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Why Do Autistics Have Sleep Problems? I have autism, and my life has been shaped
around discovering what makes the symptoms of autism worse, what makes the symptoms of
autism better, and why. In this video, I explain why autistics do
one of sixteen different types of behaviours. Then I'll let you know how to get more information,
if you want it. This is one of a series of 16 different videos which I hope will make
it easier for you to explain autism behaviours to extended family, colleagues, educators,
friends, or anyone who might be working with or supporting someone with an autistic spectrum
condition. I'm Jackie McMillan of Thrive With Autism.
I help parents, educators, health practitioners, and adult autistics to reduce or eliminate
the symptoms of autistic spectrum disorders, so that autism no longer defines their lives,
or limits their opportunities. So, why do autistics have trouble falling
asleep, or often wake at the same time every night and can't get back to sleep, or have
lots of bad nightmares? Well, um, now let's start with, ah, having trouble falling asleep.
Well, um, to fall asleep you have to be able to relax, and when your sympathetic nervous
system, which is the part of you that gets you revved up and engaged and able to pay
attention to things, um, when your sympathetic nervous system is on high alert, the way ours
are when we're in the autistic spectrum, it can be really, really hard to let that alert
back down, and allow the parasympathetic nervous system to take over.
So one of the things that my Dad did with me when I was about three was start, he started
to teach me Yoga breathing exercises to help me be able to consciously start to initiate
bringing to the fore the parasympathetic nervous system, to allow me to be able to relax, and
then to be able to fall asleep. All right, so, so why do autistics tend to
wake regularly during the night? Well, ah, this is pretty interesting! If you look up,
um, a Chinese organ clock on Google, you're going to see these images that have a clock
divided into two-hour segments. At each of these two-hour segments is a, is a time period
during which an organ or system of the body is either at its most active, getting its
work done, or at its least active, getting its repairs done. So when we wake at night
at the same time, regularly, and have trouble falling back asleep, it's a really good clue
as to which organs or which systems of the body are either over-performing, or under-performing,
and need support in order to do what they're supposed to do, effectively.
Now, nightmares are the third thing. When you have really bad nightmares repeatedly
-- and um, you know, all three of these things are things I've experienced -- when you have
really bad nightmares over and over again, this is one of your best clues that there
is unresolved trauma. And unresolved trauma is one of the five root causes of autism,
one of the things that will cause autistic symptoms in an adult who has never shown any
autistic symptoms before, and one of the things that, if you provide treatment for trauma,
you'll see an autistic often showing really great improvements.
If you want more information about Thrive With Autism, there is one more free live webinar
on September 25th. I'll be starting my next supported online program on September 30th.
Last night a teacher made a point of telling me his amazement at how well my suggestions
were working for him. If you want live support and feedback while
you begin applying these materials to optimize the gifts, and minimize the challenges of
autism, please register now at the link, at the bottom of the page.
Thank you for caring about someone with autism.