Sleeping with Dinosaur Hands: A Neurodivergent Take on Comfort, Safety & Self-Soothing
If you’ve ever woken up with your arms bent tightly to your chest, wrists limp, hands curled in like a sleeping dinosaur… you’re in good company. There’s a whole online community (and plenty of bedtime selfies) lovingly calling it the “dinosaur hands” sleep position or T-Rex arms while sleeping.
And if you’re autistic, ADHD, or somewhere under the neurodivergent umbrella, this might feel especially familiar.
There’s no formal research—yet!—but ask around in ND spaces and you’ll hear the same thing:
“I’ve done that for as long as I can remember.”
“I thought I was the only one!”
“Wait… this is a thing??”
So let’s talk about it. Why do so many neurodivergent folks sleep this way—and what might it say about our sensory needs, nervous systems, and comfort strategies?
What Are “Dinosaur Hands” in Sleep?
The term describes a specific (and adorable) sleep posture where your arms are bent, hands tucked up toward your chest or chin, wrists slightly curled, and fingers sometimes flexed in—like little claws. It resembles how a T-Rex might look settling in for a nap.
It’s not official terminology, but it’s one that many in the autistic and ADHD community instantly recognize once they hear it. It’s not just a position—it’s a feeling. A cue that your body is trying to comfort and contain itself.
Why It’s Especially Common in Neurodivergent Folks
While anyone can end up sleeping like this, it shows up a lot among autistic and ADHD adults—and here’s why that might be.
1. It Supports Nervous System Regulation
Neurodivergent people often have more sensitive nervous systems. Whether it’s from masking, sensory input, executive function overload, or emotional burnout, many of us end the day tired but not relaxed.
Tucking our arms in, curling into ourselves, and sleeping in a “small” posture helps us feel safer. It mimics a self-hug or a gentle squeeze—like we’re giving our body permission to let go.
2. It’s a Built-In Comfort Strategy
Many of us have spent years learning how to self-soothe—sometimes consciously, sometimes not. Whether it’s stimming, rocking, squeezing a pillow, or repeating phrases under our breath, our bodies often create their own toolkit for comfort.
Sleeping with dinosaur hands? It’s another one of those tools. It might help us:
Feel contained instead of overstimulated
Reduce the sense of “drift” some feel when lying still
Replace the need to hold a stuffy or comfort item
Regulate through pressure and tucked-in limbs
It may look a little awkward to others, but to us—it just feels right.
3. 🔄 It Mirrors Other “T-Rex Arm” Experiences
Some autistic adults also notice that they carry their arms differently while awake—keeping them bent, close to the body, or avoiding swinging them freely. It feels more manageable, less vulnerable.
So it tracks that we’d bring that same posture into sleep. Curling up with dinosaur hands might be the nighttime version of a “contained” walk—less about appearance, more about comfort and control.
4. 🧸 It Mimics Holding Something (Even When There’s Nothing There)
Many people describe the dinosaur hand position as similar to holding a pillow or plush toy—even if nothing’s physically there. It’s the shape we’d take to snuggle something familiar.
For some of us, it’s not about the object—it’s about the position. That particular angle of the arms and wrists just feels calming.
And when we’re navigating a world that often feels loud, fast, or overwhelming… comfort is everything.
Sensory & Proprioceptive Factors
Let’s go a little deeper. Many neurodivergent folks experience differences in:
Proprioception (awareness of where our body is in space)
Tactile sensitivity (how we process touch)
Interoception (how we sense internal states like hunger, pain, or fatigue)
When we sleep with dinosaur hands, we may be meeting a quiet sensory need. That bend in the wrist? Might be giving the joints some proprioceptive feedback. The tight arm tuck? Might be reducing exposure to drafts or sensory discomfort from blankets or sheets.
Instead of “sprawling out” and letting our limbs float around, we curl in—finding orientation, stillness, and grounding through our own posture.
Sleep, Safety, and Neurodivergent Needs
Here’s something we don’t talk about enough: sleep for neurodivergent people isn’t always easy. Autistic and ADHD adults often experience:
Racing thoughts
Trouble winding down
Sleep anxiety or dread
Sensory discomfort from pajamas, lights, or bedding
Disrupted circadian rhythms or time blindness
So when we find any position that helps us feel safe enough to drift off? That’s a win.
If dinosaur hands = falling asleep faster or waking up calmer, there’s no need to pathologize it.
Is This a Problem? Should I “Fix” It?
Absolutely not.
Unless this posture is causing joint pain, numbness, or circulation issues, there’s no need to change it. It’s not dangerous, and it’s not a problem. If anything, it’s probably your body doing exactly what it needs to do.
That said, if you wake up with tingling fingers or stiff wrists:
Try adding a soft pillow under your arms
Use long sleeves or wrist warmers for extra compression
Stretch your arms and shoulders gently in the morning
But otherwise? Curl away.
What This Teaches Us About Sleep & Neurodiversity
At the heart of all this is one simple truth:
✨ Neurodivergent people have different comfort needs—and that includes how we sleep.
Some of us need sound. Others need silence. Some need to be wrapped in weighted blankets, while others sleep best on top of the covers like a starfish. Some of us curl into ourselves with our arms tucked tight, because that’s what helps our system let go.
We deserve to honor those needs. To be curious about what works for us. To stop shaming the quirky little things we do that help us feel okay.
Final Thoughts: Dino Hands, Big Comfort
So yes—maybe you sleep like a curled-up T-Rex.
Maybe your arms are always tucked in, your wrists gently bent, and your body angled just-so.
And maybe, just maybe… your body knows exactly what it’s doing.
This sleep posture isn’t weird. It’s wise.
It’s your nervous system saying:
🧠 “Let’s slow down.”
💤 “Let’s feel held.”
💛 “Let’s rest now.”
Whether you’re ADHD, autistic, AuDHD, or just a cozy little croissant of a human at bedtime—your dinosaur hands are valid. And if it brings you comfort? That’s reason enough to keep doing it.
Looking for neurodivergent-affirming therapy?
I help autistic and ADHD adults navigate burnout, overwhelm, identity, and relationships—so you can feel more regulated and at home in your own skin (and your own bed).
Your brain deserves rest. Your body deserves comfort. Let’s work together to find more of both.
