Many children will experience some type of sleep-related challenge at some point in their lives. Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may have an increased likelihood of experiencing difficulty with sleep (Hodge et al., 2014). For children who have difficulty falling asleep or awaken often during the night, developing good sleep hygiene can be beneficial.
Good sleep hygiene refers to a wide range of practices and factors that can contribute to better sleep. These factors include things such as lifestyle practices (such as exercise) and environmental considerations (such as noise level) (Perlis et al., 2011). Below are some tips (from Perlis et al., 2011) for parents and caregivers who are looking to improve their child’s sleep hygiene:
Exercise/Physical Activity
Exercise and physical activity can help deepen sleep! Timing exercise for the afternoon or late afternoon can be a helpful way to promote deeper sleep.
Snacks before Bedtime
Having a small, carbohydrate-based snack about 1 hour before bedtime may help some people to fall asleep – it is best to make sure your child avoids snacks that are high in sugar or caffeine before bedtime.
Drinks before Bedtime
Drinking too many liquids before bedtime can result in children waking up in the middle of the night with a full bladder. To help avoid this, have your child finish their liquids at least an hour before bedtime and make sure they use the bathroom before going to bed!
Caffeine
Children may come into contact with caffeine in some foods (e.g., chocolate) and drinks (e.g., sodas) they consume. Some medications may also contain caffeine. You can minimize the impact caffeine may be having on your child’s sleep by limiting their caffeine intake within 6 hours of their bedtime.
It is also important to know that, even decaffeinated items likely contain some amounts of caffeine which could impact children (and adults!) who are sensitive to caffeine even in small amounts.
Noise Levels
Loud or unpredictable environmental noises (like the occasional car horn on a nearby street) can contribute to difficulties falling asleep and waking during the night. Parents can help minimize how disruptive these noises are for their child by introducing white noise into the child’s sleep environment. When choosing a type of sound, it is best to pick one that is consistent and predictable (e.g., white noise/static; ocean waves, air purifiers, fans) rather than sources of white noise that produce inconsistent sounds (e.g., thunderstorm sounds, forest sounds).
When adding white noise to your child’s sleep environment, make sure that the noise is set up to play throughout the entire night. If your child wakes in the middle of the night and the white noise is no longer on, it might be more difficult for them to fall back asleep!
Comfortable Sleep Environment
Generally, having a cool and dark sleep environment will help promote better sleep. It will be easier for your child to make themself warmer in a slightly cooler room – like by covering up more with a blanket – than to find ways to make themself cooler in a warm room! A darker room can be achieved with a sleep mask or blackout curtains that block light from coming through the windows. If your child is very sensitive to light, it can be helpful to look around your child’s room at night to see what other sources of light (like light coming in under the bedroom door) could be minimized!
A Final Note…
The tips above are simply general recommendations. Remember, every person is different and what works for one child may not be best for your child! For example, many people sleep better in dark environments. But for a child who becomes fearful or anxious in the dark, they may be kept awake longer in darker environments if they are worrying about the dark. It is also important to keep in mind that some sleep challenges can stem from medical or physical factors or alongside certain medications. If you have concerns about your child’s sleep patterns, it is best to bring these concerns up with your child’s doctor to rule out any potential medical causes.
This is the second post in our Sleepy Time series where we’ll be sharing helpful parent resources and information about common behavioral sleep challenges, steps for improving sleep hygiene, some behavioral sleep intervention strategies, and bedtime and sleep tools for parents to try. Stay tuned for our Navigating Autism Parent Workshop in June on the topic: Bedtime Blues: Understanding & Overcoming Bedtime Resistance & Sleep Challenges. Register here!
References
- Hodge, D., Carollo, T. M., Lewin, M., Hoffman, C. D., & Sweeney, D. P. (2014). Sleep patterns in children with and without autism spectrum disorders: Developmental comparisons. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 35, 1631-1638. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2014.03.037
- Perlis, M., Aloia, M., & Kuhn, B. (2011). Behavioral treatments for sleep disorders: A comprehensive primer of behavioral sleep medicine interventions. Elsevier Inc.
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