Sleep is one of the most important parts of life. It allows the body to reset following the day’s events and prepare for the next one. But for people with autism spectrum disorder, sleep disturbances can cause issues with rest, relaxation, and resetting the body. While most think about too little sleep as a major issue, some people on the spectrum sleep too much.
There are many potential causes for a person sleeping too much. But there are also ways caregivers can help their loved ones address the issue and get the right amount of sleep, allowing for a more restful time for both the person on the spectrum and their caregiver.
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Why do some autistic people sleep too much?
Excessive sleep is a condition called hypersomnia. Some potential reasons people with autism spectrum disorders may sleep too much include stress, sensory issues, genetics, medical conditions, or psychological aspects.
Stress
We’ve all experienced stress, whether from social situations or everyday life. However, for autistic people, stress can be magnified, increasing exhaustion and leading to disturbed sleep patterns, including sleeping too much.
Sensory issues
Many people with autism spectrum disorder experience sensory sensitivities. Smells or noises in the bedroom can affect sleep patterns, adjust the sleep-wake cycle, and lead to excessive sleep.
Genetics
Genetic variations in children with autism can lead to sleep disorders. If the body makes too much melatonin, the hormone that helps people sleep, people may spend more time sleeping than expected.
Genetics can also lead to too little melatonin being produced. This can cause circadian rhythm disruptions, and people will struggle to fall asleep.
Medical conditions
There are numerous medical conditions that can impact sleepiness among people with autism. These can include:
- Sleep disorders – Disorders like sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, and periodic limb movement can cause a person to not get enough rest and cause them to sleep more.
- Neurological disorders – Some neurological disorders, like epilepsy, can co-occur with autism spectrum disorder and lead to excessive sleepiness.
- Allergies – Food allergies have been proven to also affect circadian rhythm and lead to difficulty falling asleep. Studies have shown more than 12 percent of children with food allergies experience sleep issues, including sleeping too much.
- Medical treatment – Medications used to treat other health issues can make some people sleepier than others, especially if they are used to treat insomnia or other sleep disorders.
Psychological aspects
Psychological issues have also been shown to impact sleep in almost everybody, and that can have a greater effect among autistic adults and children.
Anxiety, depression, and burnout have all been shown to lead to increased sleepiness in some children with autism spectrum disorder. Plus, psychological medical conditions like bipolar disorder and seasonal affective disorder can also cause people to need more sleep.
It’s worth noting that every person’s needs are different. Some people require more sleep while others require less, so what constitutes sleep problems may vary.
How much sleep is too much?
There isn’t a specific time limit for how much sleep qualifies as sufficient or excessive; it varies from person to person. As noted, everyone’s sleep needs are different.
However, most experts agree that an optimum sleep window is between seven and nine hours. Once people begin regularly sleeping beyond this mark, they risk sleeping too much.
Some warning signs of sleeping too much include:
- waking up tired,
- constantly sleeping through alarms,
- waking up with a headache,
- always feeling sleepy and never feeling refreshed.
Too much sleep has also been associated with health risks. Sleeping too much leads to decreased physical activity, which has been linked to weight gain, depression, heart disease, and stroke.
Impact of excessive sleeping on daily life
Beyond the obvious health risks, sleeping too much can have other effects on a person’s daily life. Excessive sleep can lead to fatigue and low energy while the person is awake.Â
These can impact the safety of both the person struggling with oversleeping and those around them, as sleep disorders have been linked to thousands of motor vehicle crashes each year.
Depending on the age of the person with autism spectrum disorder experiencing sleep problems, sleeping too much could affect either professional or academic performance.Â
Excessive sleepiness can impair a person’s ability to complete tasks that may be critical for their job. An employer may be forced to fire the worker because the quality of their work does not meet minimal requirements.
For a student, excessive sleepiness has been linked to increased tardiness, a lower grade point average, and lower graduation rates.
Excessive sleep can also impact a person’s daily routine. Many children with autism spectrum disorders like to adhere to a strict routine, which provides them with comfort and security.
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Anything that disrupts that routine can disrupt sleep, causing excessive sleepiness and meltdowns. These disruptions caused by sleeping too much can continue, leading to prolonged disturbed sleep patterns.
Sleeping too much has also been shown to impact how people with autism spectrum disorder respond to social interactions. Social situations can increase stressors that can cause sleep and mood disorders in the person on the spectrum.
It may lead to the autistic person avoiding social situations altogether, which can impact mental disorders like anxiety or depression.
Tips for managing sleeping too much with autism
While sleeping too much may be damaging to a person’s health and their routines, there are steps autistic people can take to ensure they fall asleep and not sleep too much.
Some of these tips include:
- Create a consistent sleep schedule – Waking up and going to bed at the same time each day can help establish sleep patterns and reduce trouble sleeping.
- Avoid naps – Getting tired in the middle of the day may seem common, but taking naps can make it harder to fall asleep at night, further contributing to sleep disturbances.
- Exercise – Regular physical activity throughout the day can help the body recognize when it is tired, allowing the person to fall asleep more easily.
- Avoid eating too late. While late-night snacks may sound delicious, eating too close to bedtime may make falling asleep more difficult and lead to poor sleep throughout the night.
- Create a comfortable sleep environment – Sensory issues can cause excessive sleep. Making sure the bedroom is at the optimal temperature with the right level of darkness and quiet may help an autistic person sleep without sleeping too much. This can include fans, nightlights, comfortable bedding, and night clothes.
- Establish a relaxing bedtime routine – Practicing relaxation techniques before trying to fall asleep can help establish a bedtime routine that helps avoid sleep problems.
- Keep a sleep diary – Tracking your sleep patterns in a sleep diary can help identify any issues that arise and how to address them.
If these techniques don’t work, it may be time to consult a doctor. They may prescribe medications that can help children with autism sleep more soundly.
My son would often not sleep some nights and then sleep too much the next night. His doctor tried both Clonidine and melatonin before prescribing both to help with his sleep problems.
Since that prescription, we’ve had far fewer sleepless nights, and he doesn’t sleep too much in response to not sleeping the previous night.
Supporting healthy sleep
Adults and children with autism may experience sleep disorders in their lives. Some may be sleeping too little while others may be sleeping too much, and this excessive sleepiness can have an impact on their everyday lives.
As parents and caregivers, we must look for the root causes of sleep disorders and try to help our loved ones adjust. It could be genetics, medical conditions, or psychological triggers, but something is causing them to struggle with sleep problems.
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Once you’ve identified a trigger, you can work with your loved one to establish ways to manage their struggles. Making small, subtle changes can lead to children with autism avoiding poor sleep.
The adjustments can be as simple as changing bedding and night clothes, establishing a bedtime routine, or tracking issues in a sleep diary. These changes can help you recognize if your loved one needs to see a doctor for their sleep problems.
FAQs
Q: Do people with autism sleep more?
A: People on the autism spectrum do not sleep more than their neurotypical peers. They are more likely to experience a sleep disorder, like insomnia or sleep apnea, that can impact their sleep health. Sometimes, they may sleep more, but many times, they will sleep less.
Q: Are sleep issues a symptom of autism?
A: Yes, sleep issues are often linked to autism spectrum disorder. Studies have shown between 40 to 83 percent of children with autism will experience some kind of sleep disorder. These issues can impact behavioral challenges, interfere with learning, and reduce the overall quality of health of an autistic child.
Q: Does autism make you tired all the time?
A: While autism spectrum disorder itself doesn’t cause tiredness, individuals on the spectrum are more prone to experiencing higher rates of fatigue and burnout. As a result, some autistic adults may appear tired more frequently, while others may not exhibit signs of fatigue at all.
Q: How many hours does an autistic child sleep?
A: Experts suggest that children under a year old may need up to 15 hours of sleep, while children around 10 years old may need as few as 10 hours. Whether or not a child with autism appears to need less sleep than other children, it’s important to put them to bed at a reasonable time to avoid a negative impact on their sleep.
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