Stimming

Thank you. Makes me feel better to hear that.
I have always stimmed from childhood, but was forced to stop by a parent. As an adult I’ve bounced my leg, circled my ankles, rubbed my thighs hard while seated, the music hand thing, there’s a finger thing too lol, twirling and feeling the curls in my hair, biting the inside of my cheek and my lips, a thumb thing, wringing my hands etc etc,,,, of course, I never knew any were stims until I realised I was autistic and started analysing myself. The dancing realisation surprised  me, but my daughter says he knew it was a stim,!? I have a few I do at work as well, but no one notices, I hope! 

Hi, I dont dance much. I do if I have a lot of energy built up, but only when I'm alone. 

With regards to stimming, I constantly tense my muscles in my legs, arms, my shoulders, my back, or even wiggle my toes. I also click my ankles and fidget lots. If I am listening to music, sometimes i dance, sometimes I do this flexing/tensing thing. I've only recently realised that this could be considered stimming! I also bite my fingers and nails. I do stop when it hurts though. I dont really have any advice on how to stop but I just wanted to relate my experiences to you so that you're not alone.

Awh that's so sweet. And yes! I do a little happy dance thing lol it happens kind of randomly to me and I don't know I'm doing it at the time. It doesn't happen much but when it does I feel amazing like I'm super happy and on top the world.

I'm a bit of a pacer too. I potter about for hours at a time, ruminating, or listening to things to distract from same. I've come to realise that piano practice is a bit of a stim, and a constructive one too. Not that pacing isn't, it's all steps/movement, which I think is what our evolutionary blueprint demands of us in at the very least  least the most rudimentary of ways, which physical momentum somewhat satisfies. It's why an hour of telly after a day of light exercise feels was more comforttable than a couch potato day, where anxiety builds from the unearned inertia. 

I was drinking fluids

You know what, on the occasion I was shuffling all the songs in my phone! Typical! Next time I will make sure it’s just one of the playlists, thank you lol. 
I would never attend a class, but I used to do Zumba at home for years and years (until I got bored). 
I had already exercised that day too,   so it was too much.

When I used to run, I would always stim with hand movements to the tone of the music I was listening to - but only in private. If I was on the streets, my hands would always be in a fist, with my thumb tucked inside. I’m thinking back a few years now. I used to do all this before I knew I was autistic lol.

I hate that one,  because the results show. I really am ashamed of my hands and what I’ve done to them. But you know, I don’t realise I’m doing it most of the time,

I never knew it was a stim until yesterday lol.
Yeah, as I say, usually it’s fine. I just didn’t like not being in control and feeling so unwell at the end.  I wish I had of known I needed it. I never really know I’m stressed or anxious until too late because my body or mind doesn’t let me know. 

I love dancing! I used to used to use it as a form of emotional regulation when I was young, but less so now. 

Make sure that you have a bottle if water nearby. It could be you got dehydrated.

Maybe try a beginners zumba class, so that you've got a fixed amount of time to do it and the teacher will remind you to drink. If that much social I'd beyond you, maybe create yourself a playlist of a sensible length so that the music runs out before you get exhausting. You can gnash off with a couple if slower songs to help bring your heart rate back down.

If I ever get the chance, I would love to explore the potential relative of dance and stimming, maybe making up dances based on stims and expanding them so that it becomes a whole body experience. 

I do picking my nails and skin around until it bleeds when nervous/anxious/excited.

I do finger-flipping and body rocking, or tap my nails on sufaces rhytmically to stimulate myself.

I pace instead of dancing, once I start it doesn't even occur to me that I could stop until I am relaxed enough, after all that's the purpose of it. I can go on for hours. I used to do it a lot last year when I was stressed. I'm much better for few months now, and no need to pace anymore.

Sometimes I don't think these things consiously feel good but is more as case of we definitely feel bad if we don't do them. If someone told me to stop rubbing my fingers together I would just end up rocking back and forward without realising for a while instead because that nervous energy has to go somewhere. So if dancing is your outlet or one of them then I don't see why you should stop as long as it doesn't cause you a problem.