Hey,
I couldn't find any topic dedicated to the bedtime rituals autistic adults have developed, so I made this one.
I live on my own so I really need rituals to deal with the day. I've got this morning ritual to start the day, a ritual of going through the daily motions, and -most importantly- one for getting to sleep.
I have always struggled with getting to sleep very badly, so I would like to share rituals and see if we might be able to learn something from each other!
My ritual:
around one and a half hours before I want to sleep I start by turning off all the lights/closing all curtains and blinds.
I turn on my electric blanket to pre-warm the bed, as I cannot stand getting in when it's cold.
Then I take my Seroquel as directed (it has no direct effect on sleepiness at all in me, it's just upkeep once every 24 hrs against angst).
Next it's water the plant and give the cat two scoops of food.
Then I prepare a light snack in three parts, which I eat at the PC.
Checking the bolts on the doors, putting my phone into 'airplane mode'.
Triple check the alarm clock if I need to be someplace the next day.
The most important part is I change my MP3 playlist from "Rated 5 stars" to "Evening Chill", meaning softer, low tempo music (often instrumental).
I read on websites (like this one and cracked.com, which has many fascinating lists with facts and humor) to pass the time and calm down.
Eventually I drink a few sips of vodka. I've always hated alcohol, but it's the only way to not lie awake for many hours...
Then brushing my teeth whilst browsing websites.
I write down what time I go to bed in an Excel file, where I also write my weight, BMI, waist circumference, emotions experienced (scale of 1-10 for Sad, Happy, Angry, Scared and Energy).
In the morning I'll write in the file how long I slept and how long I laid in bed.
I end it off with watching a funny video or two I have accumulated via downloading from youtube...
Then I turn the electric blanket off, put my earplugs in and fall asleep at last.
Some notes:
I used to be able to do this ritual in under an hour, but like with most rituals it seems to expand ever so slowly all the time...
I recently realized something important:
When I get really nervous (in this case I just couldn't commit to watching a film or tv series, because I was scared it would not be that much fun after all, or that some other film or activity would be more fun) I suddenly flee from the situation by starting this ritual and going to bed an hour early...
Advice from my therapist: Don't let the ritual get twice as long, because before you know it you'll "need" those two hours instead of one each night!
_________________
Empathy quotient: 14
Your Aspie score: 185 of 200
Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 14 of 200
The Broad Autism Phenotype Test: You scored 132 aloof, 126 rigid and 132 pragmatic. IQ: 139. AQ: 45/50
Last edited by Kenjitsuka on 19 Jul 2012, 2:06 pm, edited 3 times in total.