Your child is wired at bedtime and can't settle
Timer, dim lighting, calm activity options, audiobook app
Children with ADHD, Autism, and Sensory Processing differences often have dysregulated circadian rhythms. Their brains don't naturally wind down the way neurotypical brains do. A consistent 30-minute wind-down ritual helps train the body to anticipate sleep, creating a neurological bridge between activity and rest.
Works for all ages from 3 upwards. Teenagers may need 45-60 minutes and will resist the screens-off rule, but it's worth holding the boundary.
One parent described their first week as 'a disaster' — their child fought the wind-down harder than they fought bedtime. By week two, the child's body started adjusting. By week three, they were asking for their audiobook. Consistency is everything with this one.
