Power Down: a bedtime routine to help autistic children settle to sleep

Powering Down: A Pilot Study of a Bedtime Manipulation to Support Sleep for Autistic Children

This pilot tests whether a caregiver-delivered 'Power Down' bedtime massage and routine helps autistic children ages 6–10 settle down and fall asleep.

Quick facts

• Phase: NA
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 10 (estimated)
• Ages: 6 Years to 10 Years
• Sex: All
• Sponsor: University of Pittsburgh (other)
• Locations: 1 site (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
• Trial ID: NCT06386029 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This pilot intervention trains caregivers in a structured 'Power Down' bedtime manipulation that includes a short massage and consistent pre-sleep routine, with in-lab training led by the study PI. Caregivers will practice the massage with their child during the visit, receive feedback, and then complete the routine nightly at home for two weeks while wearing an activity monitor and completing daily diaries. Screening, consent, and baseline questionnaires are completed remotely before the in-lab session, and caregivers use REDCap and DocuSign for study documents. The study measures feasibility and acceptability rather than clinical efficacy in this initial pilot sample.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are English-speaking caregivers and their children aged 6–10 with a parent-reported autism diagnosis, reported sensory over-responsivity, and ongoing difficulties settling at bedtime who can attend in-lab training in Pittsburgh and commit to nightly implementation for two weeks.

Not a fit: Children whose bedtime is spent mostly with a different caregiver who will not participate, children for whom physical touch is triggering, non-English-speaking families, or those unable to travel to Pittsburgh are unlikely to benefit from this protocol.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, families may gain a simple, non-medication bedtime routine that helps children fall asleep faster and reduces nighttime settling struggles.

How similar studies have performed: This specific 'Power Down' massage protocol is novel and being piloted, although related sensory-based and parent-delivered bedtime routines have shown some promise in improving sleep in autistic children.

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Child between the ages of 6 and 10 years old (at least 40%, no more than 60% female)
2. Parent-reported autism diagnosis for child
3. Parent-reported extended and problematic settling down delay
4. Parent-reported sensory over-responsivity (a "yes" to at least 8 items in the sensory screening section of the checklist)
5. Parent willing to participate in nightly routine during the 2 week study
6. Located within the Pittsburgh area

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Participants will be excluded if they do not understand English or are unable to travel to University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Western Psychiatric Hospital.
2. Children who have trauma or other histories for whom physical touch is triggering (per caregiver report) will be excluded.
3. If a child spends bedtime at a different caregiver's home for \>50% of the nights and that caregiver is not willing to participate in this study, the child will be excluded from this study.

Where this trial is running

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• University of Pittsburgh — Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States (RECRUITING)

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Amy G Hartman, PhD — University of Pittsburgh
• Study coordinator: Amy G Hartman, PhD

Conditions: Autism, Sleep Disturbance, Sleep disturbances, Emotion Dysregulation, Sensory Processing