Can anyone else “rock” themself to sleep?

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Over-Language2599@reddit

You can achieve the same effect by travelling around India on sleeper trains.

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bellatrixgeralt@reddit

I do this when I'm feeling sick and can't get to sleep! I also found that when I'm trying to sleep on a plane, the turbulence is really helpful which I wasn't expecting.

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I tend to rock myself to sleep by actually moving back and forth a few inches.. sometimes I just rock my legs in a short but perpetual motion. It bothers my partner from time to time so I’ve managed to isolate the motion to my feet or toes as I find it helps. I’m in my 40’s, not autistic or ADHD but I’m defo one of the easy distracted types.

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Turbulent_Ad_880@reddit

As a child I used to be able to go over better...I flew my bed.

I had to be in those moments between awake and asleep, where you're just barely aware of your real life surroundings. Though I'd never move in reality. In my head I could "steer" the bed by shifting my body weight, and fly it off into the stats of the night sky.

Note; thanks to the OP for "breaking the lock" on this memory. For decades I have not slept well because my brain gives me only bad dreams. I had completely forgotten I used to do this. Tonight I will see if I can recreate it; though I'm so full of serotonin and melatonin altering drugs (all legal, but still awful) it may no longer be possible.

Still...I will try.

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soozdreamz@reddit (OP)

I hope you succeed friend!

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abyssal-isopod86@reddit

This is an Autistic/ADHD thing.

My son started doing it as soon as he had control over himself as a baby.

I rock my hips side to side every so slightly and have done as far back as I can remember.

We are both autistic and ADHD.

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Relative-Tea3944@reddit

What op is describing isn't physically rocking, you wouldn't be able to see your kid doing it. It's in their head.

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abyssal-isopod86@reddit

I know, I did read the post, thank you.

It is still an autistic/ADHD thing.

Some of us do this because we have been locked, reprimanded, shamed and even abused for doing it physically, so we do it in our heads where we are safe to do so.

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Relative-Tea3944@reddit

Non autistic /ADHD people do it too :)

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abyssal-isopod86@reddit

I never said they didn't.

Everybody stims.

But autistic/ADHD people do it much more and in a wider variety of ways, also many of them share similar stims, such that they're are considered "classic" signs of being autistic/ADHD.

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huskydaisy@reddit

It's called Hypnagogic hallucination: experiencing visual, auditory or bodily hallucinations as you drift off to sleep. It's a really common thing but the hallucinations vary from person to person.

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MesoamericanMorrigan@reddit

This just sounds like using their imagination

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AnonymousRedditor39@reddit

Omg I thought only I did this!

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yourefunny@reddit

I guess I kind of can. I have an 18 month old and we cosleep. I rock him to sleep in bed in my arms each night and if I am even a bit tired I will start nodding off as well. Then once I have him asleep I clean up the kitchen etc and get in bed... Often taking ages to fall asleep even though I was almost asleep earlier. Tried kind of rocking myself sometimes and it seems to work a bit.

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Morazma@reddit

It obviously isn’t dangerous as I’m not 42

Careful everybody, don't try this if you're 42!

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asolarwhale@reddit

Not many people reach 42! years old to be fair so we can all relax

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soozdreamz@reddit (OP)

Oops! Missed that one!

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Lopsided_Snower@reddit

Sounds like stimming?

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Relative-Tea3944@reddit

Yes!!! I can do this, not all the time- I actually haven't tried for ages but I definitely used to be able to do it. I could imagine myself on a swing and feel the movements.

I can also sometimes imagine myself being massaged and feel that too. It's so nice. I love falling asleep.

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trippykitsy@reddit

no because it would be very noisy. i hold blahaj when i go to sleep. mostly i use him as a pillow.

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soozdreamz@reddit (OP)

There’s no noise because there’s no actual movement, I’m perfectly still it’s just a feeling that I’m creating with my brain.

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trippykitsy@reddit

oh ok. i try to go to sleep by imagining my favourite characters fighting. it actually takes all my concentration and makes me forget im afraid of sleep.

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ChemicalOld5047@reddit

My sister rocks herself to sleep by physically rocking herself swaying side to side curled up in a ball, shes 27. I kind of rock myself by shaking my foot and it kind of gives me a similar sensation.

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kettlejuices@reddit

I do something similar. I'll lay on my back and "move" my arms and legs in a wavy fashion. It's like sending the signals to my arms and legs that I want them to move, but not actually moving them. This way, I almost get the sensation that they're flailing about but they're really just still.

Not sure why this helps me sleep!

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HeyThereFancypants-@reddit

I do this! I've been doing it my whole life and can't fall asleep without rocking myself to sleep. I also have AuDHD.

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hazy0817@reddit

Yep and i start it by moving my eyes side to side in sync with my breath, then it feels like I'm swinging

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threeleggedcats@reddit

I make a weird self-soothing noise when I exhale trying to sleep. Like a dog having a dream.

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swallowyoursadness@reddit

I like to rub my feet together, apparently its called cricketing :-)

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RelationshipLife6739@reddit

Is this not basically just a simple form of meditation

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MermaidPigeon@reddit

Yes but it’s something I only picked up about two years ago and it doesn’t get to that rocking sensation every time. I am also diagnosed autism and adhd

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Psychological_Ad853@reddit

So the feeling is “behind” your eyes?

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lostglamour@reddit

For me it's a feeling that starts in my shoulders. There's no movement, it's just a sensation I can create by thinking about it.

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soozdreamz@reddit (OP)

I’m not sure what you mean except that my eyes need to be closed to make it happen. It’s more like I visualise myself rocking and start to feel as though I am.

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lilidragonfly@reddit

I can get a whole body spinning sensation while deeply relaxing, it sounds like it'd be unpleasant but I find it very soothing.

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Kid_Kimura@reddit

I have Ménière's disease and the thought of anyone finding a spinning sensation relaxing feels deeply unsettling to me!

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cup-of-tea-76@reddit

Two bottles of wine does that for me too

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CumGuzlinGutterSluts@reddit

Weaponized therapeutic vertigo

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spoo4brains@reddit

Rocking can be an autistic trait, I don't think many NT people would do it.

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FornyHucker22@reddit

I fell asleep once while a certain toy was rocking me back n forth in bed.

i shall leave it at that 👀

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