No, autistic adults don't necessarily sleep more, but they often experience significant sleep disturbances, leading to daytime fatigue, and while some might sleep longer due to poor quality, many struggle with insomnia, delayed sleep phases, or fragmented sleep, making it harder to get restorative rest, and they may feel sleepier at odd times due to altered melatonin.
Autistic people are more likely to have a mutation in genes regulating melatonin resulting in a “flat melatonin curve.” Thus our bodies often do not feel tired or send the same level of tired cues at night, and we may feel sleepier during portions of the day/upon waking (Furfaro, 2020).
Furthermore, individuals with Autism generally succumb to health complications approximately 15 to 20 years earlier than the general population. Longitudinal studies that followed people with Autism for over 20 years found that the average life expectancy ranges between 39 years and 58 years.
Sleep issues are a common challenge among autistic individuals. They can range from difficulty falling asleep to frequent waking during the night, impacting a person's focus and daily functioning. The amount of sleep each person needs varies, but most people require around eight hours of quality sleep to function well.
Over half of children with autism – and possibly as many as four in five – have one or more chronic sleep problems. Many adults on the spectrum likewise have difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep through the night.
Around 90% of autism cases are attributed to genetic factors, meaning autism is highly heritable, with many different genes contributing, rather than a single cause, often interacting with environmental influences during early brain development, though specific environmental factors don't cause it but can increase risk. Twin studies show strong genetic links, with concordance rates between 60-90% in identical twins, and research points to complex interactions of many genes and prenatal/perinatal factors.
The "6-second rule" for autism is a communication strategy where a speaker pauses for about six seconds after asking a question or giving information, giving the autistic person extra time to process it without feeling rushed, which helps reduce anxiety and allows for a more thoughtful response, reducing frustration for both parties. Instead of repeating or rephrasing, which can be confusing, you wait, and if needed, repeat the exact same words after the pause.
Fatigue, and then subsequent burnout, can happen to anybody. Autistic people, however, can be more susceptible to both, due to the pressures of everyday life, having to navigate social situations and sensory overload.
"Looping" in autism, often called "autism looping," is a non-clinical term for getting stuck in repetitive thought patterns, questions, or phrases, like a broken record, often due to anxiety, sensory overload, or a need for resolution, making it hard to switch focus and causing stress, overlapping with perseveration and rumination. It can manifest as replaying conversations, worrying intensely, or repeating sounds/words (echolalia) as a way to process or self-regulate.
The 3-2-1 sleep rule is a simple wind-down routine: stop eating and drinking alcohol 3 hours before bed, stop working/mentally stimulating activities 2 hours before, and turn off screens (phones, TVs) 1 hour before sleep, helping you transition to rest by reducing stimulants and preparing your mind and body. It's often part of a larger 10-3-2-1-0 rule, which also adds no caffeine 10 hours prior and no hitting snooze (0) in the morning.
Among the causes of death, 27.9% were due to injuries, with suffocation being the most common, followed by asphyxia and drowning. The increased risk of drowning among autistic individuals has been confirmed by two additional studies.
The longest living autistic person known is Donald Gray Triplett, famously known as “Case 1,” who was the first person ever diagnosed with autism. He lived until 89 years old, passing away in 2023.
Autistic burnout might look like:
Increase in mental health issues like anxiety and depression. Withdrawing from your usual social activities or relationships. Difficulty with executive functioning, such as completing tasks and making decisions Increase in repetitive behaviors, like stimming.
Sleep difficulties tend to increase with age in autism. Generally, autistic people take longer to fall asleep and wake up from sleep.
The three main symptom areas for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are persistent difficulties with social communication and interaction, restricted or repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities, and often, different ways of learning, moving, or paying attention, all of which impact daily functioning. These core characteristics vary greatly but center on social connection challenges, rigid routines or repetitive actions, and sensory sensitivities.
For some neurodivergent people, we can experience sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) and sleep apnea; restless leg syndrome (RLS), limb movement disorders, and periodic limb movement disorder; insomnia, including difficulty falling asleep and/or staying asleep; circadian rhythm sleep disorders (CRSD); melatonin ...
Children with high-functioning autism are likely to exhibit a wide range of symptoms in early childhood, including:
Palilalia, the delayed repetition of words or phrases, occurs frequently among individuals with autism and developmental disabilities.
One concept that has gained increasing attention is Cassandra Syndrome-a situation where one partner (often the neurotypical) feels unheard, unseen, or invalidated, especially when their struggles in the relationship are minimized or dismissed.
Tired. If the autistic person feels the need to mask their behavior to fit into social situations, they might frequently feel exhausted. They may also have an introverted disposition, meaning socializing is just a draining activity in general.
An autistic meltdown is an intense emotional and physical reaction to sensory or emotional overload. It is not a tantrum but an involuntary neurological response. An autistic meltdown in adults often includes crying, shouting, pacing, repetitive movements, or complete withdrawal.
What NOT to Say to Someone with Autism
Chinning is a form of repetitive self-stimulatory behavior (stimming) that you may notice in children or adults with autism. It involves pressing, rubbing, or holding the chin against objects, surfaces, or even hands to gain sensory input or comfort.
Children with autism may exhibit rigidity, inflexibility and certain types of repetitive behavior such as: Insistence on following a specific routine. Having difficulty accepting changes in the schedule. A strong preoccupation with a particular interest.
In general, people who have an active lifestyle are much more emotionally resilient and focused. There also seems to be some evidence that physical exercise helps people with depression and ADHD, which are commonly co-occurring conditions with autism.