I never had a late bedtime.
My friends would get to school and talk about how they stayed up until midnight talking to each other on the phone.
What? Excuse me? Your house is big enough that nobody can hear you? Do you have your own line? Do you have your own cordless phone? Does it have caller ID?
The 90s were a great time to grow up.
Back then, my routine was - and I still prefer - an episode of Seinfeld and bed by 10:30.
Then Jude came along.
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), “between 50% and 80% of autistic individuals experience significant sleep problems, a rate roughly two to three times higher than that of typically developing peers.”
It’s a serious issue. For the autistic individual and for the parents and siblings. Sleep is a natural way to restore your body. It helps boost your mood, brain function, and other essential tasks.
For the last 2-3 years Jude has struggled. Most of the time I wake up - somewhere around 2:00 a.m. with a chip bowl pressed to my face. Jude stands, using her vocal stims, until I respond. If I don’t respond quick enough, she uncovers my legs and pulls them to side of the bed.
I’m the Chief Middle-of-the-night Chip Getter.
She comes to Megan’s side of the bed for water, my side for chips, and Miller is out cold in the basement. He’s a sound sleeper. Most of the time she’s in a great mood, watching Dancing with the Stars on her bedroom TV. Megan and I both are thankful that she’s not tired AND cranky.
And here’s the great news. Megan and I attempted a new routine this week. We had a bit more consistency with wake-up times. We even woke Jude up when she attempted to nap during the day. The result?
Jude slept eight hours straight for the last four nights.
She’s on a better routine and I feel like a different person.
I may even turn on an episode of Seinfeld and crash at 10:30.
Kramer is my favorite.