According to a quick Internet search it is estimated that 50-80 percent of autistic people struggle with sleep. Before I received my Autism Spectrum diagnosis in my teens, I struggled with sleep some times. Then it became many times. Eventually, it became worrying. There was a point when so much was going on in my life. I was placed in a residential treatment facility. This ensured that I was safe. I got the help I needed. Medication was part of that process. That was a big help in getting me to sleep uninterrupted.

When I started living independently, I was not taking my medications as prescribed. I also did not take them as consistently as I should have been. This led to many issues. I made many destructive decisions. After a few relapses, I began to understand the value of medication. Eventually, this understanding led me to recognize the importance of sleep.

Part of understanding the value of sleep was realizing I needed to take the medication even when I was tired. I had struggled with accepting it as part of the necessary medication regimen. A part of me has always struggled to understand why sleep is important. After the relapses, I understood the value. It began to make me feel better. I started to get things done that I needed and wanted. I simply live my best life possible.

Those first days of getting back into rhythm were hard. I did not ignore the need to dedicate time to sleep. I focused on doing what was needed to make that happen. I even made my bedroom a more sleep friendly environment. This was suggested by much of the research related to my diagnosis that I had done. Over time, it had made things better. My life improved significantly because I understood and accepted sleep as a necessary tool. It benefited not only my mental health recovery but also my overall well-being.

I eventually learned and accepted that sleep is just as important as medication. The medication I was prescribed helped with sleep and other issues. It was as necessary as the other medications I was prescribed. I made sleep more of a priority than my other responsibilities. I lived a life that I once loved as much as before living on my own. It was better because I was well. I was also living independently. This independence aided my well-being in many ways.

The reality is that sleep matters to many people. For the longest time, I was unaware of it. I did not see how hard it was hurting me or my mental health. I had neglected that the medication I was supposed to take was not only helping me sleep. It was also part of the “cocktail” set many years ago to give me the best quality of life. In the past, I did not like certain things about it for many reasons. Eventually, I came to terms with accepting the things that came with the medication. I focused on combating things like weight gain and other related struggles.

I am back to making the right decisions once and for all. As a result, I have begun to see my life become better. While those things of the past are no longer there, they’re not there for the right reasons. I have started to appreciate sleep for its true value. It plays a crucial role in my life and is essential for my mental health. My overall well-being also depends on it.