Examining the Behavioural Sleep-Wake Rhythm in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder and No Comorbid Intellectual Disability.

Deserno et al. (2017) asked if adults with autism but no intellectual disability have unusual sleep-wake rhythms. They used actigraphy watches to track sleep for two weeks. Each adult with autism was paired with a similar adult without autism for comparison.

Many adults with autism showed a delayed sleep-wake phase disorder. This means they fell asleep much later than expected and woke later too. The pattern showed up clearly in the watch data, not just in parent reports.

Meier et al. (2012) surveyed parents and found sleep problems shift with age: little kids fight bedtime, teens can’t fall asleep. Deserno et al. (2017) now confirms the teen pattern can last into adulthood.

Rose et al. (2000) looked at adults with developmental disabilities plus self-injury and found short, chaotic sleep. That seems opposite, but their group had intellectual disability while Deserno et al. (2017) studied adults without it. The contradiction disappears once you see the different diagnoses.

DaWalt et al. (2025) remind us that constipation in autistic adults can show up as sleep loss or new behavior issues. Pair their tip with Deserno et al. (2017): if sleep is off, rule out both circadian delay and medical causes.

If you support an adult with autism who says “I’m just a night owl,” don’t shrug. Ask for actigraphy or a simple sleep log. A delayed phase is treatable with timed light, melatonin, and gradual schedule shifts. Treating it can cut daytime fatigue and boost work performance.