What Does Sleeping with Dinosaur Hands Mean?

By: Dani Rodwell

If there’s one thing I know about autistic people and ADHD people, comfort is paramount. We do things with our bodies to feel safer, to feel more regulated, to feel less awkward, and sometimes it may even look awkward to others while feeling natural and good to us. This of course includes stimming and our body’s unique sensory needs, but this all very much includes body positioning and posturing. When I came across a few videos circulating on social media about dinosaur hands and sleeping, I came to an immediate realization: I do this. Regularly. I obviously didn’t know that sleeping with dinosaur hands could ever be coined as an autistic or AuDHD experience, but very little surprises me anymore. I just never evaluated my hand positioning before, nor would I have ever come to this conclusion without the lovely community pointing this out. There is obviously no research on this specific phenomenon, but I did search “dinosaur hands sleeping” and found several other people describing their experience with this and I scrolled through the comments reading hundreds of us who relate and do the same. 
 

Dinosaur Hands/Sleeping 

So what are dinosaur hands, and what does it mean to sleep with dinosaur hands? This unofficial term describes a posture in which individuals sleep with their wrists bent inward towards their body, with their hands curled up resembling the claws of a dinosaur. The videos explore the possibility that this is a neurodivergent thing. While seemingly peculiar to some, this sleep position seems to offer a unique level of comfort for many of us in the community. 

To understand the commonality of the neurodivergent community, many of whom sleep with dinosaur hands, we can start by taking a look into the broader experience of sleep among neurodivergent individuals. Neurodiversity encompasses a spectrum of neurological differences, and it makes sense that across this spectrum, sleep patterns and preferences vary widely, with some individuals preferring weighted blankets, some needing sources of weight, others needing sources of sound (or needing complete silence), some maybe needing a specific temperature to fall asleep, and some exhibiting tendencies like sleeping with dinosaur hands. We all experience sleep differently and can have some pretty significant preferences when it comes to sleep. After all, it is a space where we relax and recharge, regulate our bodies, and rest. It can be argued that sleep is even more essential for neurodivergent people who have nervous systems that are so frequently activated. Everyone needs sleep, but we really need sleep. Everyone needs comfort, but comfort for us is absolutely essential. That can sometimes mean we resort to tactics to achieve that comfort that others may find strange or atypical. 
 

Dinosaur Hands and T-Rex Arms– Are they related?

One parallel experience that is often recognized within the autistic community is "T-Rex arms." This term describes a posture where individuals walk with their elbows bent rather than allowing their arms to swing naturally at their sides. It feels safer and more contained to have your arms close to your body while walking rather than having to worry about how our hands and arms are moving. While I don’t actually walk with T-Rex arms; I resort to just flailing my arms about strangely without any natural “flow” as I walk. I can completely understand how much easier it is to keep arms close. Tying it all together. just as T-Rex arms reflect a unique gait associated with autism, sleeping with dinosaur hands offers insight into distinctive sleep behaviors that resonate with many neurodivergent people.
 

Why Might Neurodivergent People Sleep with Dinosaur Hands?

The significance of sleeping with dinosaur hands extends beyond its visual portrayal. For many neurodivergent individuals, this sleep posture serves as a form of comfort and regulation. The act of curling one's hands inward may provide a sense of security, akin to wrapping oneself in a protective cocoon before drifting into sleep. One reddit commenter giving their own perspective into dinosaur hands while sleeping is drawing the parallel between feeling the urge or need to hold or snuggle a stuffed animal or pillow. They drew the comparison that dinosaur hands kind of looks and feels like the same posture you would use while holding a stuffy or pillow, except there’s nothing there (but the hand and arm position is similar). That comparison resonated with me, as I used to feel a very intense urge to always hold something, not because I was necessarily attached to the stuffed animal as a comfort item (even though at times there was a sentimental element), it was more of the comfort factor that came with the position alone. It just seems like a better option than having to figue out what to do with my hands and arms while sleeping on my side; sometimes it can even feel like they’re kind of floating without any sense of feeling grounded. It makes sense that in a world that can often feel overwhelming, finding solace in familiar gestures, even during sleep, can offer a source of stability and tranquility.

Moreover, sleeping with dinosaur hands may be linked to sensory processing differences commonly observed in neurodivergent individuals. Sensory needs, such as a sensory need for touch or proprioceptive input, can influence how individuals perceive and respond to their environment, including their sleep environment. Body tensing/flexing is frequently noted as a stim, it could be argued that dinosaur hands are a reflection of that. For some, bending the wrists inward may either provide sensory input or alleviate sensory discomfort, creating a more comfortable sleeping experience. Much like walking with T-Rex arms offers a more “contained” experience than letting one’s arms hang all around, consider how similarly comforting it is to curl your entire body, including your hands, inwards towards yourself. As opposed to sprawling out on the entire bed (which is often the position I end up waking up in) the act of falling asleep feels nice when you’re curled inwards. It makes me think of animals, like dogs and cats, who curl into a ball while sleeping. Dogs may of course sleep all spread out, sometimes even on their back with their legs sticking up, taking up as much space as possible, but there’s something that seems extra cozy when you see them curled up like a croissant. The same principle applies with dinosaur hands and sleeping. All curled up just feels better sometimes. 

The prevalence of sleeping with dinosaur hands among neurodivergent individuals also underscores the importance of recognizing people’s unique needs and quirks, even when it comes to sleep. By acknowledging and understanding these differences, we can further emphasize how important individual comfort and well-being is for our overall health. 
 

Areas for Further Exploration

Sleeping with dinosaur hands is a fascinating area of exploration about the interplay between neurology and sleep in general. Sleep is not merely a passive state but a dynamic process influenced by an array of biological, psychological, and environmental factors. Understanding how neurodivergent individuals experience sleep, and making sure they are getting the most restful sleep possible, can offer valuable insights into the underlying mechanisms governing sleep regulation, and function.

It's important to note that while sleeping with dinosaur hands may be more prevalent among neurodivergent individuals, it is by no means exclusive to this population. Sleep behaviors are highly individualized, influenced by a multitude of factors beyond neurology. If any neurotypical people reading this resonate with dinosaur hands and sleeping, I’d love to hear their experience too.

In addition to it being recognized and discussed within neurodivergent communities, sleeping with dinosaur hands would also be a fun topic of further exploration for curious minds seeking to understand its implications for sleep health. By continuing to discuss  this sleep posture, people can gain valuable insights into the underlying mechanisms of sleep regulation and its relevance to neurodiversity. There’s also opportunity for research into autistic and neurodivergent body positioning and posturing in general － including dinosaur hands, T-Rex arms, posture, and gait differences in neurodivergent populations. 
 

Do What Makes You Comfortable

Sleeping with dinosaur hands represents more than just a curious sleep posture—it symbolizes the diverse ways in which individuals experience and interact with comfort and rest, particularly within neurodivergent communities.  By embracing and understanding these variations, we can cultivate conversations that support regulation, rest, and comfort for every individual without judgment－ dinosaur hands and all.