How to Improve Quality of Sleep in Children with Autism

Sinead Ni Fhloinn, BCBA, Clinical Director of REACH Behavior and Development Center.

Having a productive sleep pattern mainly comes down to the quality of your sleep. All children, including autistic children, need enough good-quality sleep for growth, development and learning.

How long it takes children to get to sleep and settle back to bed when they wake in the night can depend on things like, what they do before bed time, what time they go to bed, what activities they do during the day. It is important to establish a structured routine for your child to get them accustomed to bed time. Even if everything is done perfectly, your child can still face sleeping issues. 

Autism and sleep disorders are quite common. Children have a challenge sleeping due to their disorder and not because they are trying to give you a hard time. A study conducted in 2019 with the aim of investigating the prevalence of sleep problems in autism, suggested that over 80% of autistic children below the age of 5 have disrupted sleep. Sleep problems are twice as common among children in the autism spectrum than neurotypical children or those with other developmental conditions. 

Moreover, it takes a child with autism an average of 11 minutes longer to fall asleep than neurotypical children. 

Here are some tips to help your child have a restful night’s sleep. 

Set up a bedtime routine

A regular bedtime routine starting around the same time each night encourages good sleep patterns. A bedtime routine of bath, story and bed can help younger children feel ready for sleep. For older children, the routine might include a quiet chat with you about the day then some time alone relaxing before lights out.

Set Up Healthy Sleep Associations

Sleep associations and habits are the things that children (and adults) need to settle for sleep. When children wake at night, they need the same things to go back to sleep.

For autistic children, sleep associations and habits can be very strong. They might include falling asleep next to a parent, while watching TV or after using an electronic device.

If you’d prefer your child to fall asleep by themselves in their own bed, you might want to help your child develop some healthy sleep associations. Here are some ideas:

• Use pictures of your child sleeping in their own bed as part of a visual support.
• Give your child a reward for staying in their own bed.

Get enough physical activity during the day

It’s a good idea to encourage your child to be more active during the day – for example, even a family walk before dinner can make a difference. And it’s great if your child can be active outside, because plenty of natural light during the day also helps with sleep.

We recommend that:

• Preschoolers should be physically active for at least three hours a day, including at least an hour of energetic play, like running and jumping
• School-age children should be physically active for several hours a day, including at least an hour of moderate to vigorous physical activity.

Avoid caffeine, screens and excitement before bed

Caffeine is in energy drinks, coffee, tea, chocolate and cola. Make sure your child avoids these foods and drinks, especially in the late afternoon or evening. Your child might be more likely to relax and settle for sleep if they also avoid excitement, TV and screens in the hour before bed.

You can take it a step further and transform your child’s bedroom to help ease their sleep experience. Firstly, you can block out the light, lower the noise by using padding or carpets on the floor. Add soothing scents such as lavender or eucalyptus oil, and remove distractions, such as iPads or laptops.  

Some children may benefit from these tips, while others may take a longer time to adjust to a healthy sleeping pattern. It is also important to refer to a professional therapist to help, as therapy can help a child express what interventions are needed to help ease their child’s sleeping experience.  

A therapist can also teach relaxation techniques, such as breathing exercises. Get in touch with us to help you out with some techniques that might help.