Your child lies in bed, tossing and turning. It’s not that they’re not tired—they are—but the act of ‘trying to sleep’ feels boring, frustrating, and endless. Their mind races, searching for stimulation, and sleep becomes a nightly struggle.
For neurodiverse students, falling asleep isn’t just about being tired—it’s about quieting a brain that’s wired to seek engagement. Lying still in the dark can feel like an unbearable pause, making their mind crave stimulation and distractions. This restlessness keeps them awake, frustrated, and exhausted, turning bedtime into a nightly struggle.
The more they battle to sleep, the more stressed they feel about not sleeping. This creates a cycle where bedtime becomes a source of anxiety rather than rest. Over time, this lack of sleep impacts their mood, focus, and energy, making it harder for them to succeed academically and socially. And as a parent, you may feel stuck—knowing they need sleep especially because of their ADHD diagnosis, but unsure how to help them calm their restless mind.
This week in therapy, a student shared: “Trying to sleep when I am not exhausted feels like torture. My brain gets so bored, and then I start thinking about everything—what I forgot to do today, what I have to do tomorrow, or even random stuff that doesn’t matter anymore.”
They described how this pattern left them exhausted during the day, struggling to stay awake in class, and irritable with friends and family. Sleep wasn’t just a challenge—it felt like a daily impossible task.
We started by viewing sleep as a process, not a switch. Together, we created a personalized “wind-down routine” that included engaging but calming activities—like listening to a guided meditation or audiobook, drawing in low light, and cuddling with the dog. These activities helped bridge the gap between their active day and the stillness required to drift off to sleep.
Behind the scenes, in therapy we introduced daytime strategies to manage overstimulation, like scheduling short brain breaks to reduce the mental overload that often carried into the night. Parents also learned how to create a sleep-friendly environment, including dim lighting, reducing evening screen time, and validating their child’s frustration without pressure to do anything different.
The result? They began to approach sleep with less anxiety and more routine based ease, seeing it as an opportunity to recharge rather than an impossible challenge to dread. With consistency in following the routine even if imperfectly, they started falling asleep more easily—and waking up ready to face the day.
If your child struggles with restless nights and finds sleep boring or impossible, there’s a way to help. At Warrior Brain, our integrated therapy and tutoring services provide neurodiverse students with tools to manage their restless minds and create a healthy, sustainable approach to sleep, making life easier for them—and for you.
