PART IV: EP MAGAZINE SLEEP SERIES

INSOMNIA IN AUTISM AND RELATED DISABILITIES

BY BETH MALOW, MD, MS

Sleep is an important part of our health and well-being. We all know how our emotions can spiral out of control when we aren’t sleeping well. We are prone to pounce on our friends, or send that email we will regret later. Individuals on the autism spectrum, and other disabilities, struggle

with regulating emotions, and their struggles can be amplified by poor sleep. The good news is that sleep problems are easily treatable in autism and related disabilities. In this article, we will discuss a common sleep problem, insomnia, and understand its causes and treatments.