Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi. Following my diagnosis I’m doing lots of ‘autism and…’ searches on Google, though trying to ration the searches to a non-obsessional pace and largely succeeding so far. I have, after all, the rest of my life (however long that may be) to look into all the angles.
One thing I’ve always had is that I tire easily and need to nap a lot. And while I have had bouts of insomnia when going through especially tough times, falling asleep has generally happened after not terribly long most nights. Before the diagnosis I assumed that my introversion and overthinking brain were both big factors in this - inefficient batteries! I would have joked on occasion about being ‘narcoleptic’ even, not to make light of that condition - just an acknowledgment of my bagpuss/dormouse nature despite being a worrier. I guess I tire myself out by burning mental calories on exertion that others wouldn’t having the same thoughts. And/or I have a ton more complex ruminations about many things in the day than most NTs.
Anyway, so when I searched, today, for ‘autism and sleep’ I kind of expected to see me fitting in with a trend there. But it said that generally it’s the opposite: most autistic people get little sleep, wake for protracted periods in the night and so on. And now I’m worried that I’m somehow not typical enough, though perhaps worrying at all shows that I am! One thing I will say is that I’m fairly nocturnal. Living on my own as I do, it’s not uncommon for me to stay up well past midnight on a work night and at the weekends into the small hours, though usually with a half hour nap or two on the sofa being part of the night’s pattern.
can anyone reassure me that I’m not alone in being able to get a decent (ish) number of hours sleep each day -maybe six or seven-, even if not in the most conventional pattern each time? I know that I should bear in mind that figure 8 for diversity but I always find a little external validation from someone who says ‘me too’ most consoling.
I don't think there's one size fits all. Just as non autistic people have different sleep requirements so too do autistic people. Most nights I have no problem getting to sleep. I am a night owl and when off work fall into getting up late and going to bed late.
I do think extra processing and masking each day when in work for example makes me more tired. I tire easily.
embrace-autism.com/.../ some interesting info here
Also why worry about how typically untypical you are? I'm sure this will calm down soon as it seems your diagnosis was fairly recent. I too have periods where I doubt whether I am autistic. It's just a name for how your brain works it doesn't mean you have to be pigeonholed and I mean this in a kind way.
Hi out_of_step, thanks so much for taking the time to answer. And in a way that’s put my mind at rest. I’ve a lot of faith in my diagnosis but seen to be going through a reality-testing phase nonetheless. How you’ve described your own sleep pattern is exactly mine to a tee - that tendency to drift into being a night owl and sleeping in when off work for a while.or even at weekends (and some work nights!) in my case.
extra processing and masking is a great way of putting it. Just a couple of things that would occupy the thoughts of someone else for seconds can take up all the bandwidth in my brain for hours (more so the thoughts/feelings that spiral outward from the initial things themselves) , while I still have to focus on work tasks or whatever things I have to do on a day off, and before I know it I’m exhausted in a way that would confuse many I’m sure.
Thanks so much for the link - really interesting. In particular I’m reassured to see excessive somnolence on the list. And also things like being active before bed, having been sleepier beforehand. Shows that I fit in perfectly well. As you say, it’s not one average size fits all.