Did you know that more than half of children with autism have at least one chronic sleep problem? Some research has suggested that this number might be as high as four in five autistic children.
Establishing good sleep habits and hygiene is important for all people but particularly important for children with special needs. If your child isn’t getting as much sleep as they need, it can lead to learning problems, daytime sleepiness, and behavioral issues.
Studies have shown that children with autism that don’t sleep well end up exhibiting behavior that is more problematic than those that regularly sleep well.
Let’s take a look at how to establish good sleep habits for children with autism to ensure that your child’s overall health benefits from the restorative power of sleep.
Develop a Bedtime Routine
A regular routine before bed can be very helpful for special needs children. A good example is a routine that involves a bath, a story, and then bedtime for younger children with autism. For older children, you might think about incorporating a short, quiet chat about how the day went as well as allowing some relaxing alone time before it’s time for lights out.
The goal is to create a positive bedtime routine. By incorporating soothing activities, the whole family can wind down before bed. With quiet and calming habits, you’ll find bedtime gets easier each night.
Set Regular Bedtimes
Routine is essential for all children. However, it can be particularly important for special needs children. You’ll want to consider when the best time for your kid to go to bed is on a daily basis. Think about the time in the morning when they need to wake up and how much sleep they require.
Building good sleep habits for children is important to ensure that they are alert and feeling their best during the day.
If your child naturally gets tired later than their ideal bedtime, you don’t want to make drastic changes all at once. Instead, start moving their bedtime routine back fifteen minutes every two days.
While it can be tempting to create different bedtime and wake-up times for the weekends than during the week, it’s best to keep it consistent at least when you’re first starting out.
Create Healthy Associations With Sleep
Parents with autistic children will want to understand the importance of sleep associations and habits. All children and adults have sleep associations, but these associations can be particularly strong for autistic children.
For some people, these associations might mean watching TV or looking at their phone. It isn’t uncommon for autistic children to only be able to fall asleep when their parent is there with them. If you’re trying to break this habit, you can stay there with them as they fall asleep but slowly move further away each night.
Eventually, your child will feel more comfortable and used to falling asleep on their own.
Avoid Screens and Excitement Before Bed
Many of us associate watching TV or using our devices before bed, but this can actually be very disruptive to our sleep chemicals and cycle. It is generally recommended that people stop using screens at least an hour if not more before bed.
One study found that autistic children who play video games or watch TV before bed have more sleep onset difficulties than those that don’t.
If your special needs children are struggling to fall asleep at night, consider deliberately incorporating more relaxing activities as bedtime draws closer. It’s also a good idea to make sure that your kids aren’t having energizing food or drinks in the afternoon, such as coffee, chocolate, tea, soda, or energy drinks.
Create a Comfortable and Safe Sleep Environment
The more comfortable and safe feeling your child’s sleeping environment is, the more easily they will fall asleep at night and the more soundly they will sleep. If your child typically keeps a lot of toys in their bed, you can work with them to put the toys away before sleep. Using a reward system can be a helpful way to encourage this behavior.
Get Exercise During the Day
One of the best things anyone can do in order to get a good night’s sleep is exercise during the day. This doesn’t have to mean running a marathon, and even something as small as a family walk in the afternoon can make a big difference. It’s also important to make sure that children with autism are getting natural light during the day, as this helps their circadian rhythm and melatonin production.
Having a family pet can be a great way to encourage the whole family to get exercise every day. If you have children with autism, you might be wondering if a therapy dog is the right choice. Check out this article to learn more.
ABA Therapy For Autism: Is It Right For Your Child?
Getting a good night’s sleep is essential for everyone, but it’s particularly important for children with autism. Getting in the habit of a regular bedtime routine and other healthy activities can feel difficult at first, but it will quickly become much easier.
If your child is struggling with focus, social interactions, communication, and studies, it’s possible that they could benefit from Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy. During ABA therapy, a therapist will work with your child to identify their strengths and their weaknesses before tailoring therapy specifically to their needs.
You can learn more about enrolling your child in ABA therapy in our step-by-step guide.