7 yo can't get off to sleep

[Fraxinus]

Any tips?

It's got bad over the summer break, and she has started reading in the dark to try to get sleepy. She gets plenty of exercise and has more or less the same bed time. I am trying to get her up at the same time each day, but obviously if I know she didn't get to sleep until after midnight I feel it is too harsh getting her up at 7.30 when it's the holidays.

I'd be really grateful for any suggestions
Thanks

Audiobooks have worked well for both my DDs who have severe sleep difficulties.

Don't make them too exciting or get too many new ones. The aim is to give them something to keep their mind occupied but not too stimulated.

We used to use a CD player but now use iPods. DD2 has a brilliant pillow with a built-in speaker so no more disentangling her from headphone wires in the early hours which is nice.

You can download Audiobooks in iTunes but we borrow audiobooks on CD from the library and upload them because that's free.

You can also download relaxation/guided meditation tracks to put on iPods. I've used them to help me sleep in the past!

I also put Radio 4 on quietly in the background when I'm struggling to get off. This might work particularly well for your daughter, as she won't really understand what they're talking about, so it'll just be quiet chat in the background, which is actually quite soothing.

You might try a white noise machine.

The ones they make for babies are pretty good, actually, and usually come with a selection of different sounds, ranging from classical music, womb sounds, rain, ocean surf or just static.

It could be that she's one of the kids that just has so much energy she can't shut her brain off at night.

Another thing that may work instead of, or in addition to the noise machine, is having her close her eyes and try to daydream, make pictures/stories/movies in her mind.

It will give her brain a focus instead of being all over the place, and should also help her drop off to sleep without realizing it, and potentially teach her how to control her dreams as well.

*having her close her eyes and try to daydream, make pictures/stories/movies in her mind.

It will give her brain a focus instead of being all over the place, and should also help her drop off to sleep without realizing it, and potentially teach her how to control her dreams as well.*

I'll try this tonight.

I'll see about the pillow speaker, and audio books. I always thought this would be too stimulating for her, so have put gentle music on in another room.

Thanks for the tips

Well i cant offer much help but your certainly not alone. My dd is almost 7 and has NEVER really slept from day one. She will go to bed between 8-9 most nights but is never asleep before 11ish and often later. She can get up early the next day and apart from initial grogginess she is full of energy all day and never lags or needs rest.

I honestly dont know how she does it but she is very bright so we pass it off as her mind being too active, my dp reckons shes the next maggie thatcher, lol!

My ds whos 3 is total opposite and unless hes in bed by 7 and getting his full 12 hours he can barely get through a day.
On a serious note its not great for us as if we want an early night between the sheets its pretty much impossible.
I had hoped once she started school full time it would improve but here we are entering year 2 and no sign of her needing sleep whatsoever.
I like the idea of audio books as someone mentioned above and i will definitly try them!

Yeah, my dd is not really like that. Given the chance she'd sleep 12 hours, and gets grumpy and massive mood swings when she is tired.

I told her about the think of stuff to watch behind your closed eyelids idea, and she said, yeah, I do that, and it might make me dream!

Must see if I can get hold of speaker pillow.

I was recommended "rest and sleep " by Lynda Hudson..... Anyone tried this?

The sample 3 mins seems quite effective! It's got her off to sleep of itself a couple of times!

here