Rythmic movement disorder/Rocking yourself to sleep

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ravenloft68
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25 Jul 2013, 10:42 am

When I was a kid, up until about 7 years old, I would lay on my back and swing my head side to side like a metronome in order to fall asleep. My mother would tell people I was "Rocking myself to sleep". I was also Hyperactive but both of these disappeared as I grew a little older. I've always wondered if it was autism related. Did anyone else do this?


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25 Jul 2013, 11:55 am

Sometimes I rock back and forth at night when I should be sleeping, but it just keeps me awake. I don't see how someone could fall asleep while moving.



Oculus
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25 Jul 2013, 11:11 pm

Sometimes I sleep on a rough terrycloth cotton towel for the tactile stimulation. I keep one next to the bed for nights when I can't sleep without it.

I've often wondered if that was a known thing, or just my own peculiarity. Does anyone else do it?

It's also handy for throwing over my face when the night air gets too dry. It traps my breath's humidity and keeps my throat from drying out.



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26 Jul 2013, 1:20 am

I do the head-nodding thing sometimes while laying in bed, but more frequently I rotate my legs while I try to get to sleep. The sound of my feet rubbing the sheets drove my brother slightly nuts when we shared a bedroom.



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26 Jul 2013, 2:29 pm

I sometimes sort of rock back and forth on my sides in my bed when I'm really, really tired and want to sleep, but can't.


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27 Jul 2013, 2:03 pm

I love being rocked to sleep like on a boat.



MjrMajorMajor
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27 Jul 2013, 2:23 pm

Sometimes, but I always rub my feet together. I don't even notice when I'm doing it anymore.



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27 Jul 2013, 4:03 pm

MjrMajorMajor wrote:
Sometimes, but I always rub my feet together. I don't even notice when I'm doing it anymore.
Cool! I rub my feet together too. I did not know other people liked to do that. It is very relaxing for me and I love it and do it almost every night in bed.



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27 Jul 2013, 8:04 pm

skibum wrote:
I love being rocked to sleep like on a boat.

I had an experience like that on a cruise. I found the natural rocking and swaying of the ship unbelievably soothing. The movement was rhythmic but non-repetitive, which is exactly what made it as soothing as it was. Being rocked to sleep by the ocean made me feel very cared for and relaxed. Kind of like: "hmm... maybe life/god/universe doesn't want me to be miserable after all, if it's rocking me to sleep like that"

No matter how hectic the day was, no matter now wound up I was from staying up late dancing, I feel asleep very quickly. Also, since my cabin was located close to the waterline, I could even hear the waves splash against the hull. While it takes me about 30 minutes to fall asleep on a good day, on the ship, it took me only 5 minutes. Unfortunately, I could never replicate that relaxation on land.



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27 Jul 2013, 8:55 pm

I twist my hands and wriggle around. It feels really good when you swaddle yourself in a blanket.


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LtlPinkCoupe
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27 Jul 2013, 9:59 pm

BeggingTurtle wrote:
I twist my hands and wriggle around. It feels really good when you swaddle yourself in a blanket.


I love swaddling myself in my soft Cars blanket. My Cars one is getting sort of worn, though (I've had it for 5 years and wash it regularly to keep it sanitary, since I cry/drool on it sometimes) so when I crave something very soft, I turn to the really soft, fluffy pink blanket I got for my birthday this year. :D


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28 Jul 2013, 12:51 pm

Aspie1 wrote:
skibum wrote:
I love being rocked to sleep like on a boat.

I had an experience like that on a cruise. I found the natural rocking and swaying of the ship unbelievably soothing. The movement was rhythmic but non-repetitive, which is exactly what made it as soothing as it was. Being rocked to sleep by the ocean made me feel very cared for and relaxed. Kind of like: "hmm... maybe life/god/universe doesn't want me to be miserable after all, if it's rocking me to sleep like that"

No matter how hectic the day was, no matter now wound up I was from staying up late dancing, I feel asleep very quickly. Also, since my cabin was located close to the waterline, I could even hear the waves splash against the hull. While it takes me about 30 minutes to fall asleep on a good day, on the ship, it took me only 5 minutes. Unfortunately, I could never replicate that relaxation on land.

That is so awesome. It's like nothing else I can even imagine. Heaven!



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28 Jul 2013, 12:52 pm

BeggingTurtle wrote:
I twist my hands and wriggle around. It feels really good when you swaddle yourself in a blanket.
Sometimes I wriggle around too like an infant. It feels really good.