4 year old waking at 4 am - separation anxiety?

[ImperialGoddess]

I am looking for some advice.

My son is 4, and he is Autistic but he is a very good kid. He is non verbal. We have always had a pretty solid sleep routine with him.

Recently he's been waking up at 4 am basically looking for me, and usually if I go in there right away to lay down with him he will fall back asleep. But my husband (his dad) and I take turns watching him each night so the other can get rest, and my son will stay up 1-2 hours before finally giving in and going to sleep when dad watches him, but he'll keep trying to come into the bedroom looking for me and getting upset when dad takes him away.

He has a bedtime of 7 pm.

We did move about 3 months ago but again, this only started a few weeks ago. He does not go to school currently but has therapies, I do keep him busy through out the day.

What can I do? I'm really up for any idea. Waking up this early and not getting enough sleep is taking its toll on me. I'm so tired.

What time is he getting up in the morning? 4 year olds need 10-13hrs total sleep so it's a possibility that as he has got older he needs more sleep pressure (ie time awake) to sleep through each sleep cycle connection without waking fully and needing you. I think neurodiversity impacts sleep too but if things were OK before this then it sounds like a routine or a separation anxiety thing. Could you try building lots into bedtime about being excited to see him in the morning, or letting him know where you'll be in the house so he has no need to worry?