Night terrors, nightmares, sleepwalking

[DesertRose]

Are night terrors, sleepwalking and nightmares common in ASD?
My son, has awoke during the night, walked all through the house, to the bathroom, used it, and back, jumped up and down, talking, talked with me all while sleepwalking.
He's got terrible sleeping problems, up all night, sleep all day. Sometimes he will just stay up over 30 hours, then sleep too long, only to get back in the day night reversed cycle. It's been this way for years, and I don't know what to do anymore. We've tried melatonin to sleep, and taken the same time each night to regulate it, also benedryl, since he has allergies as well. It's hard to get anything done during the day, or enjoy family trips or outings when he's either too tired, or sleeping, or on a binge wake. Any suggestions? He's 13. This started showing up around 3.
Thanks!

 

[Mia]

I've lived with this most of my married life. My ASD Husband stays up all night and sleeps during the day. He's been that way since he was child. While working he managed to do his job afternoons and evenings after he had a great deal of seniority.

He goes back and forth between getting up early, as in before noon and falling back into his original schedule. While at university he managed it so that all classes were in the afternoon.

He also used to sleepwalk as a child, so his brother has mentioned. I'm a day person, he's a night person. We meet in the afternoon. When he has appointments, or places he has to be in the morning he adapts for those instances. Then reverts back. Part of this I think might be his 'alone time' without talking or phones or people. It seems to be his way of recovering from his contact with others and the noise of everyday life. As well it's his time for his special interests.

His Mother made him adhere to his school schedule. On weekends he stayed up late and slept into the afternoons. In the summers he had his night-time routine. In my experience there is no real way around this.

 

[Robin Winter]

I've never had a night terror and have never been a sleepwalker as far as I'm aware, but all my dreams are nightmares and have been for as long as I can remember. I've never knowingly had a pleasant dream. I've also had a few experiences of sleep paralysis, or "waking nightmare".

 

[SusanLR]

I did a little sleepwalking around age 5.
It started after my parents moved from the west where I was born, across country to MO
I slept in the same room with them that year and they said they would be awakened by the sound
of the rocking chair in the room.
It was me. I would sleepwalk to the chair and rock. Stemming in my sleep, I guess.
I think it was anxiety related from the move as I was homesick.

Never had night terrors and hardley ever a nightmare.

I have always had the same sleep wake cycle as @Mia described about her husband.
I can make an exception when I must for a morning appointment. Don't like to though and schedule
everything for afternoons when I can.
Same for when I worked. Jobs that didn't start until late afternoons or night work.
Now that I'm retired I usually go to sleep around 4-5 am, wake up for a light breakfast around 10 -11 am
then go back to bed in about half an hour to finish my sleep and really start my day around 3 pm.

She is correct in that the nights are quiet, no one is around and I do as I want. My time.

 

[Icequeen]

I can't say that they're common but I think they must be from all the threads I've seen concerning them over the years.

My son had night terrors, nightmares, and a few bouts with sleepwalking. He still has nightmares on occasion but no more occurrences of the other two. That said he has a lot of trouble falling asleep and staying asleep.

I had nightmares growing up and was a pretty frequent sleepwalker. I might have a nightmare once in a blue moon now, but no sleepwalking since around age 14. I do share the same problems falling asleep and staying asleep as my son does.

We've tried it all I think some days...wish I had something helpful for you but we have had about the same luck. We just kind of go with the flow and don't plan things too far ahead anymore.