• Feeling isolated? You're not alone.

    Join 20,000+ people who understand exactly how your day went. Whether you're newly diagnosed, self-identified, or supporting someone you love – this is a space where you don't have to explain yourself.

    Join the Conversation → It's free, anonymous, and supportive.

    As a member, you'll get:

    • A community that actually gets it – no judgment, no explanations needed
    • Private forums for sensitive topics (hidden from search engines)
    • Real-time chat with others who share your experiences
    • Your own blog to document your journey

    You've found your people. Create your free account

Do you have problems falling asleep?

I've had sleeping problems for as long as I can remember. Things I do to help me sleep is I stop using technology at 8:00pm. I also turn a fan on at night to blot out the noises from the hallway and other rooms here at my dorm. Lastly, I take showers at night and go to sleep with wet hair. For some reason, having wet hair makes it easier for me to sleep.
 
Cinnamon115 said:
Lastly, I take showers at night and go to sleep with wet hair. For some reason, having wet hair makes it easier for me to sleep.
Click to expand...

I used to do that! I think it's the pressure.

Now that I have a weighted blanket, I get the full body benefit and don't do it anymore.
 
I suffered 55 years of chronic insomnia and most recently, had spent 20+ years living on 2-3 hours worth of sleep each night. Obviously, I was sleep deprived and had a myriad of issues, but no one had been able to figure out the "sleep" issues.

The doctor who diagnosed my Asperger's (at 57) explained that ADHD is now the first thing they assume with a person who has had sleep issues stretching their lifetime.

Amazingly, on the very first day I started taking Ritalin, I got tired enough to fall asleep almost exactly 12 hours from waking up. It's taken a year of needing additional medication at night, but I am now at a point, for the first time ever, where I am falling asleep on my own, 12 hours after I take my dose of Ritalin (which has been increased 3 times since I've started).

It's not the answer for everyone, and I'm in the process of scheduling another sleep study to deal with other issues, but it is possible. Of course, I was diagnosed with ADHD at 54, so if I had been diagnosed earlier, it might have been easier to adjust as I got older.
 
For the last 2 days I've trying warm milk+honey+alittle cinammon and so far it has worked like a charm, I think in less than an hour I get nocked and sleep
 
Yes. I can't fall asleep before midnight. Although it might be related to my anxiety disorder. Or, less seriously, I could just have messed up my circadian rythm.
 
Jorg said:
Humm, interesting, some people have said something my mother and I can relate, she always told me I never took naps while I was a baby/child, and I never took a nap at the morning/afternon.

These days I struggled with sleep, since I started my youtube channel and patreon I find it hard to fall sleep but I guess is because I have so many things on my mind, so many things I want to do with it.
Click to expand...
I've had trouble sleeping since I was a child and got in a lot of trouble during preschool for not taking naps. One of my brothers also has Asperger's and he is a chronic insomniac. The other has autism too, but he wakes up early and doesn't have problems going to sleep. Maybe it is because Aspies spend a lot of time thinking about their hobbies/passions and can't get rid of that obsessive drive when they want to go to sleep.
 
I've laid in bed "pretending" to sleep for 6 solid hours before I just give up and get up. I don't even bother trying to force myself to go to sleep 99% of the time because I'll just toss and turn if I'm not ready. Circadian rhythm means nothing to me... I miss loads of work because my sleep schedule is so screwy and if I'm tired at all there's just no point... :( I tried taking sleep meds and melatonin but that just messes me up more, I'll sleep when I sleep for 10-12-14-16 hours though...

Not looking at the clock doesn't help and counting... I can count pretty high then I just start counting in multiple languages... I can close my eyes at 12am and then lay there awake finally look to see what time it is thinking it hasn't been that long and it's after 5am... I usually sleep with Star Trek or cartoons on so I can focus on listening to something outside, helps keep me from wondering around endlessly.
 
I quit taking naps at the age of 2. One of my first bids for independence was "No nap!!". Mom would put me down and lay down next to me in an attempt to make me sleep, but I'd just wait for her to drop off then go play with my Lego's or read a book.

To this day I cannot sleep unless I'm completely exhausted. For instance, today I had the best workout I've had in several years, and was actually tired by 10p. I went to bed thinking I'd sleep through the night, but no...by 1:30a I was up to pee, but couldn't go back to sleep although I laid in bed for about an hour. I knew it was useless, so here I am on the computer at 3:30a, completely ready to start my day. I may drop off for another couple of hours around 5 or 6a, but I'll be up again by 9 or 10a.

When I have to have a set schedule and have lots of activity during the day, my sleep is better regulated, but my brain is so active and I have so many other issues going on, that I just can't sleep sometimes. I'm used to it now, it doesn't bother me too much, and I've learned to just roll with my body's own schedule. Sleep needs come in waves and cycles, just a matter of knowing which crest I'm riding at any given time.
 
I have some odd super-powered ability to fall asleep. Especially if I tell myself that I have less than 8-hours to sleep.

I concentrate on on a picture in my mind's eye, something peaceful, and then drift off.

I am also a lucid dreamer, and I wounder if these are connected.
 
Yes I do I listen to radio 4 or an audio book to help me sleep. It doesn't work that well as I'm generally to anxious and in pain to sleep. Story I couldn't be more help
 
My sleeping problems are situational. It is highly dependant on how much noise there is. Recently, there has been more noise coming from the other side of my door, and if I try to lay down facing the ceiling, I'll develop an earache/pain in the ear facing the door.

Occasionally, I have worked myself into anxiety regarding my health, sometimes supported by the anxiety itself. I've learned to deal with that problem however.

I try to cope with the noise from the other side of my door by reading on my iPad or watching YouTube videos until I fall asleep, this has lead me to staying awake until 1 AM however. Given that I have a paper round at 7 AM in the week and 7:30 AM in the weekend, with an alarm to wake me up an 6:30 AM every day; it leads to me being quite tired the following day.

If there no noise, I try to imagine narratives and stories. It works very effectively, as I have no idea when I've fallen asleep.

I'm unsure if this was the right kind of thing to post, but my sleeping problems are not a constant,
 
I have a very hard time falling asleep and an even harder time waking up. I've never been a morning person and I've always struggled with waking up on time. I can go to bed at around midnight and lay there awake until 4am.

I think the problem is that my brain won't power down when I'm ready to sleep. My thoughts just keep running and I can never turn my brain off. I usually only fall asleep once I am too exhausted and my brain finally gives up on its own.

I'm not sure if I am an Aspie or not. I don't have a professional diagnosis. But I've had this sleep issue since I was a child. I haven't been able to wake up at a decent time unless someone is around to wake me. I have to set multiple alarms at home and even then I'm still usually late for work.
 
RiverSong said:
I have a very hard time falling asleep and an even harder time waking up. I've never been a morning person and I've always struggled with waking up on time. I can go to bed at around midnight and lay there awake until 4am.

I think the problem is that my brain won't power down when I'm ready to sleep. My thoughts just keep running and I can never turn my brain off. I usually only fall asleep once I am too exhausted and my brain finally gives up on its own.

I'm not sure if I am an Aspie or not. I don't have a professional diagnosis. But I've had this sleep issue since I was a child. I haven't been able to wake up at a decent time unless someone is around to wake me. I have to set multiple alarms at home and even then I'm still usually late for work.
Click to expand...

I would imagine a bank of light-switches in my head and then flick them off one at a time to fall asleep. This was my go-to method of falling asleep as a child.
 
Last edited:
Often, though lately it's gotten a little better. Still occasionally have difficult nights. Melatonin (10 mg), magnesium, and zinc work about 80% of the time.
 
I couldn't take it anymore so I started some sleep experiments over the last few weeks. And I found something that seems to be working for now.

I've setup a wind down time now before I sleep. So I make sure I don't have any caffeine once evening hits. I've started taking a few vitamins/supplements at night. And I won't watch any TV before I go to bed. I'll just read for a little while. Then if I'm still not tired or ready to sleep, which I always am, I turn on a sleep podcast.

I actually found this podcast by accident but it's called Sleep With Me, which I think is a hilarious title. There a quite a few of these out there, like this article 10 Podcasts to Help You Sleep. And this podcast hasn't failed to put me out for the few weeks I've tried it. I just leave it playing on my phone by my bed and the podcast guy rambles on about whatever. It's pretty funny stuff. Then before I know it, I've dropped off to sleep. It's great. :D

Weird thing is I've tried other podcasts before like NPR or whatever but that didn't help at all. It just kept me awake. So I guess I work better with podcasts that are dedicated to sleep. Cause I've tried using sound machines with white noise, rain sounds or ocean waves, etc. but none of that seemed to work for me.

My brain just kept running and my thoughts can be louder than the music or those sounds. But I've noticed that if someone else is talking and I'm listening then my brain quiets down. I'm more focused on listening to the other person's words than obsessing or replaying my own thoughts of whatever happened that day. This switch in focus helps my overdriving brain to relax and I can finally sleep. Thank goodness. :oops:
 
I was like that, espically during the summer months before I got my weighted blanket. Winter time I was ok as we have always cut the heat back at night to save $$. So we would have heavy blankets on the bed. Only time I have problems sleeping now is if I am very sick with a bad head cold, or the room is very hot/humid. Now that I know how important a good nights rest is for me. I tend to use the central AC more during the summer to keep the bedroom comfortable to sleep in. I use my weighted blanket year round. As soon as I am under it, a feeling of calmness envelopes me. I feel safe, my legs do not fidgit and I do not toss and turn all night. Mike
 
Our new apartment is much cooler than the one in the attic. I should try my weighted blanket again, even though it is summer.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

New Threads

Top Bottom