Do you stim while trying to sleep?

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I assume this to be related to my whole "attention difficulties". I sleep on a futon, well for now, and when i lay there, i have to make sure that i am either right in the middle of the futon on an angle, or curled up into a ball as to not touch anything. If im laying there and either my hands or feet are in contact with anything, i will start tapping the bars incessantly. Also sometimes if there's nothing to reach, for example last night, i kept on "cutting" the light being flashed into my room. I saw a little reflection of light and i would block it with my hand, then lift it away, then block it again, in a cutting fashion.

Other times my mind goes into an endless loop phase, where either a song, or something i heard of tv, or even an event that took place, repeats itself in my mind to the point where i want to scream for it to stop. Usually on nights like these i end up turning the TV on, or putting some music on to drown it out.


I actually believe that i stim more while i am trying to sleep, either that or in my daily routines it just seems a little easier to ignore it.

I either have to stim, hold or be held.

If my wife is spooning me, or if I'm holding her in some way while lying on my back, or if I'm holding one of teh kids, I can go right to sleep.

If I'm facing my wife, I stim on her. Like, last night I kept annoying her by tracing the lines where the light from the hall fell on her back and shoulders.

If I'm by myself, or I just roll over and stop bugging her, i have to mentally "stim", though I never really thought of it as that till this thread.

For some reason, militaristic images really relax me. I like to think of fighter jets, or Decepticon jets, or of helicopters, or of Storm Troopers, or of Storm Shadow, or of Cobra Vipers, or of tanks (regular tanks or HISS) tanks. As I'm drifting into thought, I'll start whispering whatever it is, and I"m usually asleep in a few moments.

BUt I think you just gave me a big answer to my lifelong insomnia: I need to stim to sleep!

I always have to have a pillow on me, I also get thoughts that repeat endlessly. Also does anyone here have a set routine they have to do before they can even attempt to sleep? I have to do certain things before bedtime or else I have trouble sleeping, for example getting a drink of water, going to the bathroom and checking the fridge.

Sometimes, but not very often.

I shake / tap my feet most of the time I'm awake in bed. It drives my wife nuts, so I have to make a real effort to resist doing it, until she's asleep. If I don't foot-tap I'm not able to sleep easily - it seems to be a part of releasing built-up stress or energy.

yeh...gettin to sleep is a pain

Yeahh.. well, sort of.. last night i was trying to go to sleep and i kept on thinking way too much.. i kept getting anxieties and stuff for no reason just thinking of regular things.. it's easy to let it all go and sleep but i consider it a form of stimming.. just obsessive thinking, kind of like fidgeting with my mind..

Only when i am anxious about:

School issues
Girl issues

I have to have something to hug, or I just can't sleep comfortably...some nights (most nights) I wiggle my legs back and forth. It kind of bothers some of my friends ¬_¬

One weird thing, sleeping with a girl, I just can't do it the first night...I'm awake all night with my mind racing even more than usual Once I get comfortable with her, it's no problem...except for the fact that I fidget and roll around a lot ;D You never notice just how much you struggle to get comfortable until it's bothering more than just you.

Does rocking count?

I move my legs a lot and I don't have RLS so yeah..

Yes.