According to the latest studies, around 15 to 20% of the population can be classified as highly sensitive. That is almost one fifth of the population, which has to cope with environmental influences, sensory overload and a whole armada of additional information every day.

Many of those affected usually don't even know why everyday life is more difficult for them than for their fellow human beings, because all the details of their daily lives are perceived more strongly. This includes quite banal things like sounds or light reflections.

But they also have to process their own sensory stimuli more intensively and feelings such as sadness, anger, joy or compassion are many times more pronounced. The following 7 signs clearly indicate that you may also count yourself among the circle of highly sensitive people.

1. Sleep deprivation is a serious matter

Some people live by the motto, "I'll sleep when I'm dead. That's soon enough." Highly sensitive people, on the other hand, need their 8 hours of sleep a day as much as they need the air they breathe. Any disruption to this sleep routine leaves them feeling out of balance for days at a time. That sleep can neither be stockpiled nor made up for is something no one knows better than a highly sensitive person.

2. You feel constantly under observation

Unfortunately, highly sensitive people sometimes tend to infer from themselves to others. Since no detail escapes them and every person they meet is scanned and observed very closely within seconds, they also adopt this behavior in reverse.

They constantly feel as if they themselves are on an invisible platter. This makes it particularly hard and exhausting for them to be part of the public eye. They literally feel strangers' glances and can receive negative vibrations much more clearly than the rest of their environment.

3. Your mind is constantly busy analyzing your environment

Being observant subsequently leads to you not being able to turn off your thoughts as far as the people around you are concerned. You try to analyze their actions and deeds and draw logical conclusions from them. Nothing escapes your notice anyway, and then you add your own conclusions about your fellow human beings. So, of course, it will be difficult to switch off as long as you are in the company of other people.

In addition, you cannot share your numerous insights about your environment with others. What you can tell from your observations and experiences probably borders on clairvoyance for normal people. Of course, you would be right with your predictions. After all, you only draw logical conclusions from facts and do not invent this information. But nevertheless, it is a lonely existence to always be the first to know everything and to not be able to talk about it with anyone.

4. When you get hungry, others should take cover

One of the humorous aspects of being a highly sensitive person is the state of being Hangry. This made-up word, a mix of Hungry and Angry, was probably created by testimonials from fellow highly sensitive people who clearly felt this phenomenon. When highly sensitive people become hungry, there is a concrete need for action.

There is an estimated 20 minutes to either find something to eat, flee to the front, or take cover. Similar to sleeping, food intake for highly sensitive people has no room for negotiation. This is definitely a zero-tolerance zone.

5. You can rarely distance yourself from the feelings of others

Since you can perceive feelings more clearly than average, it is sometimes difficult for you to distinguish between "yours" and "mine". You literally suffer with others. Joy and happiness are not really that much of a problem. After all, we could all use more of that.

When the mood in a conversation threatens to tip, a conversation takes a decisive turn or people enter a room who are not welcome, highly sensitive people sense all these processes as strongly as if the temperature in the room were to change abruptly. The feelings of their fellow human beings are actually felt by them as strongly as if they were their own.

6. Saying no is extremely difficult

Empathy is a beautiful and precious gift that can certainly make our world a better place. For those blessed with it, however, it means additional responsibility and no small amount of extra effort. One of those side effects is saying "yes" when you really should and probably want to say "no". In contrast to less sensitive individuals, you can literally feel the rejection that comes your way when you say "no".

This abundance of negative energy, which your fellow human unconsciously releases in the process, is something you first have to learn to digest. The good news at this point: You can practice saying "no". Go ahead and get some free tips from the Internet and let yourself be coached. You probably only have this one life. Don't waste it trying to please others all the time. First and foremost, say "yes" to yourself.

7. Noisy environments cost you a lot of energy

Highly sensitive people suffer as soon as a flood of stimuli hits them. Noise is certainly the greatest challenge for them, since it clouds their thoughts and clouds their perception. For highly sensitive people, this state then feels like that of being drunk. They lose control of their situation and are no longer able to sort out and process their sensory input. In addition, noise also causes them enormous psychological stress and has a negative effect on their physical well-being.

It is not uncommon for them to still have poor hearing days after such events and to suffer from balance problems and headaches. Such exceptional situations demand almost superhuman endurance of them. If they are permanently exposed to noise, they are at risk of stress-related symptoms such as hearing loss, migraine or generalized pain that has no underlying physical cause.

Today's conclusion: Don't get bulled over

Mimosa, delicate plant, bundle of nerves or sensitive: These are just some of the unflattering attributes and prejudices that highly sensitive people have to contend with in the course of their lives. They are exhausted more quickly than others, need more and longer periods of regeneration, and have trouble dealing with many hectic stimuli at once.

Crowds and noisy environments are anathema to them, from which they often cannot recover for days. It's no wonder, then, that many sufferers tend to withdraw at some point and seek a life away from the hubbub and social challenges. If you recognize yourself here, don't worry, there's nothing wrong with you. You've just been endowed with particularly fine antennae, which you'll have to accept, but which you'll also be able to manage quite well over time.

Give yourself breaks when you need them and put self-care first in your life. You live your life many times more intensively than other people. This takes strength and energy. In return, a view of the world opens up to you that is not granted to many people. Try to regard this gift as a gift, even if it occasionally takes you to the limits of your endurance. One person who should know was the famous composer Richard Wagner. He once stated: This view beyond the world is the only one that understands the world. That's it for today.

Only Highly Sensitive People Understand These Crazy Things! You Too?