If you've ever supported a learner who seems to shift into overdrive the moment bedtime begins, you’re not alone. Many children—especially those with autism—struggle to calm their bodies when it’s time to wind down for the night. As behavior analysts, we know that bedtime is not the ideal time to first introduce new behavioral expectations. And yet, that’s exactly what often happens when learners are expected to suddenly shift from active, sensory-seeking behaviors to stillness, separation, and sleep.

As BCBAs, we are taught to look at skill acquisition through the lens of building prerequisite competencies. We wouldn’t expect a learner to independently cross the street before they’ve mastered responding to their name, right? Yet when it comes to sleep, we often skip the developmental scaffolding altogether and assume a child will fall asleep peacefully, alone, in the dark, without the same kind of skill-building we’d apply in any other behavioral domain.

For families of individuals with profound autism, sleep problems aren’t just frustrating—they’re deeply disruptive and often inescapable. For too long, these challenges have been minimized or misunderstood. But as we grow in our understanding of the autism spectrum, it’s time we give the profoundly autistic community the specific support it deserves—starting with sleep.

When we talk about improving sleep in the autism community, we often focus on bedtime routines, environmental cues, and behavior-based interventions. And while those are all incredibly important, there’s one piece of the puzzle that’s often underestimated—the schedule itself.

When it comes to bedtime struggles, many caregivers—and even professionals—are quick to reach for a behavior plan to address "big behaviors" at night. The meltdowns, refusals, screaming, elopement, or demand avoidance can make bedtime feel like a battle, leaving families exhausted and feeling defeated. But before we focus on reinforcement schedules, extinction procedures, or token systems, we need to take a step back.

As behavior analysts, we often focus on early childhood development, but sleep challenges don’t disappear as learners grow. Adolescents—especially autistic adolescents—experience biological shifts in sleep timing that must be acknowledged and supported. Many families struggle with long bedtime battles, excessive sleep latency, and unsustainable sleep dependencies because their child’s sleep needs are being treated as developmental rather than biological.

For over two decades, I’ve worked in behavior analysis, and for the last 14 years, I’ve dedicated my career to sleep. Why? Because sleep is one of the most critical and overlooked variables in behavioral success. And yet, despite its significance, most BCBAs aren’t trained in sleep science.

For many caregivers, bedtime is a nightly battle, with children resisting sleep, pushing bedtimes later and later, and sometimes staying awake for hours past what seems reasonable. A common approach among well-meaning caregivers is to allow children to “listen to their bodies” and fall asleep when they feel tired. The problem? The internal sleep clock isn’t always the most reliable guide—especially for children.

When caregivers tell us, “We finally got them to sleep—thank goodness for that medication,” it can be tempting to breathe a sigh of relief right along with them. Sleep challenges can push families to their limits, and any sign of improvement often feels like a win. But as behavior analysts working alongside families, we need to understand what’s actually happening beneath the surface. Sedatives may look like a solution, but when it comes to sleep quality, the reality is more complex.

For many caregivers, bed-wetting can feel like an ongoing mystery—why does it happen? When should we be concerned? And most importantly, can it be “taught” away?

As BCBAs, we know that behavior is influenced by reinforcement, learning history, and environmental factors. But when it comes to bed-wetting, developmental readiness plays the biggest role. It’s not just about behavior—it’s about biology. So, let’s dive into what we actually know about bed-wetting, what we don’t, and what we need to stop doing immediately.

If you've ever wondered why some kids crash into bed at night while others seem to gain a second wind as the evening drags on, the answer may lie in a little-known sleep chemical: adenosine.

For many learners, particularly those with a history of trauma, sleep isn’t just a biological process—it’s an emotional one. Trauma can disrupt the ability to settle, feel safe, and transition into restorative sleep, making it critical for BCBAs to approach sleep programming with sensitivity and care. A trauma-informed perspective recognizes that sleep challenges are not just behavioral hurdles to overcome but are often rooted in deep emotional and physiological responses.

In the world of sleep science, there’s one hot topic that keeps grabbing headlines: screen time. It’s no secret that technology has become a massive part of our lives, and for many learners in the autism community, screens can feel like a lifeline. But when it comes to sleep, these glowing devices may be doing more harm than good.

When families come to us with concerns about their learner’s sleep, the symptoms they describe often sound like a behavior checklist:

• “They won’t stay in bed.”

• “It takes them two hours to fall asleep.”

• “They refuse to go to sleep.”

• “They come out of bed six times a night.”

As the new year inches ever closer, it’s the perfect time to reflect on 2024—a year filled with milestones, growth, and connection. Whether through training Certified Behavioral Sleep Specialists, speaking at conferences, or sharing sleep resources with thousands, 2024 has been nothing short of transformative for me and Ready Set Sleep.

If you’ve been in the ABA world long enough, chances are you’ve encountered families who co-sleep. Maybe it’s a 5-year-old who curls up in their parents’ bed every night or a 9-year-old who’s never slept alone. And every now and then, someone on the team raises an eyebrow and says, “Isn’t co-sleeping bad?”

We’ve all heard it before: “I’ll just catch up on sleep this weekend.” It sounds logical, doesn’t it? After all, a few late nights during the week can surely be balanced out by sleeping in on Saturday and Sunday. Unfortunately, this idea doesn’t hold up under the microscope of sleep science. Sleep simply doesn’t work that way.

In partnership with Autism Feeding Specialist: Valori Neiger, MS, BCBA

Sleep and feeding are essential to overall health, but for many autistic learners, these two key aspects of daily life can often be out of sync. Poor sleep and feeding challenges are interrelated in ways that many caregivers and professionals might not fully understand.

It’s that time of year—holiday parties, family gatherings, late-night celebrations, and a flurry of events that make life richer, but let’s be real, they can also send sleep routines into a tailspin. For families supporting autistic learners, the idea of disrupted sleep might feel daunting. But here’s a refreshing perspective: it’s okay to let sleep take a back seat while you enjoy the season.

When it comes to supporting autistic learners, sleep is one of the most critical—and most overlooked—factors affecting their quality of life. Research shows that over 40% of autistic learners experience problematic sleep, including difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or achieving restorative sleep. These issues have far-reaching consequences, impacting not only the learner but also their families, caregivers, and the effectiveness of ABA interventions.