😴 My Caseload Was Full of Tired Kiddos—And I Had No Idea How to Help

If I’m being honest, there was a point in my career where I just accepted tiredness as a normal part of the job. Late arrivals, cranky mornings, low engagement, falling asleep mid-session... I figured that’s just how it goes sometimes.

But now? I realize I was missing a huge piece of the puzzle. And if you’re feeling stuck supporting clients who are always one yawn away from ending the session—I’ve been there.

Here are three things I wish I had known sooner when it comes to supporting sleep as a behavior analyst:

✅ 1. Afternoon Naps Can Be a Sleep Trap

For our older learners, those afternoon naps often felt like a win—they made it through most of the day, worked hard, and now it was time to rest and reset.

But here’s what I didn’t realize: Those naps were often fueling the cycle of late bedtimes, short nights, and tired mornings.

When a child’s nap is too late in the day or not age-appropriate, it can push their natural bedtime later. That leads to insufficient overnight sleep, which makes them more tired the next day… and the cycle continues.

Now, I look at naps through a different lens—one that considers sleep pressure, age-based sleep needs, and long-term sustainability.

✅ 2. Melatonin Isn’t as Simple as It Seems

It’s the go-to suggestion we hear from families all the time: “We’re trying melatonin, but it doesn’t work every night.”

Here’s what I’ve learned since digging into the research:

• Melatonin is not FDA-regulated in the U.S.—meaning the actual dose and quality can vary wildly by brand and batch. It’s best for families to get a prescription from their doctor if they want to go this route.

• Side effects are real, including headaches, nausea, and even next-day drowsiness.

• It doesn’t “make” kids sleep—it helps signal the body that it’s time to settle, which can’t always overcome other stimulating environmental variables.

For many families, building stronger behavioral routines and better environmental cues is far more effective than relying on supplements alone.

✅ 3. BCBAs Can Address Sleep—During the Day

We don’t need to be sleep specialists to teach the skills that support sleep success. And we absolutely don’t have to wait until bedtime to address them.

Here are a few skills we can build right now during the day:

• 🧘 Calming leisure activities that can transition smoothly into a bedtime routine

• 💻 Tolerating the end of screen time without escalation

• 🛏️ Practicing brief separations from preferred adults to support independent sleep

Each one of these can be taught systematically, embedded into current programming, and individualized to your learner’s needs.

🛌 Final Thoughts

Sleep challenges aren’t just frustrating for families—they’re a real barrier to progress in session. And if we don’t name them, track them, and build toward better, they’re going to keep showing up in our data.

If you’re ready to better understand the behavioral side of sleep (without stepping outside your scope), I’ve got a free resource for you:

📥 Download: “5 Myths That May Be Holding Your Learners Back” It’s simple, actionable information for BCBAs who want to be part of the sleep solution.➡️ subscribepage.io/5Myths

Because better sleep = better behavior, better learning, and better sessions.