Why Chronic Health Conditions Are Higher in Sensitive and Autistic Individuals by Julie Bjelland, LMFT
Sensitive and autistic individuals often face unique health challenges linked to chronic overactivation of their sympathetic nervous system. This system, which triggers the body’s fight-or-flight response, is consistently on high alert in autistic individuals, leading to chronic stress. Over time, this prolonged activation can contribute to the development of chronic health conditions, which are often more complicated to manage due to heightened sensitivities and unique medication responses. The world, not designed for autistic needs, further overstimulates and overloads the nervous system, placing individuals at a higher risk for health complications. In addition to medication, natural techniques for reducing sympathetic activation offer practical ways to support well-being.
The Impact of Sympathetic Nervous System Overactivation in Autistic Individuals
In autistic individuals, the nervous system is often overstimulated by everyday experiences that may seem routine to others. Bright lights, loud noises, crowded spaces, and even emotional intensity can trigger the sympathetic nervous system, keeping it in a near-constant fight-or-flight state. Over time, this chronic activation of stress responses leads to various physical and mental health conditions. The heightened vulnerability of the nervous system, combined with the challenges of navigating a world not set up for autistic needs, can put these individuals at a higher health risk.
Chronic Health Conditions Linked to Long-Term Sympathetic Nervous System Activation
The sustained activation of the sympathetic nervous system in autistic individuals often leads to chronic health conditions, including:
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) Prolonged stress depletes the body's energy reserves, leading to conditions like chronic fatigue syndrome, which causes persistent exhaustion, cognitive impairment, and muscle pain.
Fibromyalgia Autistic individuals may be more prone to developing fibromyalgia, a condition characterized by widespread pain, fatigue, and heightened pain sensitivity. This is likely due to the heightened perception of pain and sensory stimuli.
Autoimmune Disorders Chronic stress weakens the immune system, increasing the likelihood of autoimmune conditions such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.
Cardiovascular Disease The constant flood of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, triggered by an overactive sympathetic nervous system, can increase blood pressure and inflammation, leading to heart disease, hypertension, and stroke.
Gastrointestinal Disorders Many autistic individuals experience gut issues like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), as stress and nervous system activation highly influence the gut-brain connection.
Chronic Pain Conditions such as migraines, tension headaches, and widespread chronic pain are common in autistic individuals, with pain sensitivity heightened by stress and overactivation of the nervous system.
Sleep Disorders Insomnia and restless sleep are common, as an overactive sympathetic nervous system disrupts the body's ability to relax and reset during sleep.
Interoception Challenges: While some autistic individuals experience heightened interoception, others struggle to interpret internal signals like hunger, thirst, stress, or pain. This can make self-care challenging, leading to chronic stress and a heightened fight-or-flight response due to unmet physical needs. Difficulty with interoception also impacts emotional regulation, as the body’s cues for stress and calm may go unnoticed, leading to rapid escalation of emotions and further overstimulation.
Exteroception and Sensory Overload: Sensitivity to external stimuli like bright lights, loud sounds, or crowded spaces often leads to sensory overload in autistic individuals. This overwhelming sensory input triggers the sympathetic nervous system, keeping the body in a chronic stress response and compounding physical health risks over time.
Metabolic and Endocrine Imbalances: Chronic stress can disrupt the body’s endocrine and metabolic systems, leading to issues like insulin resistance, thyroid imbalances, or adrenal fatigue. The constant release of stress hormones, such as cortisol, can interfere with blood sugar regulation, energy levels, and hormonal balance. For autistic individuals, this can compound symptoms of fatigue, mood instability, and physical health challenges, adding strain to overall well-being and increasing the risk for conditions like diabetes or metabolic syndrome over time.
Medication Sensitivities in Autistic and Sensitive Individuals
While chronic conditions often require ongoing treatment, managing these conditions with medications is incredibly complex for autistic people. Medications that work for neurotypical individuals often produce less predictable or more adverse results for autistic individuals due to their heightened sensitivities and unique neurobiological responses.
Decreased Effectiveness and Increased Intolerance
Compared to neurotypical individuals, neurodivergent people experience even lower rates of medication effectiveness and higher intolerance to side effects.
Why Medication Management is Challenging for Autistic Individuals
Heightened Sensitivity to Medications: Autistic individuals often experience heightened sensitivity, meaning even low doses may trigger strong side effects like nausea, dizziness, or mood shifts, complicating treatment plans.
Metabolism Differences: Variations in liver enzymes (e.g., cytochrome P450) can affect how autistic individuals process medications, leading to inconsistent effects or intensified side effects.
Paradoxical Reactions: Some autistic individuals experience paradoxical reactions to medications, where drugs produce the opposite effect—such as sedatives causing agitation or stimulants leading to fatigue.
Comorbid Conditions and Polypharmacy: Managing multiple health conditions, such as anxiety, depression, or chronic pain, often leads to polypharmacy, increasing the risk of interactions and complicating side effects.
Survey Highlights on Health Challenges in Autistic Individuals
A survey I conducted in May 2024 provides insight into the health and neurological challenges commonly experienced by autistic individuals. These findings highlight the pervasive impact of chronic stress and sensory overload on physical and mental health within this community. The statistics below reveal how issues like anxiety, sleep difficulties, and digestive concerns are widespread, reinforcing the importance of understanding and managing sympathetic nervous system overactivation in autistic individuals.
Anxiety (91%): Anxiety is a direct result of sympathetic overactivation and is often experienced acutely by autistic individuals, contributing to chronic stress.
Auditory Processing and Communication Challenges (90%): Sensitivity to sounds in noisy environments can lead to sensory overload, further triggering the sympathetic nervous system.
Sleep Difficulties (88%): Sleep disruption is common in individuals with an overactive sympathetic response, impacting overall health and recovery.
Fatigue (80%): Constant stress depletes energy reserves, leading to persistent fatigue and exhaustion.
Chronic Pain (71%): Chronic pain, including conditions like migraines, can be exacerbated by stress and sensory sensitivity.
Digestive Issues (51%): Stress significantly impacts the gut-brain connection, leading to digestive issues, including IBS.
Medication Sensitivity (51%): Heightened sensitivity to medications makes symptom management challenging for autistic individuals.
Cardiovascular Issues (50%): Symptoms such as high blood pressure, rapid heartbeat, and palpitations commonly relate to an overactive sympathetic response.
Autoimmune Disorders (48%): Chronic stress can weaken the immune system, increasing susceptibility to autoimmune conditions.
If you're interested in more survey results and a deeper understanding of autism, you may want to explore my comprehensive guide on understanding autism here.
Natural Techniques for Reducing Sympathetic Nervous System Activation
Given the challenges with medication, many autistic individuals benefit from natural approaches to manage stress and reduce sympathetic nervous system overactivation. These techniques can be particularly effective because they work with the body’s natural processes to calm and regulate the nervous system.
1. Brain Training
Brain training can support sensitive, autistic, and neurodivergent individuals in managing nervous system responses. These techniques teach individuals to recognize when they are in a state of overstimulation and how to activate the parasympathetic nervous system (responsible for rest and relaxation) to bring the body back into balance. My brain training program teaches how to activate the calming centers that deactivate stress centers and has been designed for sensitive and neurodivergent people.
Learn more here.
2. Sensory Regulation Practices
Understanding and accommodating sensory sensitivities is essential for reducing sympathetic nervous system overactivation. Techniques like wearing noise-canceling headphones, using weighted blankets, or creating low-stimulation environments can help prevent sensory overload and calm the nervous system.
Watch my free webinar about sensory overload here.
Get tips for reducing daily sensory overload in my Toolbox Course here.
3. Nature and Grounding
Spending time in nature is highly effective in calming the nervous system. Grounding techniques like walking barefoot on grass or spending time near water helps regulate the body’s stress responses by activating the parasympathetic nervous system.
4. Yoga and Meditation
Both yoga and meditation are powerful tools for calming the nervous system. Slow, deliberate movements and breath control help reduce the fight-or-flight response and activate the body’s relaxation systems.
Listen to my free mindfulness and meditation recordings on The HSP and Neurodivergent Podcast here.
5. Sleep Hygiene
Good sleep hygiene is critical for neurodivergent individuals to reset their nervous systems. This includes establishing a calming bedtime routine, reducing exposure to screens before bed, and creating a sleep-friendly environment that minimizes sensory disturbances.
Get more sleep tips here.
6. Dietary Adjustments
Some sensitive, autistic, and neurodivergent individuals find that specific dietary changes help regulate their nervous system and reduce overstimulation. This might include avoiding stimulants like caffeine or refined sugar, focusing on anti-inflammatory foods, avoiding processed food, or incorporating supplements that support brain health, such as magnesium or omega-3 fatty acids.
Personalized Care: Working with Professionals Who Understand
Navigating chronic health conditions as an autistic or neurodivergent person requires a holistic approach that takes into account unique needs. Working with healthcare professionals who understand the nuances of neurodivergence is essential for creating a treatment plan that reduces the risk of overstimulation and improves overall health outcomes. Additionally, exploring natural alternatives to medication can provide long-term relief without the complications of side effects.
By focusing on personalized care, including natural techniques for calming the nervous system, neurodivergent individuals can reduce their risk of chronic illness and improve their quality of life. Understanding and honoring individual needs—whether through brain training, lifestyle adjustments, or specialized healthcare—empowers neurodivergent individuals to thrive in a world that may not always be set up for their sensitivities.
For personalized support, schedule a session with me here.
Conclusion: A Holistic Approach to Health
Chronic health conditions often develop in autistic and sensitive individuals after years of sympathetic nervous system overactivation. Medication management is particularly challenging due to heightened sensitivities and unpredictable reactions. However, a holistic approach that includes natural techniques for calming the nervous system, combined with personalized medical care, can significantly reduce the impact of these conditions and promote long-term well-being. By understanding their unique needs and partnering with professionals who respect their sensitivities, neurodivergent individuals can create a more balanced and healthier life.
Explore More
As our understanding of autism deepens, many highly sensitive people (myself included) are discovering we’re also autistic! If you’ve always felt different or flawed and have faced health issues or heightened sensitivity to medications, I encourage you to take my free autism quiz and explore my research on the distinctions and overlaps between high sensitivity and autism.
I’m Julie Bjelland, LMFT
A psychotherapist, author, and founder of Sensitive Empowerment. I specialize in high sensitivity and adult-discovered autism. My passion is helping you live with more self-love and self-compassion and flourish more fully in the world. I’ve developed tools to balance the sensitive nervous system and reduce challenges so you can reach your fullest potential. My global support hub includes online courses, the Sensitive Empowerment Community, a top-ranked podcast, articles, webinars, and more. I’m a proud neurodivergent and queer therapist, and my mission is to create a world where differences are embraced as strengths and celebrated. I look forward to supporting your journey. Learn more at JulieBjelland.com
Thoughtful holiday wellness gifts for sensitive and neurodivergent individuals, including empowering courses, sensory-friendly products, a heartwarming children’s book, and a supportive community.