Running as a form of stimming

Not everyone knows what stimming is, so lets start there. Stimming can be different things for different people. It’s typically a repetitive motion that is used to regulate one’s emotional interactions with the world around them. It’s used to work out excess energy, or to try and turn bad energy around. It can also be used as a means to regulate sensory input/output. I use it most often to block one sense so that I can focus on another. I may close my eyes or look away from the person i am talking to so that I can focus on the words they saying. It’s not just done by those on the spectrum, just about everyone stims to some degree at some point. It is just that those on the spectrum have a greater need, and will do it more often. When I wake up in the morning, it’s a flood of input to my senses. I go from the nothing of sleep, to light, sounds, textures, scents. It can be overwhelming at times. For me mornings are just open eyes engage brain. There is no slowly coming around. It’s just an all out assault. This can lead to tense mornings which lead to tense days. So I start my days with a run. The rhythmic pace of my stride, my controlled steady breaths, and sometimes music or a book. Starting the day with this kind of structure to my sensory input helps to subdue the tenseness and allows me to find a center a place from where I can grasp control of my senses. And that makes for a much more pleasant day.