Many autistic people find sleep very difficult. To find out more about the reasons why, click here:

https://www.spectrumnews.org/news/sleep-problems-autism-explained/

Top tips for proper sleep hygiene

The term “sleep hygiene” can be a bit misleading, as it doesn’t include washing your face or brushing your teeth before bed. (But remember to do those things, too!)

Sleep hygiene is science-backed practices — during the day and before bedtime — that help create the ideal conditions for healthy sleep, can mean the difference between a restful night and a restless one.

Dim the lights after dark. Getting enough natural light during the day is important for keeping your circadian rhythm, or body clock, on a healthy sleep-wake cycle. Bright light from lamps and electronics at night, however, can mess that cycle up, making it harder to fall asleep. That’s because light, especially blue light from your laptop or cell phone, interferes with the release of melatonin, a hormone that tells our body that it’s time to wind down. Think about dimming the lights at home after you finish dinner, or once you get into bed.

Unplug an hour before bed. You’ve probably heard this a million times, but it’s worth repeating: Screens and sleep are incompatible. Keeping screen use to a minimum, at least an hour before bed, is essential for sound sleep. Besides the light disrupting your body clock, games, videos, work emails, and social feeds all conspire to keep your mind active — and keep you awake way later than you should be. Make it a habit to sleep with your phone out of reach, if possible. Keeping it off your night table means it will be out of reach, especially when you can’t sleep. If you feel that it’s not possible to keep your phone in another room at night, consider putting it into “Do Not Disturb” or nighttime mode to block notifications from flashing or vibrating your phone during the night. Another idea is to keep it face-down on your nightstand so that you will not see it light up in the night. If you need help waking up, consider an old-fashioned alarm clock.

Steer clear of stimulants late in the day. Who doesn’t love a good cup of coffee as a late-afternoon pick-me-up? Caffeine, however, is a stimulant. If you’re having trouble sleeping, you’ll want to avoid beverages and foods that contain caffeine — coffee, non-herbal tea, colas, even chocolate — at least 6 hours prior to bedtime.

Avoid foods that can disrupt sleep. Citrus fruits, spicy food, fatty or fried food, and heavy meals are all tough on the digestive system and can trigger indigestion. If you’re prone to heartburn, eating too close to bedtime can mean a night of misery. That’s because it takes your stomach 3 to 4 hours to empty, so when you lie down right after a big meal, your digestive juices are still cranking. The result: burning chest pain and disrupted sleep.

Get regular exercise. A 2013 studyfound that a regular exercise routine can help contribute to improved sleep. The study results suggest that the effects of exercise on improving your sleep may not be immediate, however. It may take a few weeks or even months before an exercise routine creates a substantial impact on the quality and quantity of your sleep. It’s safe to say that if you have trouble sleeping, you may want to get your workout in earlier in the day, or at least 3 hours before bedtime. Exercise stimulates your body to produce the stress hormone cortisol that keeps your brain alert. Which is perfectly normal and fine, unless you’re trying to fall asleep.

Limit or avoid naps during the day. Plenty of famous people throughout history — including Salvador Dali, Albert Einstein, and Winston Churchill — have been fans of the catnap. In corporate America, some companies have embraced the idea, setting up workplace nap rooms. Although a short power nap of 20-25 minutes can lift your mood and leave you more refreshed, at least in the short term, it won’t make up for poor quality sleep at night. However, if you are experiencing trouble falling or staying asleep, it can be best to avoid naps altogether. A late-afternoon snooze will decrease your homeostatic sleep drive, making it harder to drift off at bedtime.