Sweet dreams: Children with autism spend less time in the rapid eye movement stage of sleep, in which dreaming is most common, than typically developing children do.
In the sleep laboratory, dream content narratives following REM sleep awakenings were shorter in ASD participants than in controls. ASD participants also reported fewer settings, objects, characters, social interactions, activities, and emotions.
Yet, lack of imagination is often considered one of the notable traits of autism.
In a study of autistic adults, the level of ASD traits significantly predicted MD symptoms. Loneliness and difficulties with emotional regulation, though not exclusive to ASD, may contribute to higher levels of daydreaming.
Sleep in people with autism may also be less restorative than it is for people in the general population. They spend about 15 percent of their sleeping time in the rapid eye movement (REM) stage, which is critical for learning and retaining memories.
Autistic children can have particular sleep and settling problems, including: irregular sleeping and waking patterns – for example, lying awake until very late or waking very early in the morning. sleeping much less than expected for their age, or being awake for more than an hour during the night.
Autistic people can often have trouble sleeping. There are a range of reasons for this including difficulties with relaxing or winding down and irregular melatonin levels. Problems with sleep can be an issue for both autistic adults and children.
Children on the autism spectrum often keep crying as long as it seems to work for them. When it doesn't, they eventually quit. If they are upset about something, we want them to learn to handle their feelings in more powerful ways.
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).
hypersomnia - sleeping too much. Increased exhaustion could be caused by the additional stress autistic people experience in social situations.
However, epidemiological data from different countries indicate a high prevalence of low intelligence quotient (IQ) scores in children with ASD. According to the most recent ASD surveillance estimates in the US, 35% of 8‐year‐old children with ASD have Intellectual Disability (ID) (IQ < 70, Maenner et al., 2021).
Some things to look out for include limited eye-contact, inability to communicate, inappropriate responses, rarely smiling or lack of expressions, difficulty expressing empathy, overreacting to changes, OCD behaviors, lack of impulse control, disliking physical touch, self-injury, and head-banging.
Genetic and neurological differences combined with environment make it harder for autistic people to sleep well. The result is: more time needed to fall asleep. increased nighttime awakenings.
While a full night's sleep might not give you as much REM sleep as a neurotypical person, it's certainly worth your while to make sure get a full seven to eight hours of sleep each night.
Quality of Life (QoL)
Adults with autism seem to have a poorer QoL throughout their lifespan when compared to neurotypical adults, and when measured with instruments designed for the general population (11, 12).
Autism doesn't get worse with age, but certain symptoms can become more pronounced and problematic as the child grows older and is more challenged.
People with ASD may have lighter sleep and less dreaming later in the night. That is when night waking often happens. The hormone melatonin is made by the brain to control sleep. Some scientific studies show that people with ASD may not have the same amount or action of melatonin.
While memory difficulty is not part of the diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), it is a common symptom experienced by many autistic people.
Some believe that autistic people aren't interested in romantic relationships or aren't capable of romantic love. However, this is far from the truth. In fact, autistic people can make wonderful partners.
Yes, it's normal for autistic adults to talk to themselves occasionally. Many people on the autism spectrum like to review conversations to themselves for numerous reasons. This can include repeating lines from their favorite TV shows or movies, and this is known as "scripting".
Children with autism have also been shown to prefer musical learning compared to visual or auditory learning. Autistic children have a keen interest in music and remarkable musical abilities, which makes it easier for them to learn when music is made part of their learning.
In conclusion, caffeine may be a promising treatment for individuals with autism. Studies have shown that caffeine can improve cognitive function, reduce hyperactivity, and increase social interaction in individuals with autism.
Sensory issues with food: Kids on the autism spectrum often express a strong preference for foods that feel a certain way in their mouths. Some prefer soft or creamy foods like yogurt, soup or ice cream; others need the stimulation that crunchy foods like Cheetos or — if a parent is lucky, carrots — provide.
Eating problems are common in autistic people.
Issues such as only eating very few foods, not being able to eat at school, going long periods of time without eating and pica (eating non-foods) can feel difficult to understand and manage.