Autism and Sleep: Setting Up Routines for Bedtime Success

Getting enough sleep can be hard for all of us sometimes. Sleep problems are especially common in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Sleep difficulties may result in more problematic behavior and exhaustion for everyone involved. Here are ideas that may be helpful for improving sleep in children with ASD.

Create a Daytime Routine

Getting enough healthy sleep at night begins by creating helpful habits during the day. Your child should wake at the same time every day, even on the weekends. They should see bright light soon after waking. Open the window blinds to let in sunlight or turn overhead lights on.

Breakfast is extremely important. Eating meals at the same time every day helps train your child’s brain to know when it is time to be awake or asleep. Also, make sure your child gets plenty of exercise.

If your child is 5 years of age or older, avoid naps. You may need to plan activities to help them stay awake during the day. If they are young enough to nap:

• They should sleep in their bed.
• Naps should end no later than 3:00 p.m.

Wind Down in the Evening

Make sure to monitor caffeine use: it can stay active in our body for up to 12 hours. This means that if your child drinks a caffeinated beverage at noon, it may keep them awake until midnight. It is best to avoid exercise two to three hours before bedtime and stimulating activities should also be avoided one hour before bedtime.

Try to schedule activities that your child dislikes or has trouble completing earlier in the afternoon or evening. This will help decrease stress close to bedtime.

Keep a Bedtime Routine

Do the same activities every night to prepare your child for sleep. This bedtime routine should be made up of calming activities and take about 20 to 30 minutes long in total. Be careful not to allow your child to extend the routine beyond this time.

It may be helpful to create a visual or schedule with which your child can follow along. Pre-bedtime activities may include a bath, massage, reading a book or singing a song. You know your child best. What is calming for one child may be stimulating for another.

Set Up a Sleep Environment

Create a space that encourages sleep. Use your child’s bed only for sleep. Do not allow them to use electronics, play with toys or do other activities on their bed. This may mean putting toys in closed containers. If you give your child a security object at night such as a blanket or stuffed animal, choose one that is basic. Sounds, textures, or moveable parts may be distracting or stimulating for children.

The temperature in your child’s bedroom should be lower than 75°F. Lamps or overhead lights should not be on during the night: use nightlights instead.

Using a white noise machine may help keep your child from being disturbed by noise around them. If your child falls asleep with a white noise machine on, it should stay on the entire night.

Consistently using these tips may help your child with ASD sleep more sound, which may mean more sleep for you too!