Keeping in Motion

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I found that I think and learn 1000x better when I'm in motion. If I'm listening to music, I will pace around the room to ignite my imagination. It works better if I'm walking to class at the university.
But it doesn't only mean walking. If I'm in a car, I think a lot better if I'm driving, since my body's still in motion operating the wheel and pedals, but it doesn't if I'm just a passenger.
Anybody else feel this?

Yes, on both counts. I pace quite a bit, particularly if I'm thinking about something I need to resolve. I also go on walks and drives to think about things. I particularly like driving for clearing my head of the emotional crud that has a tendency to build up.

There could be some science behind this. Maybe moving makes blood flow faster to your brain? Endorphins?

I usually zone out while sitting or walking. But I don't move around cuz of zoning out. I find walking works better for me than sitting.

if im pacing my fantasizing skills are greatly inhanced. i think thats why i walk so much

I need to be in constant motion, or I feel like I want to jump out of my skin. I stim nearly constantly to keep moving, usually leg bouncing (one or the other, or both). It drives a lot of people nuts.

My mom told me I used to stim as a fetus by kicking my foot rhythmically when she was pregnant with me.

Maybe you're a kinaesthetic learner. I am the opposite. I like to be still. I'm a visual learner.

Depends on the information and the way it is presented.

visual:
-factual information, I can lie still in bed for hours reading books like that, just moving my feet a bit or so (I think ...)
-emotionally charged information, the higher my emotional response, the more I need to move will taking in the information to deal with my tension

auditive:
-walking is the best (there's something about increased activity of the hippocampus during long fast-paced walks with which I explained that to me), but doing routine tasks also helps. without it my mind wanders off far far away

anyways, the information should be rather dense (challenging for my current knowledge level) to keep my attention.

I don't think I'm ever still. I can't read books unless I am pounding one of my legs up and down rhythmically! Some of it is tics though...

That is interesting. Now I think of it, I am the same. Well, I generally say that I'm not an auditory learner, because I do not take anything in from lectures. But I listen to lectures on my iPod when walking to work, and I always take it in then. But if I listen sitting down, I do not take it in. I have found too that if I am doing something with my hands, like crocheting or doodling, then I take auditory information - but lecturers don't like that, and they see it as disrespectful.

I believe I think better and learn more when I'm not in motion. When I'm pacing, for instance, I usually have to give the act of pacing my full attention; otherwise, I'll be bumping into things. And I have to give that full kind of attention to my driving as well.

As far as I know, nobody takes in information at the best rate when sitting down. It's just that some people manage to get 60% or 70% whereas others only get 10% or 20%.

When I still went to school, a lot of my teachers pretty much officially allowed me to draw in class. Once a class mate complained why she wasn't allowed to while wasn't told to stop it and the teacher dryily said "well, she is paying attention, and you aren't."
Talk to your lecturers and tell them that you, like many other people, learn a lot better when you have a mindless task to do awhile.
It has something to do with how information is prioritized and processed. Something here
I know they are talking about visual information, but I can't see why the same could not be true for auditory information.

Last edited by zombiecide on 22 Sep 2009, 1:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I was watching a program last night called Accidental Genius,and one of the people on it had AS. He's a savant like Rainman with calendars, and numbers. When they took an MRI of his brain while they asked him to do calculations just in his head while holding perfectly still they were surprised at what they saw. All sorts of areas of his brain were lighting up that normally shouldn't. One of the areas was the frontal region where motor, and movement is processed. It shouldn't have been lighting up, because he wasn't moving. My husband said "oh, is that why you're always in constant motion?" I stim most when I'm nervous, or concentrating. While I'm definitely not a savant, or genius, I'd imagine that it's quite possible that most autistic brains are wired in similar way.

I believe this is a sensory integration dysfunction issue. To be specific Proprioception :where you are in space and time. Some that are undersensitive in this area need to keep moving to get enough input to then concentrate. This is the reason for weighted vests, blankets. Also why some people always have to have something in their hand or are always touching objects as they walk. Not knowing direction left right, north south east west, upright upside down side ways. Having letter/number reversals when writting, not knowing what side to start from in when reading, writing, maths. This is also one theory behind hyperactivity.

I love cars and one of my favorite things to do is drive around listening to music. I zone out thoroughly and get a complete meditative experience out of it. I used to think of my own little mysticisms yin/yang, the power of opposition, Taoism, streetlights and the energy of all the cars moving in the same direction on the interstate. The cars moving in the opposite direction are just as intense. It creates quite a scenario of back and forth, more so than anyplace else in society. The opposing directions are interconnected through entrances, exits and overpasses. It's exciting that the interstate system transverses the entire country. It's transcontental.
Many dualities exist here. North/South, East/West, Light/Dark, Stop/Go, Smooth/Rough, Straight/Curves, Tractor Trailer/Compact Car, Entrance/Exit
I foolishly entertained myself by believing these dualities created such energy, the streetlights would go on and off because of them. I do know it's for other reasons, but it was fun to pretend.
Still, it's mind expanding to think of how many miles the interstate system compasses and how many times you can listen to one song driving from NYC to LA.
It's 2446 miles, more or less.