Dealing with Sleep Problems

Most children on the Autism Spectrum have a hard time falling and staying asleep at night. There are many reasons why this is the case, including but not limited to; anxiety, dysregulated circadian rhythm, and problems with digestion. Sleep deprivation will lead to a downward spiral in a child's behavior, and a parent's ability to cope with the challenges of life. While we can't wave a magic wand over the sleep habits of your child, we can offer a few suggestions that may help.

(1) Turn off the screen

We recommend that screen time ends at least one hour before bedtime - that means TV, iPad, Kindle - anything with a screen. The content that we see on these screens stimulates our brains and tricks us into staying awake longer. Make sure that there is a set place to put all handheld devices at night, and we highly recommend taking the TV out of your child's bedroom. If they can't sleep, the devices will be the first thing they reach for - this will perpetuate the problem.

(2) Be light sensitive 

Our bodies need to know the difference between night and day - we do this with melatonin, the hormone that regulates our sleep/wake cycle. Summer time can pose a problem, with the sun staying up until 9pm, you will need to have some tricks up your sleeve. From experience, we can highly recommend light-blocking curtains in your child's bedroom. Eat dinner early, take a relaxing bath and spend as much as an hour in your child's darkened bedroom with lamp light, reading stories so that their brain thinks it's dark outside.

(3) Routine is key 
Every day, keep a routine! Yes, the reality is that some days you will stray from the routine, and that is part of teaching flexible thinking. A regular day calls for a regular routine, and bedtime routines are vital. We recommend; dinner, warm bath with lavender, extended time of relaxation (including bedtime stories) and lights out.

Good luck!