["Autism Research, EarlyView. ", "\nABSTRACT\nSleep disturbances are highly prevalent in autistic children and closely linked to behavioral difficulties, yet the role of napping in this relationship remains poorly understood, particularly in cultural contexts where naps are normative. This pilot study examined sleep–behavior associations and the potential protective role of napping in 53 school‐aged children in China (26 autistic, 27 neurotypical, aged 6–12). Sleep was assessed both objectively (1‐week actigraphy and sleep diaries) and subjectively (Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire), and behavioral outcomes were measured via the Child Behavior Checklist. Autistic children showed significantly more sleep disturbances than neurotypical peers, including greater bedtime resistance, longer sleep onset delay, more frequent night waking, and shorter total sleep. Night waking was a key correlate of behavioral problems in both groups. Importantly, longer nap durations were associated with weaker associations between sleep disturbances and behavioral outcomes. Temporal analyses further indicated that shorter nocturnal sleep was associated with longer next‐day naps, while nap duration was not significantly associated with same‐day night sleep. These findings highlight the potential relevance of culturally embedded nap routines in relation to behavioral difficulties and may inform context‐sensitive sleep support strategies in neurodevelopmental populations.\n"]