Insomnia

[dattydot]

Help! My 8 year old daughter goes to bed at about 8.30ish but never goes to sleep before 10.30 or 11 ish (sometimes after me). She says that she just can't get to sleep and sometimes the only thing that helps her is knowing that we are in bed, so sometimes my husband and I have to pretend to go to bed! Her 10 year old brother goes to sleep the second his head hits the pillow and that gets her really cross too. She has a regular routine, no tv or computers in her bedroom but nothing really helps her at all. Does anyone have any ideas about breaking this pattern before she has to get up really early for secondary school?

I haven't had this problem with my kids (yet!), but as a child I remember lying awake for ages before I could get to sleep, reading under the covers with a torch etc. Can't remember my parents doing anything specific about it. If it helps, since becoming a teenager / adult I am now an excellent sleeper who goes to sleep within minutes of turning out the light and stays asleep all night unless my children wake me!

Have you tried: warm drink before bedtime, warm bath before bedtime, wind down time, chatting to her about any anxieties that might be keeping her awake, soothing music to help her drop off? Is the room dark enough / too dark? My friend is successfully using the Paul McKenna CD to help her sleep, not sure if this is appropriate for children?

Did you see the other post a bit further up the thread? It's concerning a 5 yo but lots of fab advice on there.

Good luck, hope she sleeps soon. I have a 6 yo DD who is similar on and off, having a reasonably good time at the moment after buying and using this CD:

www.amazon.co.uk/Bedtime-Meditations-Kids-Calm/dp/1901923908/ref=pd_sim_m_h__1

Fingers crossed it lasts.

Was the same as a child too. I would advise you not to make a big deal about it. I read an article on insomnia once as I was worried there was something wrong with me. Apparently the biggest cause of insomnia is worrying about it.

Subtly offer a warm drink before bed. Perhaps get her some nice books and a bed side lamp. I used to worry myself to sleep, drove me mad, and yes, at even that young age. The cure for me was reading to sleep.

Hi, don't know if this will help - but when I was training as a reflexologist I had to use my 10 yr DD for my training. I soon found that it was amazing for relaxing her and have used it for illnesses, exam stress and sometimes to help get her to sleep.

Now it's more of a foot massage - I sometimes just stroke her back as well. It might feel like a retrograde step (i.e like putting a toddler to sleep and probably takes about 10 mins). I insist of lights off, and absolutely no talk - and it nearly always works. Sometimes she not asleep but is sleepy enough for me to leave.

I don't do it every night, just now and then - and especially if I know she's tired from school etc. I might be worth a try just to reteach her how to fall asleep. I'm also planning on buying her a new mattress soon, as hers is not very cozy.

Hope this helps