Published on 12, July, 2020
Any tips for overcoming insomnia as an autistic person? I've had it for over a year now and I'd say it affects my life quite a bit. At the moment I have around 4 hours of sleep per night even though I spend 9 hours or so in bed. I tried CBT for insomnia a few months ago and every time I try and implement all the techniques, my anxiety levels raise as I become a bit obsessed with sticking to the exact sleep and wake time that I have set for myself. I then end up basing my self worth on if I achieve the set bedtime/ follow my exact bedtime routine. If I don't follow it exactly or go to bed/ wake up at the prescribed times, I end up feeling anxious as hell and like a failure. I also prevent myself from napping during the day (because that's what the CBT-I tells me to do) but I am currently severely burnt out so i don't know if this is the right thing to do...
Any other techniques for dealing with insomnia anyone has found? Feeling a bit stuck.
Have you done all the usual sleep hygiene measures - no screens before bed, don’t eat for 2 hours before bed, no caffeine after lunch, keep your bedroom cool etc?
Yeah I have done all those