One of the most common comorbidities of being autistic is the inability to have a consistent sleep routine. 40-80% of the autistic population struggles with sleep. I for the longest time was no different in that path of my journey. For so long, medication has helped me and throughout the last five years I had believed the opposite until I got back on track recently and discovered its effectiveness.

Not getting adequate sleep can amplify many things for an autistic person including their irritability, anger, aggression, and being hyper to name a few. Some of the challenges autistic individuals face in the sleep realm include falling asleep, fragmented sleep patterns, getting enough sleep, and being completely rested upon sleeping. Furthermore, some other issues that autistic individuals have with sleeping include those that have comorbidities such as epilepsy, ADHD, anxiety, or Gastrointestinal issues to name a few.

Some of the things that can help on your own are having a constant bedtime routine that can include some screen free time at least an hour before bed instead of reading some book, taking a calming bath or shower, and relaxing in bed. It is also important that the bedroom be used for sleeping and electronics not be used during bedtime or when getting ready for bedtime. It is essential that making the bedroom comfortable for the individual and their needs for as comfortable as possible.

There needs to be an established relationship that at night sleep is the principal activity that occurs. If one wakes, there is to be no screens. Instead, an activity such as book reading or other related activities that do not involve screens. It is essential to ensure that the focus at night is sleeping. To exert physical activity, which should be done as much as possible before the evening meal.

Sometimes eliminating caffeine and sugar from one’s food intake can aid in making sleep easier and in fact I have eliminated caffeine for four months now but have never put into place other methods of sleep tactics. I have been prescribed medications to aid in that process for decades and until I began living independently over five years ago, have immensely discouraged them for the fact that they cause me to be severely sleepy.

Recently realizing that they do better than harm and that they are needed, I have been documenting sleep and dosing times so that my treatment team is more aware of how much indeed I am sleeping and whether I am putting it on myself by retreating to bed too early. There must be a realization that I never had the opportunity to keep engaged when totally of sound mind when living independently, therefore it is something that I must develop on my own and I am beginning to work on that as much as possible. It is taking some time to establish as well as getting established on my medication regimen as well.

It has been five years since starting this battle and it has taken me until recently to realize that I must adhere to the medication regardless of what I am feeling due to me reading about the necessity of such. It is also important to accept that it will take some time to establish in place the necessary schedule, routine, and activity to keep me engaged throughout the day.

Some say that less is more while others say that keeping engaged is necessary, that is for each person to decide on their own. For me, there is a necessity of keeping engaged and being able to stay away from the bedroom and not climbing into bed so that I do not get off my sleep pattern. Having routines, as autistic people succeed well in, is seeming to be what is necessary for me to be able to thrive in an independent world. But most of all, sleep is one of those things that too must be the end of one day that leads into the start of the next and is essential for survival.