Why is sleep such a battle for neurodivergent kids? | Michelle Cyril

The issue of how to navigate sleep with our neurodivergent kids is one of the most requested topics on Neuroshambles, so Mark brought in someone who actually knows what she's talking about. This episode tackles the question that haunts pretty much every household raising neurodivergent kids: how do you get them to sleep, keep them asleep, and stop them waking up at some ungodly hour demanding an apple? Mark is joined by Michelle Cyril, a children's nurse and fully qualified paediatric sleep consultant who specialises in supporting families of autistic, ADHD and PDA kids. She's also a parent of neurodivergent twins herself, so this isn't advice from someone lecturing from a textbook - it's advice from someone who's been on the sharp end of three-hour bedtime battles too. Mark and Michelle break bedtime down into its component parts of chaos: the bedtime routine itself, actually getting to sleep, staying asleep through the night, and waking up - wether that’s ludicrously early, or begrudgingly late. They cover why traditional sleep advice is largely useless for neurodivergent kids, how PDA turns bedtime into a demand minefield, and dive into the knotty issue of melatonin. Anyone wondering whether melatonin is safe, why GPs are so reluctant to prescribe it, or why their kid can't seem to switch their brain off at night will find answers here. Whether it's a PDA profile, an ADHD brain that won't switch off, or a kid who just runs unnervingly hot in bed, there's something in this episode for most Neuroshamblers. CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS (Estimated) 00:01:48 - Meet the Guest: Michelle Cyril 00:04:00 - Topic of the Week: Why Sleep Is Such a Battle 00:13:39 - The Traditional Sleep Advice That Just Doesn't Work 00:16:13 - Making Bedtime Routines Fun Instead of Boring 00:26:35 - PDA, Demand Avoidance and Bedtime 00:34:06 - Getting to Sleep: Busy Brains and Familiar Stories 00:45:11 - The Melatonin Debate 00:58:39 - Staying Asleep: Night Waking and Anxiety 01:10:46 - The Early Morning Wake-Up Struggle 01:17:23 - The Impact of Poor Sleep on Parents 01:23:02 - Sleep Deprivation and Its Ripple Effects 01:26:44 - Finding the Silver Linings 01:28:39 - Neurodiversity Champions 01:31:48 - Tiny Epic Wins 01:35:58 - What the Flip? LINKS TO STUFF WE MENTION IN THIS EPISODE Neuroshambles mailing list sign-up (with free PDF of What the Flip moments) - https://preview.mailerlite.io/forms/2414072/190019322933937234/share Michelle Cyril, Family Sleep Specialist - https://familysleepspecialist.co.uk/ Busy Brains at Bedtime (Michelle's free download) - https://familysleepspecialist.co.uk/busy-brains-guide/ Greeking Out (National Geographic podcast) - https://www.nationalgeographic.com/podcasts/greeking-out/ Michael Gradisar - https://winksleep.online/about-michael-gradisar Confusional Arousals - https://www.sleepfoundation.org/parasomnias/confusional-arousal Neuro Embrace, Madeleine Woolgar - https://www.neuro-embrace.com ARFID Life UK - https://www.facebook.com/p/ARFID-Life-UK-61569140673395/ 📣 CONTACT US 🌐 Website: www.neuroshambles.com 📧 Email: hello@neuroshambles.com 📸 Instagram: @neuroshambles 🎵 TikTok: @neuroshamblespod 📘 Facebook: Neuroshambles 📬 Sign up to the Neuroshambles mailing list: https://preview.mailerlite.io/forms/2414072/190019322933937234/share CREDITS 🎙️ CREDITS 🎶 Theme music by Skilsel on Pixabay: pixabay.com