Sleeping problems and Asperger's

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I strongly suggest getting a sleep study done. It was no big deal to me. I kind of enjoyed it. Because I couldn't tolerate Cpap due to AS sensory issues, I'm now looking into surgery options.

If you have any doubts about having a sleeping problem, get it checked out. It could be deadly if not. Risk of heart attack and stroke is 3x the normal population unless you get it treated.

I think there is definitely a link between Asperger's and insomnia. Our brains tick over at a more manic pace than those those of most NTs, so it stands to reason that we have greater difficulty in switching off our thoughts for long enough to get a proper nights' sleep.

I've had insomnia all my life, but it became seriously chronic in my second year of Uni, and my doctor prescribed me Zopiclone (or Lunesta as I believe it's called in the States) which worked. However, I made the mistake of taking it too often, to the point where I became reliant on it to nod off. Long-term result? I've now been unable to sleep a single night without medication since 2004. Oops.

To sleep, perchance to stay sleeping topic

I tried the lettuce route last night but the coffee negated it.

I will try the sleep salad again tonight, minus the coffee.

I've wondered, especially with the studies showing lower cortisol levels in those on the spectrum... I have never been able to get to sleep at night, yet come morning I find it near-impossible to get going. During the day I find myself keying on stressors, which may be a form of self-medication to keep me awake and functional during the sunlight hours; come night, I cannot get myself to unwind, to get the thoughts from racing through my head. Currently under treatment for the latest bout of insomnia... though this is something my parents noticed when I was an infant/young child as well.


M.

Here's an article I wrote in August last year...

http://life-with-aspergers.blogspot.com/2008/08/aspergers-and-sleep-disorders.html

Essentially... Sleep Disorders are part of Aspergers. You don't need to go looking for the name of some other problem you may have.

I have trouble sleeping if everything isn't just right. My room has to be completely dark (I use a sleeping mask, and now I need the feeling of it over my eyes as much as I need the darkness), I have to have enough pressure from the blankets on me, I can't be too hot or too cold (this is tricky because I overheat easily and the blankets are warm), nobody else can be in my room or able to easily get in (this isn't paranoia about murderers or anything; I just don't want my parents to go into my room and watch me sleeping), there has to be some sort of monotonous background noise like the sound of the air conditioner, and there can't be any other noise besides that.

But most of the time I have all that, and then I can sleep just fine. My sleep issues only become problematic when I'm on vacation. I just hope that if I ever get married my husband will be okay with sleeping in another room.

I can't sleep/have problems sleeping at night unless I'm dead tired. I prefer much more to sleep in daytime..

I am very prone to insomnia too.

I used to have REALLY severe insomnia as a kid. I would literally stay awake all night without falling asleep.

I don't have that any more but am still crap at getting to sleep. I think it's because I think too much. I often get into that half-asleep state, start obsessing about something, and come back to full alertness.

And for some reason, every so often I become hyperactive at night, and fail to sleep normally...I couldn't tell you if it's related to anything else.

...and the reason I am reading this right now is because it is 02:55 and I woke up and couldn't get back to sleep, so I decided to go online.

I am really beginning to wonder why peoples awake issues tend to sync!?!

When I am going through it, others seem to be as well.

I am fascinated by magnetic and gravitational effects,

But I wrote a "sleep journal" for one year,

and did they pay dear.

Though I wish I had it now,

At the time, I saw no relation in things I was looking for

Since being around other aspies, this info would be handy to reference.

I have sleep problems too. No formally diagnosed sleep disorder though. Sleep problems are pretty common in ASDs, and it makes sense that poor sleeping worsens your symptoms.