Trouble sleeping

I've had my fair share of struggles in that department too. It's interesting to hear about your journey with autism and how it might be linked to your sleep difficulties. I've heard similar things before.Anxiety can definitely play a big role in disrupting sleep patterns, and it sounds like you've got a lot on your plate with chronic struggles. Being sensitive to your surroundings can also make it challenging to unwind at night.I recently made a switch to ethical down pillows, and it's been a game-changer for me. Changing up your bedding or pillows might be worth a shot if you haven't already tried it.

Hi, I have awful insomnia at times and especially recently- it can take me hours to get to sleep and even then i’ll sleep for an hour and awake again for hours and repeat. Even on good nights it takes over an hour to fall asleep and i’m awake at least once. I’ve tried all kinds of things, audiobooks used to help but now I need them to have any chance of sleeping but they don’t work anymore. I only have one cup of caffeine in morning etc. 
What i noticed recently is that the more tired I am the less able I am to sleep (which is very frustrating and unhelpful)- I’ve been experiencing severe burnout again and have had some time off now. I know the guidance is usually: don’t sleep in if you have a bad night and don’t go to bed earlier or sleep in day but for me that doesn’t seem to apply. If I am extremely exhausted I often sleep very badly (i think i’m so over tired that i am in keep going mode and cannot sleep)-  for me to have any chance of being able to sleep again I need to catch up on sleep- usually if I am lucky and don’t have to get up and actually manage to sleep some extra hours in the morning, this can then kickstart me being able to sleep slightly better at night. 
not sure if something similar could be happening for you? Could you be so tired that you can’t sleep? Also i put pressure on myself to sleep or know i have to get up earlier than usual it usually stops me from sleeping as well… 

I’m sure you’ve also made sure already your room doesn’t have any distracting noises or lights etc and that your bed and blanket are comfortable? What can help too is freshly washed bedding. 

I have sleeping problems as well insomnia wondered if it was autism thing? Related? 

Hi I am exactly the same I either can’t sleep or I wake up during the night I find magnesium supplements help on times and cbd oil as well. 

Hi

As the father of an 18 year old autistic daughter and im pretty sure i am on the spectrum too im finding life increasingly difficult.

My daughter has massive problems getting to and staying asleep. This is reflecting hugely on her attendance at college. Im concerned that she will be kicked off her course because if it.

She wakes up with huge headaches and IBS symptoms. She says that sensory issues with things touching her body keep her awake, but when she tries to remove covers etc, that also causes her more sensory difficulties.

Does anyone have any tips or tricks/treatments to help her sleep. The GP is not helping very much with a request for melatonin.

Thanks in advance for any help or suggestions you may have.

I read somewhere recently that those with ASD have less REM sleep compared to NT's.

I was awake at 4am this morning. I try to meditate when this happens. I wake up with anxiety, and sometimes really awful night terrors. 

I hope that you find something that helps you. X

Hello Zero,

I find using a weighted blanket helps. I also use my squeeze vest for an hour before going to bed and that helps relax me. It is a common issue for dyspraxia as I have no off button so my mind tends to race. I have good nights and bad ones but stopped worrying as I can catch up on sleep. It was this worry that was keeping me awake.     

Hi thanks so much for your helpful suggestions. ASMR is something I'll be trying soon as well  

Do you try yoga? I've been doing yoga for a few years and I follow this lady's videos. She's really good and I feel calmer and more relaxed since finding her videos :⁠^⁠) 

https://youtube.com/@yogawithadriene?si=_lds1MuwSPi_coQb

I do mine from home  

I find going out very stressful and it often will result in meltdowns so I've found doing things from home much easier than going out somewhere.

I follow Yoga With Adriene.

https://youtube.com/@yogawithadriene?si=6snQWR0WKeGbPf_G

I found her videos last year and I've been following her ever since. I find her helpful and her videos have made such a positive impact to my life and mental health.

This is her 10 minute yoga for beginners video x

https://youtu.be/j7rKKpwdXNE?si=QTON8XgPzTCjiZwt

Sleeping difficulties are common for those of us with autism for whatever reason. A bit like how we are more prone to get gastrointestinal problems a high percentage of us struggles with sleep as well.

There are some things you can do that might help you get a better nights sleep.

• Limit your caffeine intake, don't have anything with caffeine in it a couple of hours before bed.
• Don't use your phone or laptop, anything with a bright screen, an hour before going to bed.
• Use ASMR.
• Yoga - this works especially well for me.
• Podcasts.

Some of the above work well for some but not for others. Try experimenting, find what works for you.

I hope this helps and you get a good nights sleep tonight.

Do you go to a class or is there someone good on YouTube or whatever?

I'm curious to try it but... my anxiety makes going places and being around people a little terrifying rn. 

Sticking to a routine is something I struggle with big time. I'm not really sure why either, maybe because I used to try to stick to routines but somehow they were always messed up for me and I feel it puts me off from trying again. I could be wrong in that though.

Mostly I take each day as it comes and don't really have much of a routine. I go to bed anywhere between 10pm and 3am, different time each day, and I'll usually stay up gaming on my phone before bed.

I definitely need to try to make a routine though for sleeping. Thanks for that, it's really helpful knowing and getting so many insightful replies and suggestions. All of this is going to help me big time! X

Caffeine is another issue I have... It's literally all I drink Coca Cola, something else I need to try and sort out as it's rotting my teeth and at times makes my abdomen feel like a battle zone.

Thanks again for replying, it is much appreciated!!  x

It's a good idea to set a nightly routine and stick to it, then the body can expect to fall asleep at a certain time. I always go to bed at 10:30 pm for example.

Avoid eating unhealthy food before you go to bed. And stop using devices an hour ahead of going to sleep. Preferably, read as it'll help to settle your mind.

There's a girl I know, we were on Twitch recently and she announced her night-time snack at 9pm was a giant bag of skittles and a large Monster energy drink. At 9pm. I pointed out how bizarre that was, but was all "it's fine! I do it all the time". But it just blocks your capacity for REM sleep, so she'll be knackered. She'll get away with it now because she's in her early 20s. Good luck with that in your 30s hah.

That's the other thing, keep off the caffeine!

And remember it takes time. Lead a healthy diet and maybe listen to podcasts as you fall asleep (that's what I do). Get someone with a relaxing voice and just drift off when listening. 

Podcasts are very useful, too, instead of tossing and turning in bed all night. They can keep you company.

Thanks for the list and I'm glad you find help in some of these x

I've tried new pillows but I think one of my biggest problems might be that I don't do enough during the day to tire myself out properly. My days consist of computer programming and watching films and listening to music.

I need to do more physical activities but I'm not sure what.

I'm sorry you suffer from anxiety nightmares. I used to get these, I still do sometimes but I've been doing yoga since 2019 and since I started I get less anxiety nightmares.

Thought I would say just in case it helps you too  X

I've suffered from sleep problems almost my entire life. I often wake up at 4am and can't get back to sleep.

It's a combination of things. 

1. I was diagnosed with an irregular heart beat, this caused me to wake up completely instantly.
2. Anxiety causes me difficulty to even fall asleep.
3. Physical exersion during the day helps sleep at night.
4. Falling asleep during the day causes sleep problems at night.
5. A new pillow has helped my sleep.

I'm kinda used to it by now. I go to sleep, wake up after a couple of hours feeling terrified (fun anxiety nightmares) but I'm able to calm down and fall back asleep, then repeat. I usually wake up fairly rested though. 

Hey thanks so much for the link!! That sounds amazing, I've never heard of anything like it before but it sounds amazing - and plenty of reviews back it up so I've ordered it and will Prime, in theory, it should be here tomorrow so I should hopefully have a really good nights sleep.

Thanks so much for your help with this I really do appreciate it!!

Anything is worth a go :) ASMR is useful too, especially personal attention videos. Also, look on Amazon for a Bluetooth Eye Mask with built-in speakers. It blacks out the light and combined with a looped relaxation video on YouTube it becomes the most effective sleeping aid imaginable.

https://amzn.eu/d/gh2HTAu

I do hope this will aid you in some way :) 

Hi!

Thanks for this suggestion. Listening to relaxing sounds is something I've read of and it seems to work for a lot of people so I might try this. Maybe listening to the sea or sounds in a jungle. Just something soothing. I'm hoping it will make a difference as I'm always tired.