they love watching the kittens in Pets and Friends) those may be useful as emotional regulation lessons as well.
To really dive deep into a sensory diet, consider consulting with your friendly neighborhood occupational therapist, who can do a sensory assessment and explore the ins and outs of your Learner's sensory system.
For more on this topic, check out these previous blog posts:
Why Self-Talk is Important for Everyone (6/3/2025)
The Importance of Body Awareness for Emotional Regulation (10/30/2024)