Sleep. It sounds simple enough, but for many people it can be anything but simple.
For Autistic people and people with ADHD, sleep difficulties can be a long-standing part of everyday life. Trouble falling asleep, waking during the night, having a very late or irregular sleep pattern, waking feeling unrefreshed, or feeling exhausted during the day can all have a real impact on study, work, relationships and general wellbeing.
That is why we here at Autism Advisory & Support Service wanted to share an opportunity for Australian higher education students to have their experiences heard through a new research study being conducted by La Trobe University.
Exploring Sleep Support Needs for Higher Education Students who are Autistic and/or have Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
This study is being led by Dr Samantha Wright and has been approved by the La Trobe University Human Research Ethics Committee (HEC26296). The research is funded through a Sylvia Walton Early Career Seeding grant.
The aim is not simply to ask whether someone sleeps well or badly. Researchers want to understand what sleep is actually like for neurodivergent students, what support they have tried, what makes accessing support difficult, and what types of sleep support might be useful, acceptable and realistic.
And there is good reason to look more closely at sleep.
Research from La Trobe University’s Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre has found that Autistic adults are more likely to experience difficulties such as insomnia, night waking, shorter sleep and disrupted sleep-wake patterns. One Australian study found that 28% of Autistic adults met criteria for insomnia, compared with 6% of non-Autistic adults.
Poor sleep isn’t just about feeling tired the next day either. Sleep quality can affect concentration, memory, mood, physical health and daytime functioning. For Autistic people, sleep difficulties can also be closely connected with anxiety, fatigue and overall quality of life.
The study is looking for people aged 18 or over who live in Australia, are currently enrolled in higher education, identify as Autistic and/or have ADHD, and have experienced sleep difficulties for at least three months. Participants who complete an interview will receive a $60 gift voucher, with an additional $30 available for those who choose to review their interview transcript. Written interview options are available, as well as spoken interviews via Zoom or in person.
If you are a student whose sleep has been getting in the way, this could be an opportunity to share your experience and help researchers better understand what meaningful sleep support could look like.
Interested in participating?
For more information or to complete ethe EOI head to https://redcap.latrobe.edu.au/redcap/surveys/?s=3XYJPTFJYL88RPKL
