Everyday support for families navigating ADHD, autism, and other neurodivergent profiles. Track the patterns, find strategies that actually fit, and feel one step ahead on the hard days.
Understand your child like never before. Advocate with confidence. Stop feeling like you're figuring it out alone.
Feel seen. Understand how your own brain works. Build a profile that's yours.
Your child won't fall asleep. Or they fall asleep fine but wake at 3am, and then again at 5am, bright-eyed and ready to go. Meanwhile, you're running on fumes and every morning feels impossible. Sleep problems affect around 50–80% of children with ADHD and autism. This is not a parenting failure. It's a neurological reality, and there are things that genuinely help.
Sleep deprivation makes every symptom worse. Fixing sleep is one of the highest-impact things you can do for your neurodivergent child.
The neurodivergent brain doesn't 'wind down' the same way. Several factors combine to make sleep harder: Circadian rhythm differences: Many children with ADHD have a delayed melatonin release, meaning their body clock runs 1–2 hours later than average. They're not choosing to stay awake. Their brain genuinely isn't producing the sleep signal. Hyperarousal: The ADHD and autistic brain stays in 'alert mode' longer. Intrusive thoughts, ideas, and sensory awareness don't quieten easily at bedtime. Sensory sensitivities: Pyjama textures, room temperature, light from outside, sounds in the house: any of these can prevent sleep onset or cause night waking. Anxiety: Bedtime is often when anxious thoughts emerge. The quiet creates space for worry. Medication timing: Stimulant medications for ADHD can cause sleep difficulties if taken too late in the day.
Before anything else, look at the sleep environment: Light: Even small amounts of light can suppress melatonin. Blackout blinds are often transformative. A dim red nightlight is better than blue/white light if they need a light on. Sound: Some children sleep better with white noise, brown noise, or nature sounds to mask unpredictable household sounds. Try a fan, a white noise machine, or a free app. Temperature: Sleep onset requires the body to cool down slightly. Most people sleep best in a room around 16–18°C. Check that the room isn't too warm. Textures: Let your child choose their pyjamas, duvet, and pillow based on what feels comfortable. This isn't indulgence. Sensory comfort at bedtime is genuinely functional.
The hour before bed should be progressively lower stimulation. The mistake most families make is going from full-activity to 'now sleep' with no transition. Suggested 30–60 minute wind-down: → Stop screens at least 30–60 minutes before bed (blue light from screens suppresses melatonin) → Dim the lights in the house → Low-stimulation activities only: colouring, puzzles, Lego, reading together, audiobooks → Bath or shower (the drop in body temperature afterwards promotes sleep onset) → Consistent bedtime sequence: same order, every night The routine is a signal to the brain that sleep is coming. It takes 2–3 weeks to work, but once established, it's genuinely powerful.
Melatonin is commonly discussed in ADHD and autism parenting communities, and for good reason: research supports its use for sleep onset difficulties in neurodivergent children. In the UK, melatonin is prescription-only for children. It's typically prescribed by a paediatrician or specialist, often as part of ADHD or autism management. If you're in the UK, ask your GP for a referral if your child's sleep problems are severe and impacting daily life. In the US, melatonin is available over the counter. Doses used in research are typically 0.5mg–3mg taken 30–60 minutes before the desired sleep time. Many people use far too high a dose (10mg); less is often more with melatonin. Important: melatonin is most effective for sleep onset (difficulty falling asleep). It doesn't reliably help with night waking or early morning waking. And it works best alongside the other environmental and routine changes described above. Always discuss with your doctor before starting any supplement, particularly for younger children.
Night waking is different from sleep onset problems and often has different causes. For anxiety-driven waking: A consistent, calm response is key. Keep interactions brief and boring; you're not going to make night time interesting. Some children benefit from a worry journal before bed, or a 'worry monster' toy they can tell their worries to. For sensory waking: Check if something in the environment is disturbing them: sounds, light changes, temperature. Some children benefit from a weighted blanket for the calming proprioceptive input. For ADHD-related waking: The ADHD brain can wake fully and struggle to re-engage sleep mode. An audiobook playing quietly on a timer can give the brain something gentle to focus on, helping it drift back to sleep without full arousal. For early morning waking: This is particularly common in autism and is often related to circadian differences. Blackout blinds help with light-triggered early waking. If your child wakes early and is calm, having a quiet activity available in their room can delay the 'activate everyone else' stage.
Chronic sleep deprivation is a medical issue and you deserve support. Talk to your GP. Keep a sleep diary for 2 weeks before the appointment: bedtime, sleep onset, wake times, mood the next day. Evidence of patterns is powerful. A referral to a paediatric sleep service, ADHD specialist, or developmental paediatrician may be appropriate. Sleep problems in neurodivergent children are recognised and treatable. You don't have to just manage on minimal sleep indefinitely. Remember: sleep deprivation makes every symptom worse. Focus, emotional regulation, sensory tolerance, and behaviour all worsen when your child is tired. Fixing sleep is one of the highest-impact interventions available.
