Delayed sleep onset syndrome in 7 year old.

[orangeandemons]

Am at wits end with dd. she has ALWAYS been difficult to get to sleep, even when a baby. We have always had a strict routine with her, but quite often she doesn't got to sleep until 10:30 at night, whatever we do. She is always tired the next day. If left to herself, she would sleep until about 10.00am.

Dd is an owl, quite a pronounced one, but I am at my wits end, she is so,tired all the time

My DD is 9 now but was just the same...until we cut out ALL processed foods. It was hard but has had a profound effect on DD. We can't keep a constant eye on her intake so on Fridays we let the leash go and she can have some crisps/sweets etc...but in the week we are full on about it and her academic performance has shot through the roof and she's out like a light by 8.00pm.

She also rides to school 3 miles a day there and 3 back which helps a lot.

My 8 (nearly 9) year old DD is exactly the same and it drives me mad. She could be up at 5am and still wouldn't be asleep before 10pm at the earliest.

Luckily she is okay for getting up in the morning but as she gets older I can see she is getting more and more tired. Hasn't affected school which I hope doesn't change.

Sorry, no advice but you are not alone.

I have been reading a bit on nutrition recently (I am not at all into that stuff, but ds has some developmental delay. He is also 7). Anyway, it mentioned that low magnesium levels can contribute to sleep problems. You may want to google more about it...

Sorry if stating obvious here. No TV or screen any time from about 6pm. Also not using the bed for anything other than sleep. Try even reading in a chair so that bed = sleep. The brain should eventually learn that bed = sleep, but this will take time.

I would try and pull her bedtime in by 15 mins per week so if she is sleeping at 10.30 then put her to bed at 10.15 for a week rather than going to bed at 8 and messing about for hours.

My ds1 had some sleep problems but it was down to anxiety. We decided (when he was 6) on an 8.30/ 8.45 bedtime instead of 7.30 and the resulting late nights which could get really late when he got into a habit of not sleeping. It really helped and now a year older he sometimes goes to sleep earlier if he's really tired, but mostly it is around that time. We also have a long 'talk' time before bed as it seems to help him relax and get out stuff about his day or any anxieties about the next day, or just general chat and making up stories, which relaxes him.

here is one article

That looks interesting Merry just off to look thanks!

Will try the magnesium thing I think. She is wide awake now. How much sleep does a just 7 year old need? She was up at 7:45 this morning bright as a button. Perhaps I am sending her to bed too early, but I thought. They needed about 11 hours. She did cut her midday nap out very early though, well before she was 2.

Am just so confused