Anxiety/Sensory issues Correlation with Sleep

Hi Everyone,

Is it just me or does a lack of sleep lead to greater sensory issues and anxiety throughout the day? I don't know if this is an anxiety thing or a me possibly being autistic thing. 

I have a lot of problems with visual and touch processing more so than my other senses. I've noticed that the less I sleep the worse it gets. But I also have the problem that I can't associate my anxiety purely with sensory things so while I'm on my journey to a diagnosis I'm constantly questioning myself as to whether my anxiety came first or the sensory issues came first. Though I think it's the sensory issues since I think I've always had them to the best of my knowledge (I can't wear this because of the tag, can't look straight ahead because of the sun, will only wear these jeans and I have five pairs of them, stop that its too loud, etc). But I've also had anxiety for a big part of my life so IDK. 

None of that is really the point anyway. Does sleep make it worse does anyone know? It's harder to handle things when I'm tired and I feel like the world is swirling around me and it makes me nauseous and I can't hear people and driving is hard because there's so much moving visual stimuli. 

And yeah, I'm tired so this post is a little wonky. Any help would be appreciated as to answering my questions.

Parents
  • I've always been a "light sleeper" and had trouble getting to sleep even when tired. I find it hard to get comfortable and have to have the perfect arrangement of pillows and blankets or it distracts me and keeps me awake, sometimes for hours. Recently I've realized this may be due to sensory issues. Do you all have any strategies to deal with this?

    Note: My situation is complicated by the fact that I sleep in a bed with my partner, so something like a weighted blanket is probably not a good [removed by mod] solution.

Reply
  • I've always been a "light sleeper" and had trouble getting to sleep even when tired. I find it hard to get comfortable and have to have the perfect arrangement of pillows and blankets or it distracts me and keeps me awake, sometimes for hours. Recently I've realized this may be due to sensory issues. Do you all have any strategies to deal with this?

    Note: My situation is complicated by the fact that I sleep in a bed with my partner, so something like a weighted blanket is probably not a good [removed by mod] solution.

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