How to help an autistic child sleep through the night

Helping an autistic child to sleep through the night peacefully can be a real challenge. Many autistic children struggle with falling asleep, staying asleep, or getting enough rest for the day ahead - so you and your child are not alone.

Sleep difficulties can stem from a range of factors - just as they can in any child - such as melatonin production, sensory sensitivities, or co-existing conditions such as ADHD or epilepsy making a single solution hard to pinpoint. But it’s about how you manage it, which really counts.

In this article, we’ll explore the most common reasons autistic children struggle with sleep, practical strategies you can try at home, and when it’s time to seek professional help.

Table of contents

• Why do autistic children struggle with sleep?
• Common causes of sleep problems in autistic children
• Why sleep matters to your child
• Five practical tips to help autistic children sleep through the night
• Age-specific sleep tips for autistic children
• When it’s time to seek professional help
• Supporting yourself as a parent
• Need help with your child’s sleep?

Why do autistic children struggle with sleep?

Sleep challenges in autistic children don’t always look the same. Keeping a sleep journal can make it much easier to spot patterns and triggers, especially when looking for support with an ongoing pattern.

The most common sleep struggles and why they may be happening are below.

Difficulty falling asleep at bedtime

Many autistic children struggle to switch off at night - lying in bed awake, even when they’re completely shattered. This can happen for a few reasons:

• Racing thoughts or anxiety
• Sensory overload via clothes or bedding
• Difficulty winding down after the excitement of the day

This isn’t unique to autistic children; adults and children of all ages, neurodivergent or not, may struggle with this from time to time. The key difference is that autistic children often have less understanding of why it’s happening or struggle to talk about their worries, which can make the problem feel much bigger.

Night waking

You may have the smoothest bedtime routine a parent could wish for with your little one, but night waking may still be a struggle, leaving your child (and the family) exhausted.

Reasons for that can be:

• Restless sleep cycles – their brain may not stay in deep sleep as easily.
• Sensitivity to small disturbances – similar to being a light sleeper, but often heightened by sensory sensitivities.
• Trouble self-soothing – once awake, they may find it difficult to get back to sleep alone.

Oversleeping (Hypersomnia)

The less common sleep issue amongst autistic children is sleeping for an unusually long period or feeling excessively tired during the day.

This can be linked to:

• social exhaustion
• co-occurring medical conditions - e.g., epilepsy, anxiety, or depression.
• medication side effects

Common causes of sleep problems in autistic children

Other causes of sleep issues in autistic children can include:

• Anxiety and a problem relaxing
• Abnormal melatonin and circadian rhythms
• Sensitivities to light, noise, and touch (such as clothing)
• Social cueing challenges causing a lack of bedtime understanding
• Medical conditions like epilepsy or lung issues
• Alterations in habit or daily routine
• Co-occurring conditions like ADHD and depression

Why sleep matters to your child

Sleep is important for every child, but for autistic children, it plays an even greater role. A good night’s rest helps with learning, memory, emotional regulation, and overall well-being. When sleep is disrupted, the effects can be much stronger and more noticeable.

Lack of sleep frequently amplifies autistic traits too.

Children may experience more frequent meltdowns, heightened irritability, or bursts of hyperactivity. Their ability to focus and process information is reduced, making everyday tasks - from getting dressed to concentrating at school - far more challenging.

Five practical tips to help autistic children sleep through the night

Explain and normalise sleep

Sleep may be scary or confusing, so spending some time talking about why we need sleep can help eliminate some of the fear that they may associate with bedtime. Utilising visual bedtime schedules can make the entire process clearer, and above all, predictable and consistent. For example, “bath → pyjamas → story → lights out” gets across expectations in a way your child can understand.

Keep a sleep diary

Without tracking your child's sleep, it’s easy to feel like there’s no pattern at all. A sleep diary can help make sense of what’s really going on. Try jotting down things like when your child goes to bed, when they wake up, what they ate or drank beforehand, and anything else that might affect their sleep. As time passes, you’ll start to get an understanding of what’s standing in their way, and you can begin to eliminate the triggers.

Create a calming sleep environment

The space your child sleeps in plays a big part in how easily they settle down. Try to keep the room quiet, cool, and dark. Around 18 °C (64.4 °F) tends to work well for most children. Other things you can add are:

• Blackout curtains can keep outside light from seeping in
• Softer lighting in the room can help make things feel more peaceful.
• Soft pyjamas or covers to ensure they have a calm sensory experience.
• A white noise machine can help generate a constant, calming noise to sleep to (which, not incidentally, aids in consistency & predictability).

Manage sensory triggers

For many autistic children, bedtime struggles can come down to sensory overload. A few tweaks before bed can help:

• No screens or blue light at least one hour before bedtime because it disrupts melatonin, the sleep hormone.
• Steer clear of stimulating activity or vigorous exercise before bedtime, instead focusing sensory activities such as heavy work or movement breaks throughout the day.
• Substitute with calming wind-down activities such as reading together, listening to gentle music, deep pressure exercises, or quiet mindfulness exercises like yoga.

Keep an eye on diet and lifestyle

What your child has to eat and does during the day can really make all the difference. No caffeine, sugar, or other stimulants 8 hours before bedtime is ideal. You may also choose to monitor potential sensitivities to food, such as dairy or gluten. Physical activity on a regular basis also promotes improved sleep but be sure to encourage this earlier in the day, and reduce it during the evening where possible.

Age-specific sleep tips for autistic children

Toddlers (1–3 years, need 12–14 hours)

At this age, visual cues can be really helpful - picture schedules that show steps in the bedtime routine can help toddlers understand what comes next.

A familiar comfort object, like a soft toy or blanket, can also ease the transition to sleep.

School-age children (4–12 years, need 10–11 hours)

Routine becomes even more important in this stage, as a full night’s rest will help them learn and make the most of their time at school.

Stick to the same bedtime and wake-up times, even on weekends. Limit screens in the evening and keep them out of the bedroom to avoid overstimulation. Pay close attention to sensory factors affecting their sleep.

Teenagers (13–18 years, need 8–10 hours)

Teens naturally shift towards later bedtimes, but for autistic teenagers, this can make sleep challenges worse. Try to tackle late-night screen use (phones and gaming can push bedtime later and later) and instead encourage relaxing pre-sleep activities.

When it’s time to seek professional help

If your child routinely ends up significantly below the sleep ranges above and a lack of sleep is having a clear impact on their behaviour, learning, or emotional wellbeing, it may be time to discuss your concerns with your doctor.

They may refer you and your child to a sleep specialist to rule out sleep apnoea, restless legs, or other physical disorders.

Supporting yourself as a parent

Caring for an autistic child who struggles with sleep can feel overwhelming, and it’s easy to forget about your own needs in the process. But your well-being matters too - even if you think you’re being selfish - you matter.

If you’re constantly exhausted, it’s much harder to support your child in the way you want to. If possible, tag-team bedtime or night waking with a partner, so one person does not bear the brunt of responsibility. Even a brief respite can be beneficial.

Asking the help of support networks or parents’ groups can be a huge reassurance, whether practically, or just to be able to talk to people who know what you are going through. There are also plenty of online resources that can help provide additional support, like articles and podcasts.

Need help with your child’s sleep?

You can explore our therapy options to assist in improving your child’s relationship with sleep here.

To talk privately and confidentially to one of our trained professionals about the support you or a child may need, contact us on 0203 326 9160 or request a call back at a time that suits you.