WHY WON'T HE SLEEP?

My brother refuses to sleep. Help me!

A good night rest is so NEEDED, but unfortunately it’s not guaranteed for everyone, especially for people with autism.

Younger, my little brother used to have trouble staying asleep. He would wake up by 1am and won’t be able to sleep afterwards.

Individuals on the spectrum often have trouble falling and staying asleep. He would wake up in the night frequently and of course, decides that “If I can’t sleep, no one else can”.

Many people with autism have other conditions, such as apnea, gastrointestinal problems, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or anxiety.

What I have learnt is that sensory sensitivities to light, sound or touch may contribute to difficulty sleeping. In some cases, people on the spectrum carry mutations that make them prone to sleeping problems.

How we eventually fixed Tobi’s insomnia, if I am allowed to use that word is that we set a routine for him to follow. It helps him fall asleep. In my home, we are all early sleepers. When he sees that it’s 9pm and everyone is getting ready to sleep, he gets the idea.

"It's time for bed, young one."

Stick with regular bed time and avoid activities that he finds hard to stop. My brother loves the iPad, but can’t give it up in the night. That's when he knows that he wants to play subway surf till the break of day.

It’s still something we are trying to fix but we thank God!

Progress!

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