Managing Autistic Burnout: How to use data to design a burnout free life

[@ivtec4fun55]

As a child, I always had to be sat down to rest or nap, otherwise I would run myself into the ground. I'm learning that I still have this problem today at 33 years old. I've called it "Eternal Exhaustion" for many years now, it's very life stealing and feeds depression. I sleep 8 hours on average, not to mention my brain thinks a lot and cooks itself all day, sometimes just thinking in circles. Hours, days, weeks later, I'm still cooking myself and tired. Even thinking about doing things is exhausting, I would "LOL" but it's actually not funny, it is not fun living with these types of involuntary things, constantly re-directing to stay on track. Ugh.

[@BonnieDragonKat]

My bio mom had to give me Benadryl to make me sleep as a child. I was lucky if I got 4 hours of sleep.

[@mdj-ie7rj]

@@BonnieDragonKat 😢 my son takes 500 mg lemon balm and 200 mg theanine which helps a great deal

[@BetheChange80]

Thinking in circles-Tell me about it ...and thinking again on thise lines after a few days. Physical snap out using sounds or music sometimes helps and 30 minutes power nap every 4 hours during the day works wonders.

[@QuantumCairo]

I'm the same age and this is nearly exactly me...the only difference is I only get 5 - 6 hours of sleep at night. I'm literally starting to fall apart over here 🙄

[@ivtec4fun55]

@@BetheChange80 Agree, external forces are sometimes the only thing strong enough to break the loops. I have to detach from it like I'm not myself, then I'm back eventually.

[@sixbirdsinatrenchcoat]

I used a fitbit to track my sleep a while back because I knew I wasn’t getting the rest I needed despite sleeping 9 or 10 hours a night. My husband wore his to sleep as well for a few weeks. His data showed about 6-8 “spikes” of activity a night - turning over, moving around. According to what I could find out, this is normal. If he felt like it had been an unrestful night, inevitably it would show 10, 12, 15 spikes. I had 60-70 spikes. Every. Night.

[@tessav4487]

Im a lifelong runner who just figured out they are Autistic and have found HRV data in the last 6 months and its SO SO HELPFUL!! Another interesting tip for people who menstruate is that it correlates with our cycle and can also give me a good read on that. Ive found that matching my HRV with how I feel and it generally backs it up and does help me realize my body is telling me something its not just 'in my head'. I love that you shared this! Thank you!

[@eleanorwillow9671]

I feel the same way about alcohol. I will be giggly for a while, but then I get so irritable. And withe the cost and calories, it's just not worth it. I like what you say about the "shoulds." I'm so tired of society saying that I should be fine after X, Y, or Z. Thanks for sharing!

[@henryclamore4791]

I've been going through horrific burnout due to 2021 and 2022 being the absolute worst years of my life by far. I started a full-time job, held it for only one month then quit suddenly. I am extremely fortunate to be in a position where I can have time off for an extended period of time. So many of us have ZERO choice but to push ourselves past the point of burnout and beyond, either that or homelessness. I know that I will be put in that position before long, I hope I can sort something out before then but I don't have much hope.

[@siyasethi]

Im in a horrible horrible burnout too. Are you getting better? I totally lost any ability to speak verbally, my sensory symptoms are through the roof . processing information is extremely hard . How do we get through this ? Its not just exhaustion and fatigue like most people think it is .

[@henryclamore4791]

@@siyasethi Hi, I'm getting a little better but I am still unable to work and just having to lie to everyone about it. I did get a job and lasted three days and it was beyond horrible. I'm not sure how I get through this. I'm afraid to remain unemployed, but I am more afraid of rushing my recovery.

[@kariannefimland1475]

"getting back to baseline" . that hit me hard. yes. when the "normal" = exhausted, poor sleep and so on.... it is easy to forget what actual normal is. working on getting back to baseline now. (just never had the words to describe it properly). And yes, data helps a lot. I personally have a Fitbit. :)

[@terencemeikle534]

My burnouts have unfortunately tended to coincide with major milestones where I really needed to be on top of my game. Sometimes, I've been effectively catatonic through burnout.

[@hazelheywood4551]

This is me, right now, and I'm really struggling to be present without melting down .... any suggestions or tips?

[@caseykaufman5737]

Hi Paul, I love your videos. I am autistic and also use Whoop to measure my recovery and burnout. Have you noticed, though, that among Whoop’s public teams by demographic is a team for “Parents and Families of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder” but there is not a public team for Autistic people? I have written to them multiple times to ask about making a new team for Autistic people, but my efforts have been unsuccessful. I did create a private group and one other Autistic person joined after I posted about it on a Facebook group for Whoop users, but Whoop has so far refused to create a new team for Autistic people alongside their existing list of teams by demographic which includes the public team for “Parents and Families of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.”

[@caseykaufman5737]

Update: I called Whoop again this morning to relay this feedback. I see they now have a public team for Epilepsy, so hopefully a new public team for Autistic people will be added in the near future.

[@risingphoenix7769]

​@@caseykaufman5737 Updates please!

[@enerom]

Any update on this? I made a team called Autistic (COMM-9899E9) but its just me in there at the moment, I'm a Data scientist and really really really need more info other than my own... I've been having luck with integrating the physiological data with other lagging indicators (my spotify music selection is infallible at correlating with instances of non verbalness but its fucking two years of burnout later before I can do anything about it.... I got the whoop when it first came out and still at that time "didnt know what happens to me" every once in a while when i "lose my words...." starting meticulously tracking my personal data... super dissapointed its just autism and not invisble ninjas that ive been fighting this whole time..... anyways ya thanks, a strongly worded email isnt in my wheelhouse let alone a phone call and waiting on hold.... so ya thanks man appreciate it

[@jimwilliams3816]

I do love data, and for once I actually want a gadget. I am a little worried exactly what it might tell me, especially about sleep and (lack of) exercise. But the empirical confirmation would be helpful, and there's the potential to pattern match my way into some new understandings of what the heck is going wrong with me. Pre-COVID, I definitely did the 'tired is normal' thing in my job and life. 2019 was hell and just wore me out. I'm trying not to do that now, and in fact I just can't anymore. My deal with interoception is much like my deal with emotions, and alexithymia: I can feel stuff going on more than I would like a lot of the time, at least my brain and CNS. What I struggle with is understanding what it is I'm feeling, and what it means. Kind of like watching a movie in a language I don't speak with no subtitles. The watch might help with that.

[@spiicyliime22]

I forget where I heard this, but good advice for one's self is: "Stop should-ing all over yourself."

[@jimwilliams3816]

That’s a good one! Yes, if you keep it up too long your life can turn into a ShouldFest. I can attest to that.

[@heathermalone]

"If I forget about the 'shoulds,' and I simply look at how I feel, then sometimes it's really clear..." - yes!! 💛 Paul, this is so interesting, thankyou for sharing. Also trying to find my own healthy rhythms at the moment. I feel like I'm getting there, but there's definitely something about having the data set out right in front of you, rather than all in your head. It's interesting that how you felt did often correlate with the device. Modern technology and me don't typically get on 😅 but I'm going to have a look at it.. On a broader note, I think since the pandemic and more people working from home, there seems to be a general movement towards flexible working, and no more typical 9-5 schedules.. The trouble is how to bridge that gap between having your routine set for you and going on autopilot (despite it being exhausting and sometimes unproductive), and having to think consciously about every single little task in creating your own routine, especially when you're not self-aware enough to know what actually gives and takes your energy, or you have a lot of conflicting activities and no obvious means of prioritising.. How not to crash, by too much force, or too much freedom? This feels like a step in the right direction. I feel like autistic people can maybe be pioneers sometimes. Take care of yourself.

[@yvonne3903]

I have the same problem with lupus, knowing what level my fatigue is and how well my brain is functioning and how badly my feet are swollen etc. I wonder if it's my autistic tendency as well as it being my normal. Covid helped me quantify my fatigue levels, I was given a set of rules for mask wearing eg sanitise hands before touching mask, remove mask, re-sanitise hands, do whatever, sanitise hands, put on mask, re-sanitise hands. I can manage this routine for about 2 hours and then I lose it, get everything wrong. That's when I realised my non- fatigue period at best, so if I'm not at my best I don't go out.

[@K123-yg2sn]

This is exactly what has happened to me. I just had a chat with my Psych that my charge5 readiness score seems to understand how I'm feeling more than I do, and somehow gives me permission to take it easy, rather than always doing what I think I 'should' be doing...... feeling a little better for it, and it doesn't let me jump into too much too soon.

[@jliller]

I feel like I'm permanently on the knife's edge of burnout because for me there is no such thing as a rest day. If I'm not physically or mentally active is torturous, not relaxing. Any day without clear purpose and plans I feel listless and lethargic. (I have ASD and iADHD.) I've never owned a smartwatch. The tracking data sounds interesting, but I'm reluctant to get one because I haven't worn a watch of any kind in 20+ years. I doubt I could sleep comfortably wearing one.

[@madimikayla1704]

huh, as much as the idea of resting when I'm tired sounds nice, I feel like I would be severely limiting what I could accomplish in the world. I can't imagine supporting myself and achieving my goals like that. so I'm going to keep on pushing myself and feeling burnt out.

[@ruthhorowitz7625]

Be careful with that. You don't want to hit the kind of burnout I hit a year ago. Still not recovered.

[@Pph0n1x]

i'm always wishing that i could have a hidden day in-between days, or a day every week called "noneday" where i can just reset

[@breannawenke7168]

Not sure if this is how it works for anyone else, but when I don’t do something productive then the next day I feel really groggy and tired and just burnt out! If I don’t finish my work, or I didn’t brush my teeth at least once, or didn’t do the dishes or make my bed, I feel the most tired. It’s kind of confusing, but the more productive stuff I do, the more healthier and LESS BURNT OUT I feel. That’s why it’s confusing, since the more O do, the less tired I feel. Anyone else?

[@elainecheetham2312]

I just rest when I need to and refuse to feel guilty. I allow my children to stay off school when they need to, to recover. The school do try and pressure me to send my children because they think that there is something wrong if they need time off just to rest and think I should send them in to build resilience. Apparently only doctors can tell me if this is correct or not apart from me not even knowing the name of my doctor and there being no consistency of any doctor you would see if you got an appointment. We are all extremely resilient because we listen to how our bodies and minds feel and if we feel exhausted, tearful or sad we stop to prevent burnout, overwhelm or feeling depressed. It is societies unrealistic expectations and trying to conform that has made us ill in the past. We are all successful and thriving but that is due to a high level of self belief and acceptance that who we are is enough and that we are capable of keeping ourselves healthy and functioning if we take breaks whenever necessary. Our achievement levels are high and we can learn things in short periods of time when we are well. I'm convinced children are bored and exhausted at school and that's from constantly repeating the same topics over and over again for years in a boring mannar. The education system and environment makes most people seem mentally ill because its not fit for purpose. Time for change!!

[@DevonExplorer]

Brilliantly put, Elaine. I absolutely agree. As Temple Grandin says in her lectures, children should be encouraged to do more of the things that interest them and that they're good at, and not be forced into the regimented school system. There's a school in England called Summerhill School that does this, and in which the children can choose their own timetables, and it works incredibly well, producing children who have a love of learning and many go on to have successful careers. They have a similar system in Norway, in which children are only expected to attend school two and a half days a week. They found that family time and time with hobbies and interests do more to foster the love of learning than forcing them to be at school all day every week day in term time. Sorry to go on; you'll have to stop me, lol. :)

[@nukelewman]

Hey man just found this channel and wanted to reach out with my appreciation! I am currently going through the "oh wow I think I'm like actually autistic frfr" and I really enjoy these videos. I had always been questioning why I was different, weird, all that good shit for years. When things really kicked off was when I began my studies on society, dialectical materialism, marxism, and what it really means to be a human in a social collective. This gave me the ability to understand myself on a much deeper level, understanding my personal development, and specifically in relation to autism, the development of my mask and coping skills. I always rejected having a mask, because I didn't really understand what that mean. But it makes so much sense why I am the way I am NOW, when looking at how I coped with my undiagnosed autism/adhd. My father is also undiagnosed and continuously refuses to accept that he or his three sons might not be completely neurotypical 😂. Anyway rant done, your videos are helping me realize all this. Thanks!

[@yenny1894]

You make lots of videos it's not easy. You have to come up with the content over a period of time. Amazing stuff you do.

[@brandanhoggan]

I wish there was a way to do it without having something on my body. Hate the way a watch feels unfortunately

[@stephjonestherapyandcoching]

This is so cool Paul and really validating to have data to back up the experience. This year I'm limiting myself to a few hours work a week after years of overwork and chronic burnout. It's interesting how guilty I feel for going against the conditioning we've all been raised with but I won't be of use to anyone depleted beyond recognition. Thanks for a great video 😊

[@marketingpower]

0:16 Oh my God I LOVE that you don't use any weird woosh and shoosh sound for your logo, I hate those intro impredictable sounds so much! Love this peaceful intro 😍 now let's got with the video lol

[@riss3927]

The most helpful thing I've done is making a daily nourishing herbal infusion (which is one oz dried nourishing herb per 1 quart/litre of boiling water steeped for 4-8 hours or overnight, then strained/squeezed out--daily rotating herbs like nettles, red clover blossom, raspberry leaf, oatstraw, comfrey leaf, linden flower)

[@Call-me-Al]

Be careful, taking the wrong herbs can negatively impact your life. For instance if you consume cinnamon daily you can mess up your liver. Too much fenugreek is bad for people with hypothyroidism. People who take bloody thinning medication need to avoid stuff like for instance garlic.

[@Playburger1337]

To all fellow autists and other burnout victims as well: keep on going, find new ways, reach out, understand yourself better and better to live a good life.

[@tineputzeys]

Yes, data is fun and I love tracking all kinds of things. It helps me create better habits. But it does make me sad that we need some kind of device to give us permission to accept when we feel like cr*p. As if it's not real unless the machine tells us it's real. But in any case, if it works it works.

[@Worrelpa]

I have been tracking my data since the beginning of the year. Bought a smart watch that goes with my phone. My sleep patterns are all over the place. I now feel at least that if I go to my doctor about anything I have some data evidence to back it up. Though I would say it's not something to get obsessed a out about. It is great to know more about our health. Also what we can do about it. I recommend it to know more. Amazing the options available.

[@SuperUberDae]

We live in a world of 'shoulds' and those messages haunt me every day. I love the idea of the data giving you 'permission' to do what your body was already telling you. For me, I very often don't know what my body is telling me (or more likely am ignoring it because 'everyone feels that way' so I've got to just push through). I have to remind myself that it doesn't matter what everyone else is doing, saying, or feeling, that I'm running my own race. I don't need permission to give my body what it needs and I don't need other people to agree with me about it either.

[@danielabbey7726]

My burnout is utter exhaustion from "sleep procrastination" during the week, when I stay up way too late searching social media. Five days getting 4-5 hours of sleep is no fun, simply because my brain won't shut off at night.

[@AndersmitLizenz]

Last time i had a smartwatch on, i got a panicattack because i was seeing my pulse go up without knowing why ... i dont wear it since then

[@camlin4147]

Over the last few weeks, I've noticed an interesting trend with my inertia. On Friday evening, I feel like I could keep working another two days or so and still feel fine. But come Monday morning, I feel like I could really use another two days off. (And that's after a highly unproductive weekend of rest and TV and whatnot.)

[@tiana5395]

I am very happy to hear that you're going to be getting some time to refresh. Likewise, I love that you have the opportunity to also incorporate your data into it.

[@FoxHowton]

I've been using my Garmin Instint's Body Battery to manage my burnout -- I was nodding my head furiously when you mentioned "the Friday exhaustion feeling on Monday morning at 10am" -- and that correlates very well with what the wearable data is telling me, when I feel that way. Very very affirming to know I am not being lazy, or difficult, I am burnt out to a crisp. Unfortunately my work week is not negotiable at the moment, so I try to Sleep as Much As I physically Can. Every chance I have. No social life or sports at all (used to be an avid hiker and runner, up to getting covid -- the fatigue just ... do ... not... lift!) now, but at least I dont feel like Roadkill trying to force myself to expend more energy than I can spare. And I can enjoy doing quieter stuff at home... picked up woodcarving over the Pandemic, and it helps.

[@BonnieDragonKat]

My roommate let me use her Fit bit and it's an eye opener. I am constantly tired. Turns out I am a light sleeper who gets on the average of 45 to 2 hours of REM sleep on average. (Sleep is anywhere from 4 to 10 hours.) My daughter is Autistic and says I should get tested. (I also have Cerebral Palsey and have been told there is a link between the two.)

[@redswap]

Because of some specific sensory hypersensitivity issues (related to touch), I feel it very uncomfortable to wear a mask or a bracelet/watch. I do have a smart watch, but I'm not using it because in the night it prevents me from falling asleep and during the day it adds to the already existing cognitive load. So I just don't use it.

[@RubberTag]

I have SUCH a hard time to not push myself. To slow down yourself before a breakdown is so hard. I do not know really why. There is something called "pacing" in ME.

[@slorglord]

Can you explain more about what factors are tracked for the recovery score and maybe recommend some devices for a variety of budgets? I feel like this would be a great tool to get in touch with my needs but I'm unsure where to start. Hearing your experience is helpful but I don't feel like the question "how do you measure burnout" was truly answered here. I would love more specifics!

[@gillesholvoet2505]

Same! Looking for an alternative that's not linked to a subscription.

[@ScottJohnson-tk7ql]

I'm deeply burned out. Sensory sensitivtu through the roof. It takes minutes to complete the thought "Now I need to ..." when moving from one room to another, and I cannot stand to look up and around my environment. It's hard to talk and walk as well. Thanks for the video :)

[@fibs9125]

I might get this device too! I also feel like I'm not fully rested almost all the time. I've been struggling with burnouts my whole life and I'm only in my early 30ies. But I still push myself to do more exhausting things. I'm hoping, that it would help me to allow myself to rest, like it does for you.

[@Zeminix]

I just want to say that your content is incredibly informative and validating. I really appreciate your channel and the work you put into the stuff you make.

[@DeniseSkidmore]

I have chronic pain issues. An activity tracker is important to help me differentiate between a flare and normal post workout soreness and take the appropriate recovery actions.

[@tiegrsidesignsandstudio4794]

How to you "treat" burnout if you CAN'T take a single day off, let alone several? As a single mother, I've been struggling with burnout for 3 years now and I still haven't been able to fully recover, because I literally can't take a day off from motherhood...and honestly I feel like I need at least a month off! Sometimes I wish I could just run away for a while. :(

[@carolphillips6050]

I have been a single mum of 3 for years. Only recent diagnosis of ASD. Top tip. Do the one thing that is getting on your nerves. Doing that one thing will make you feel better (amongst caring for your children). I hope this helps x

[@_Louise__]

Great video, thank you and hope you're enjoying the Camino! Five years ago I collected HRV data from over 500 people and built AI that can measure stress, anxiety and depression from HRV data, as an early stage feasibility study. And later to predict onset of colds. So much can be done with this data, frustrating how making this kind of information available to the general public is taking so long. Also wanted to say I took a tryptophan supplement recently and the next day woke up in astonishment, thinking oh wow, this is how awake other people feel every day. The difference was staggering. Not keen on taking it every day long term but planning on using it as a bit of a reset, perhaps once a week or for days when I need to be performing well

[@mikafoxx2717]

This is so useful. I noticed that pattern on my garmin, a stress score rising steadily over the week and going back down on the weekend. Also noticed that even a glass of beer with lunch will prevent me from recovering for the next day. Which is good for health, but worse for socializing as traits of aspergers go a little less judged when alcohol is involved.

[@moonpearl4736]

I'm having an awful problem dealing with a woman who chides me for attempting to set boundaries with her, ms. perfect, who can never do wrong and has all rights to stomp all over me. I had a meltdown today after yet another incidence of this. Sheesh. Do NT people deal better with folks like this? And do NT people know how to focus on their own tasks while beeing constantly interrupted by folks like this?

[@mdj-ie7rj]

No. People like that drive me crazy-! And I will do whatever it takes to avoid them 😵‍💫

[@Dietconsulting]

If it's an intimate relationship it's time to get out of there. If it's family then you need to have consequences for boundaries. Next time you set a boundary include a consequence. "If you don't respect this I will do Y, "(leave, hang up the phone etc.) and follow through with it.

[@athomeys]

The watch seems so cool, I'm 15 struggling with burnout atm and it's a shame I'm not able to afford anything like this to help but hopefully when I'm older I can get one, for now I don't really know how to fix the burnout i suppose but hopefully it doesn't last too long haha, thx for the vid

[@sixthsenseamelia4695]

🌱🌏💚 Thank you Paul and community. I appreciate you all so much.

[@mdj-ie7rj]

Best wishes with your 4 month venture!

[@pawekurdys3375]

Over the years I could never find any marker that would show why I feel so crappy. Than I discovered Whoop and it's data seems to be on point. Finally I know I wasn't imagining it.😊

[@Vantorea]

I imagine a tracker like that would really help with the whole not beliving yourself and needing an expert or a authority figure to tell you what you really should do. (There's another should right there...)

[@charliec2960]

ASD here and LOVE my Whoop. For all your reasons. 🙏🏻

[@sillysoul3663]

Thank you for the referral code! Tracking back I have struggled with burnout, or total overwhelm that I've called it, from a very early age and I'm still very poor at recognizing the signs. I am still new to learning about autism and the part where you mentioned hyposensitivity to interoception is potentially a thing that could explain many of the struggles I keep having. So I am giving the Whoop a try in hopes of feeling less of "I don't know" throughout the day! My biggest fear though is that I'm already near 100% (though I feel like I've been between 0-20% for a very long time now that I've had time to think) and in reality I'm just really really lazy, but let's hope the data doesn't show me that!

[@monaami555]

I have thought of it but felt guilty about buying another gimmick. I'm buying it now. I had exactly same experience with another device that measures the digestive issues. Exactly same findings. Tuning your "shoulds" to match the reality. It also helped me to feel more accurately.

[@scruffy-thejanitor]

What device did you use to track digestive issues?

[@monaami555]

Food marble

[@ethylg7572]

I keep coming back to this video. I love the idea and think it would be immensely helpful to me. But I keep getting bogged down with research and trying to decide which to choose with my limited budget. I would be very interested in a follow up about how it has been for you since and/or if you have had any new thoughts on the subject.

[@NickCombs]

The numbness of depression can also make it harder to identify the signs of burnout. My plan to prevent burnout this past year has been to split up the work week by taking half of every Wednesday off. This was good enough for me because I wasn't using any DTO even though it was encouraged because that would be a break in routine. But now it's part of the routine. If you think about how a full work week feels, it's knowing how long five days is and being stuck in the middle that sucks the most for me. Now instead of it feeling like M-T-W-R-F-break, it feels more like M-T-F/break-M-F-break. So if that sounds good, see if your manager would approve. Still, it's not a foolproof plan. It's Spring now, but we've been getting hail for weeks, so it's been tough to justify going out to enjoy any nature walks/biking. That and the DST jump have made me start to notice burnout creeping in, but I suspect it's been in the background for a while now.

[@theoldaccountthatiusedtous6767]

I hope you have a good time on the camino! This is the second time in the past couple of weeks that I've seen someone's device that measures HRV... and thinking it might help me get more in touch with, and help me validate, my feelings. I would really appreciate having some data to back up my subjective experience... not to defend it to other people, but to my own second-guessing. Oh and the correlations to other things... that could be super useful. EDIT: I bought an app that uses my iphone camera to measure HRV (I'm not sure how that works or how precise it is, but I'm curious to see what it tells me). it's called HRV 4 training

[@Grey_Warden_Invasion]

I always need at least a week off before it really starts to sink in that I have a vacation. Also been having this for months now that I constantly feel completely exhausted and that I must be close to my limits, but then I still keep on pushing because my limits are apparently as stretchy as a rubber band.

[@jelliemish]

Might be an idea for me to get one of these, I find knowing how much energy I have really difficult.

[@Anna-yl2lp]

Oooh that's so interesting! I always hated smart watches for some reason (I guess yours isn't technically a smart watch), I found them a bit silly and maybe I was biased because of my love for mechanical stuff rather than thecnology, but this is actually very intriguing, even just to prove that I am actually tired and that it's not in my head (or not, who knows haha)

[@dicta2974]

I can relate so much to this. Thank you for your input. I can understand so much more about myself and the world around.

[@autismfromtheInside]

Lots of people have been asking me about specific type of my device so I'm putting the details here. It's called Whoop 4.0. This video was not sponsored, however they do have a 'refer a friend' program, which means if you want to try the same device and sign up using my link we each get a free month. My 'refer a friend' link: join.whoop.com/60DE10 (PLEASE NOTE: There is a MINIMUM of 12-months subscription - i.e. you can't try just one month for free, you get a free month added to your 12-month paid subscription)

[@mpclit]

I relate so much to everything you're sharing here. And it's sad that our internalized ableism also prevents us from allowing us to just rest. Because sometimes it can help to distract ourselves with other hobbies (or even exercise) and can even recharge us. But when it comes to autistic burnout, al least in my case, nothing helps me better than sleep. Just rest. I hope you can allow yourself to do so.

[@Supertonez88]

Hey Paul, I’ve watched a few of your videos and I can relate quite well. I find your explanations and examples on point on what I’ve been experiencing throughout my school/work. My dilemma being, keeping up set routines over a long period of time whereas my body requires the flexibility to recharge when needed as l need. Thanks for sharing your practical strategies and Please keep up the good work 💪

[@PeggyWebb]

Not (diagnosed) autistic here, but chronic illness and pain patient. I got an Oura ring to prove that I was imagining how fatigued and easily burnt out I was. Turns out there's data proving what I was feeling. My recovery scores are never good. My heart rate lowers about an hour before I wake up no matter how much sleep I get. Still working on troubleshooting it. But the HRV scores accurately predict illness flares, so that is very valuable!

[@GlitteryPegasus]

Yeah, those watches are great for people with money. I'm on disability. I do love your channel, Paul.

[@skimaction]

I got my diagnosis a year ago at age 41, and I’m experiencing burnout right now after pushing myself beyond my limits for about a year in my new work field (personal assistant). Thankfully I’m on summer vacation for 7 weeks, so I’m resting and relaxing all day long. I ordered a Whoop immediately after watching your video, and I’m so excited to try it and get to know my body and it’s signals. It’s an amazing machine, this body of mine, but I’m afraid I’m not very kind to it at all times, but that’s about to change! Much love from Sweden.

[@MandiSmash]

Super excited for this topic with regards to assisting with some symptoms associated with ASD. I use a cgm + fitbit to keep track of things along with other tools, it's been really interesting to see patterns and try to adjust them.

[@murtazaarif6507]

I also find the use of the words 'felt experiences' useful for expressing the power and value of our internal unconscious processes that are so important for others to understand us. Also this Whoop monitoring device sounds useful for me too because I am trying to recover from anxiety, depression and insomnia and it could possibly help me monitor my activities and energy levels too. My problems have been accumulating for many years as well.

[@ABLovescrafting]

Data is fun

[@The_Handyman_Can]

Thanks for sharing. It appears to be worth every cent for you. Can you explain more about what it’s (‘Whoop’) measuring for you to visually see you’re in need of more rest? Is it based on a certain amount of sleep, your heart rate, or multiple things? Or is it best to just watch the Quantified Scientist clips?

[@Kulei666]

This is weird, because what I found is that whenever I am like "man, I really don't want to go cycling.." and then proceed to go cycling it always is the best decision for me at the time, I have literally turned that into my silly little meme.

[@sleepygoblin87]

Sleep Apnea is a big deal and everyone who says that they always feel tired should look into that.

[@pathagenic1648]

I do love the data! I've been wearing a Samsung Galaxy watch for a few years now, and have seen some definite patterns, especially with how horridly I sleep and the correlation to resting heart rates etc. Hasn't really helped me fix it, but I definitely know what's going on at least. Any idea if it would link to the Whoop app or do they insist that you use their tracking band?

[@stevengraham96]

What app and tracker are you using?

[@sleepygoblin87]

I really relate to what you said.

[@claireh.7605]

I was working at night at literally just drinking coffee and eating at Starbucks every day and not moving. Being tired feeling like trash and not being able to focus became normal for years. Ended up starting and stopping SSRI (big mistake) and totally crashed an unravelled.

[@collettesaxe9718]

Thank you for sharing!

[@galespressos]

@Autism From The Inside. This is so cool. Great to see Paul taking time off. Unfortunately, 5dollars a week is prohibitive as I’m surviving off charity at the moment, hopefully can remedy situation, but in the meanwhile looking forward to hearing about journey some months later. Great trip! ❤

[@carolinefiorentini3233]

It's very interesting because that's actually what i'm trying to do for the last month or so. I don't have a smart watch but even the subjective measure of "at what percentage my level of energy is ?" And it helped me 2 weeks ago when i woke up knackered, i realized that i only had 5% of energy (even getting out of bed to take breakfast was kinda impossible). It helped me legitimize and take the decision to send a message to my boss. I then treated it like you did, as a sick day. It's interesting to see that it can be measured ! But i can say that my subjective measuring is as valid as a medical measurement because they already use subjective scales in medicine : the pain scale. So i don't see how a fatigue/tiredness scale could not work as well ! I have ADHD by the way and I also have a higher risk of burnout

[@antoniadispalato2900]

💖But isn t it so that physical aktivity often gives you more energy instead of draining and helps you recover? Cold showers, breathing and meditation too. Also what do you do with your tracking results when you (as a student for example) don t have the possibility to take much time off?

[@ruthhorowitz7625]

In real autistic burnout, no, they don't help. This is what I've been struggling my whole life. I would do well until I hit that brick wall and fall to pieces. None of the skils I learned over the years would help. I had to vegitate for a while before I could go on. Getting diagnosed with autism last year has been quite the eye opener for me, and Paul gives me so much insight.

[@Wizardess]

It's nice to see I am not the only sleepy drunk in the world. And one drink can do it. I haven't bothered to try to be social and drink with anybody for decades now. It degrades my brain too much. {^_-}

[@juguerin]

I can't rest. Staying doing nothing is a nightmare because I'm lost and my mind start running in circle. So I have a lot of things that I "must" do when I am home from gardening to basic chores. I am stopping when I can't stand anymore. Doing that I feel like helping but I am tiring everyone around. 😅 The only thing that can put me at rest is a strong sport session and drugs (alcohol, doctor pills, and other). But Regarding drugs I can't stand the fact to loose control so I never fell for it. By the way, is there a video on the control freak aspect of autism.

[@dianawei9552]

I’m curious, what biosensor watch are you using? I’m thinking of getting one to supplement this burnout intuition I’m finally developing while figuring out how to maximize my limited energy resource. While also learning to listen to my intuition.

[@LegendoftheGalacticHero]

Camiño De Santiago hype !

[@davidcollins1853]

Wishing for a full recovery.

[@sasquatl]

Awesome! My neurodivergency tells me this is great bc i love #s and data. + Electronic gadgets even better!!

[@josefinagonzalezpinto9437]

This information is a live changer for me. Thank you very much.

[@bluntforcetanya]

I relate to this a ton, that's why I got the oura ring

[@christianemichelberger8245]

Fascinating topic! I'm quite a geek too and will try that.

[@DevonExplorer]

Thank you very much Paul, for such a great idea. I think I'm going to need this as I've been burnt out all this year so far. I started to feel somewhat better in the last couple of days or so, and so I've been upping my activities again, and this morning I felt so ill that I thought I had flu. It isn't, though, lol. I always know if I'm overdoing things because I get a sore throat but by then it's usually too late. I just love being busy and it's not easy for me to give into doing nothing but that tracker sounds a perfect solution, I'll look into that. Thanks again, Paul. Good stuff! :)

[@jopainting1668]

This feels extremely validating!

[@lygiate756]

My life has changed after buying a smartwatch and doing exactly the same thing you do. It’s amazing the correlation between hrv (or stress, when using garmin) and meltdowns/shutdowns. I can now see it coming weeks in advance. I’m now working on the slowdown methods to avoid the negative spiral altogether. I consider meltdowns/shutdowns just part of how things work for me, but being able to minimize it is game changing. And the data and pattern recognition game is fun in itself. Love it. Thanks for sharing.

[@moll443]

I have a Fitbit, I found I got a bit fixated on the data lol. It almost made me more anxious especially cause my HRV always seems to be low. Also it seems to give my wrist a rash so I haven't been using it for the last month but I might wear it again. It is fun to track these things!

[@rachelsmith3887]

This has been so helpful! Just switched it on my Fitbit :) thank you

[@RionFortran]

All of my savings and any result of hard work is spent entirely on managing burnout. I fantasize about building a house deep in the woods, and it's gotten to the point where I simply don't want to be in this society anymore. There's no resolution there; it's simply how I feel 100% of the time now. I've been tired for 40 years, running a cycle of burning all my money, so I can recover from deep burnouts. Risking starvation, sickness, etc in the woods seems like a small thing compared to being forced to exist here.

[@batintheattic7293]

This is why I might have been reliant on regularly having a 'skinful'. It would knock me out for a day. Horrible guilt and self reproaching - but a really good sleep. Day or two later - I was so full of achievement (it felt like that, anyway). I'm not sure what was going on. It could have just been that I was sort of self forcing a reset. It's not a lovely way to live. I haven't imbibed, now, since Christmas. I, generally, feel better. None of the crashing ups and downs. Flat, though. Horribly flat and constantly tired and unmotivated. I miss how wine used to make me want to do housework and DIY! I did, accidentally, set fire to the kitchen one time (and now I have added that to my trauma - because I absolutely went into freeze mode) when I was drinking wine while cleaning and I was in the habit of stacking tupperware on top of the two unused rings at the back of the electric hob and I had knocked one of the dials on when I was wiping something down - now, the cooker is always turned off at the wall. The fire wasn't so much put out, by me, as allowed to burn out. Also, standing in a burning kitchen was worryingly peaceful and I don't know what that's about. Other than that - I could be really productive. It's like with the stimming (yes, now I realise I am usually doing it). I think we might need to divert part of our focus to be able to do anything. I needed to damage myself and then recover. Coming back up, from a place of complete inability, was when I could throw myself at a task. It was a blessing in disguise, really. The kitchen had been 'installed' by somebody claiming to install kitchens professionally. He had a seriously lazy eye and had announced that he was naturally better than a spirit level. Nothing was straight or flush or perpendicular. My kitchen hurt me so much. Then, when the hot wall had released the cabinets, I rebuilt that kitchen like a beast. I used a laser level. It's 99 percent straight because I left the counter tops that the kitchen fitter had installed and they aren't straight or level. I've been way too easy going in the past. It's horrifying that, while I was easy going and accepting of statements like 'I don't need a spirit level', other people would tease me that I was far too rigid (an Aussie friend, who I really struggled to understand the humour of, sent me a Christmas card with the words 'Don't be a c**t at Christmas'). I really, really, wasn't. 'Call that a knife?'.. This is me dry.

[@traceycrawford9938]

Really great video Paul! Thank you! 🙏🏼👍👍

[@22RosesGrow]

I understand burnout. I have a lot to learn about a lot of things. I don't know if autism has anything to do with me but I know I don't usually fit with "normal" what about hypersensitive or wired. Do you ever feel like that?

[@interdimensionalsailboat]

We feel exactly the same way about alcohol 😂

[@MikeOfKorea]

Thank you for the video.

[@ASMRPolyglot]

What is a realistic HRV goal with autism? I've never had a reading over 50. Usually in the 20s lately, but I'm in a burnout. Is a "normal" HRV even possible for me?

[@danab3591]

The highest HRV I've had is 52, but that's also a reflection of age. More typically it's in the upper 30s. It goes down as you get older. I've definitely noticed the number inching higher as I've improved my cardio fitness.

[@caseykaufman5737]

I am autistic and my average HRV is in the 70s. I am pretty athletic (mountain biking and weightlifting are among my special interests).

[@vee_tinymoose]

Mine is all over the place. My resting HR can be 140 while I’m lying on the couch. I’m autistic and ADHD, but my body is also extra odd..