My son, like many others on the spectrum, has issues with sleep. He has trouble winding down at the end of the day and wakes up at all hours of the night. Sometimes he can go back to sleep, other times, he’s done sleeping — no matter what time it is. And when he is done sleeping, I’m also done sleeping.
While he always seems to have energy regardless of the amount of sleep he gets, lack of sleep does affect him. He has more trouble regulating his emotions, has more difficulty focusing, and melts down more often. The world already brings him enough challenges. If I can make things easier for him, even if it is just in this one regard, I’m going to try.
I know many of you can relate. I’ll tell you what (sort of) works for my kiddo and let me know what you’ve tried in the comments. Let’s figure this out together.
We follow a sleep schedule and have a routine.
My son and I have a bedtime routine that we follow every night. Having a set routine can help a child wind down and get mentally ready for sleep. Knowing what to expect at bedtime can also reduce anxiety in children who benefit from routines. My son likes to listen to music so we play a CD at night (it was classical, and now it is The Little Mermaid soundtrack). We also read the same stories every night.
Even on the weekend, I try to keep my son to roughly the same bed time. He often uses his device to tell me that he wants to go to bed around that time — even if he doesn’t actually want to go to sleep (proven by the fact that he runs around in his room for an hour or so sometimes).
When my son woke up in the middle of the night, I would do the entire routine again. Now when he wakes up at night, he does it himself — he makes enough noise doing it that I wake up, but he doesn’t come out and he goes back to sleep a good 75% of the time.
I looked for sensory issues that might cause sleep problems.
I don’t know if my son is afraid of the dark or not. But I do know that he loves light-up toys, so he has a star projector and a really neat nightlight for his room. He chooses the color on the star projector every night and jumps around when he gets to the color he wants. If your child likes it dark (or if they wake up the minute the sun comes up) on the other hand, blackout curtains can reduce the light coming in from outside.
Our house is relatively quiet at night — there isn’t a lot of traffic and we don’t have loud neighbors. The volume on his CD player tends to drown out any noises the rest of us make as we get ready for bed. However, if your child is easily disturbed by noise, you can try a white noise machine. Thick curtains or rugs can also dampen sound.
Reducing sensory issues may help your child fall asleep faster or help them stay asleep. It might take some investigating to find them, but it will likely be worth it in the end.
I tried a weighted blanket.
My son likes deep pressure, so I hoped that a weighted blanket would help him stay settled down and keep him in bed longer. I think it helps him, but apparently the studies are mixed. The bottom line in our house is that he loves the blanket. He often hangs out under it even if he isn’t going to sleep.
We then got a second one for him which is a heavier weight (the whole family chipped in and got it as a gift). He actually prefers to sleep with both of them on his bed at night, and he brings the lighter one out with us sometimes.
They can be pricey, which might make you hesitant to try it. Insurance companies may cover it, so you can always ask. You can make your own if you are good with a sewing machine. Another option is to start with a weighted stuffed animal or a lap pad to see how your child reacts before making the investment in a full blanket.
I talked to my son’s doctor a few times about his sleep issues. We talked about the use of melatonin to help him sleep. Melatonin is something your body produces naturally to help regulate your sleep/wake schedule, and it is believed that autistic people may produce less of it. Adding it as a supplement may balance that out.
The doctor helped me find a dosage that worked for him and when to use it. If you are thinking of using medication to help with your child’s sleep issues, consult with their doctor first.
There’s one more thing that helps with his sleep issues.
The last thing I do is try to do, especially on the weekends, is give him opportunities to burn off his energy. We have a little trampoline and an exercise ball in our playroom. If it’s a nice day, we’ll go for a walk. I just try to give him an outlet for some of his energy so that he isn’t bouncing around at 8:30 at night when I’m trying to brush his teeth.
OK, so those are the things that work for me. Now please tell me what works for you, so I can add it to our routine!
Image under CC copyright.