In a recent episode of our a different brilliant podcast, host Orion Kelly and special guest Amanda Richdale, founding member and professor at the Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre at La Trobe University, explored the connection between sleep and autism. The episode highlights the experiences of Autistic individuals, providing valuable insights into the impact of poor sleep on daily life.
Kelly shares his personal journey and as a parent of a child on the autism spectrum who both experienced difficulties falling asleep, poor sleep quality and a constant feeling of fatigue.
The podcast explores several factors that may contribute to poor sleep in Autistic individuals, such as challenges in picking up bedtime social cues, anxiety and sensory sensitivities. The causes and manifestations of sleep issues can vary greatly, thus making it a complex and individualised matter.
Tennison points out that poor sleep can have detrimental effects on Autistic individuals, linked to anxiety, depression, compromised learning, memory difficulties and poor emotional regulation.
There are multiple practical suggestions that can help improve sleep routines, so make sure to listen to the full episode to better understand the causes, impacts and potential solutions to improve sleep quality and wellbeing.
