Autism

No matter how much it sucks, start working out. I know it sounds absolutely counterintuitive but using that energy for a 1h workout will give you so much power back.

When I started working out I joined a boxing fitness class, it was simple. 1 hour, no prep, no need to think about gear and just follow instructions. It was exhausting but it rejuvenated me like crazy. It was like I had never charged my batteries before, because they never really drained so I had all this old, shit energy in me that was finally replenished.

The first few times are rough but you'll only gain from it, keep at it. Find something that's easy to get to, near work or home and just do it. Don't think, pack a bag tonight and try something out tomorrow.

I generally don't quit my job because I like to eat and junk but I tell you it just gets worse as you get older (don't know how old you are but im not on the low side of a century anymore). Honestly work would not be an issue if not for all the home things. medical, taxes, insurance, dealing with the houshold, etc. If it was just work and relax and it would not be so bad.

Paul from Autisme from the inside, recommended that one think about recovery from mental exhaustion as work.

Autisme from the inside: The burnout trap

So have started think 15 mental break/ 45min work. With meditation or non sleep deep rest. Sometime I do 90min or more but take equivalent longer break.

Dr Andrew Huberman

After the 90-minute interval, take a 30-minute break. Use this time to relax, recharge, and step away from your work. This break allows your brain to reset and prepares you for the next focused session. After the break, return to another 90-minute focused session

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HINgMMTzPE

I also noticed that if my Vitamin D level is low it take a lot longer to recover. For non summertime I do 40000IU/day. Summer i do 10000IU/day + as much midday sun without sunscreen I can get.

As someone else suggested, I do also reccommend exercise, as counter intuitive as it may seem. What hours are you working? Morning shifts can be a bit harder to recover from if you dont find some way to get yourself out of the slump. I used to give myself an hour in front of the tv back when I worked mornings, then force myself to do some housework which would often jolt me back to life by breaking up the day. When I work later shifts, I try to claim as much of my morning for myself as I can, be it chores or exercise, so when I get home, if I have energy left for hobbies then that is a bonus, but I stay strict on my bedtimes so I can keep getting the mornings

Based on some of your other comments, it would be interesting if you logged your blood pressure and pulse throughout the day. Once in the morning, before/after meals, evening, and whatever times seem like they may be relevant.

I got a simple automatic cuff type from the grocery store. They make some that can do it on your wrist too, which is a little easier to carry around. Mine has a history function. Smart watches/trackers can monitor your pulse more often.

Check your blood work. I get all the details in MyChart (Epic) and can even compare from previous results. If there isn't an app, get your records and input it manually in a spreadsheet or other app that hopefully doesn't harvest your data. If they are not doing regular blood work a couple times a year, they are doing you a disservice.

How is your sleep? You may not be sleeping as well as you think. This is priority 1. Wash your sheets. Clean sheets are awesome.

You could be depressed or have an undiagnosed mental illness. This is ok, but you have to talk to someone. It is hard as hell to make that phone call, but your mental health is worth it. Your mental health is worth everything. I did not check if you were female, but note that birth control can cause this shit. Hormones suck.

I think you said you were in pain or discomfort? If you are, take notes on the type of pain, where, how often, duration and anything you were doing. By the time I get to the doctor, I often can't visualize or remember the exact sensation. You could easily have something in your environment bothering you, a food allergy, gall bladder issues, thyroid, or a whole host of random shit. Switch to fragrance free laundry detergent. Maybe cut out caffeine. Just be sure to only change one thing at a time.

Don't let doctors gaslight you or downplay your issues. Advocate for yourself and take notes. You can even have a friend go with you to the doctor if you have a lot of anxiety. They can take notes for you and potentially give insights and ask questions you may not think of.

What worked for me was to start working from home. I had a similar experience before the pandemic, but once I started to work from home this feeling went away.

I guess for me, the office has too many distractions. It was hard to focus on my work. All these distractions put a big toll on me over time. Traveling to and from work was also too exhausting.

It's hard to come up with a specific answer for this because everyone is different. I think you might be better served by asking this same question to a qualified therapist who can help you work through it. It could be as simple as "You need to force yourself to get up and get more exercise" or as complex as "You have clinical depression and you should be medicated if you want to feel normal again".

For me, I used to feel the same way after work. I would just come home and veg out, not care about much of anything, and take very little joy even in things I liked. The thing that snapped me out of it was my failing health causing me to be forced to switch up my diet and go to the gym a few times a week. It wasn't easy to get started, but once I was about 2-3 weeks into my new routine I was feeling more energetic and motivated. I noticed I was getting better sleep too which made me feel ready to tackle the day every morning that I woke up for work rather than dread going in.

Again, your mileage may vary, I would strongly advise to speak to a doctor if you are having difficulties with this issue to the point where it's negatively impacting your quality of life. Don't put it off until your health is impacted like I did.

Have you checked with a doctor? There might be a medical cause.

I mean, work sucks, but unless you're swinging a sledgehammer all day, it shouldn't drain you completely the way you describe.

Cutting out my bad media habits worked for me (social media on my phone every minute of free time, and hours of Youtube in the evenings). Days feel longer, I've been reading a lot, finding time to exercise and finish projects (even during the work week). Also, my sleep has improved.

I'll say I've noticed that there are places in my house that trap me into an energy drain stasis, so I try to avoid letting myself get into my rot spot unless I'm ok with doing absolutely nothing for the rest of the day.

Are you sure it’s not just depression?

I'm no doctor but I've been living with this my entire life. I'm only realizing recently that is not normal to be in constant pain and so chronically exhausted that even my libido has almost completely died. i am now seeing a cardiologist and had to wear a heart monitor for 2 weeks and get an echocardiogram, because i was nearly passing out from very light work in the heat. my doctor suspects POTS and i know that I'm hypermobile, but having trouble qualifying for testing for Ehler Danlos. these conditions commonly present together and pretty much take you out of commission. definitely see a doctor.

doctors will probably give you the run-around at first and say it's depression. well, let me tell you from extensively researching my symptoms, that depression can develop from these symptoms, it's not always the cause. i am depressed and anxious because I'm constantly in a state of pain and exhaustion and nothing i do is ever enough to keep up. it's a horrible way to live and I'm hoping for answers so i can at least have guidance from doctors on minimizing these things.

EDIT: i now see what community this post is in. POTS and EDS are higher in the autistic community. read a bit into those conditions and see if you relate.

Reduce your workload, if possible.

Instead of 38.5 hours/week, try to get down to 20-24 hrs/week, if possible.

I'd recommend reading this article about authenticity: https://www.meticulon.com/neurodiversity-celebration-week-2024/ It explains a lot about how little things that NTs take for granted can be exhausting for ND people, particularly at work.