Sleep Deprivation

Sleep deprivation has a way of affecting every area of life.  Many children and adults who experience Autism or Bipolar and other special needs have issues surrounding sleep.

Sometimes when Billy Ray is experiencing a manic phase with his Bipolar he will not sleep for 40 hours or more and is active the entire time.  Other times he is up and down most of the night.

Once a case manager wrote in a report that I didn’t want to give Billy Ray additional medications to lived our life sleep deprived.  WRONG!!  Nothing that works for Billy Ray long term.  If he takes a sleep medication longer than a few days or a few weeks, at most he builds up tolerance to it.

Reactions to routine events change when you are tired. You do and say things you would never do if you were well rested. If someone calls on the phone you may sound like a drunk when really you are just catching a nap while your child is napping.   For example, yesterday I was trying to take a nap in my recliner before support staff left.  I woke up to the sound of the phone ringing.  It was my editor.  I didn’t really remember calling her and rambled on for a minute totally out of focus.

Then, of course, there are mornings like this morning when you feel “hung over” because of actually sleeping.  Billy Ray lost his covers at midnight and 3 a.m. waking up until I covered him up again and went back to sleep.  We actually got several hours of sleep.  My head is foggy, not being used to so many hours of sleep.

Until tomorrow,
Peggy Lou Morgan
www.parentingyourcomplexchild.com
www.lighthouseparents.com