7yo struggles to get off to sleep - no previous sleep issues. Help!

[NumptyNu]

After 7 years of peaceful nights and easy-ish bedtimes, DD is currently struggling to get to sleep at night. She is tired, and timings seem appropriate, she doesn't appear concerned about anything in particular. She simply can't get off, and then starts to worry that she won't be able to get off, and works herself up. She can fall asleep on the sofa easily if I'm beside her. Equally is asleep in 60 secs if I lay with her for a while either in her bed or ours. She's not a particularly needy child, so what might be going on do you think?

Has anything changed like diet, exercise, friendship groups? Do you read to her at bedtime?

Ds (8) is the same. Dh is currently sat on the landing so that ds can go to sleep. We're just ignoring calls/shouts and (trying to be) calm.

I feel your pain!

No, Jilted, nothing has changed as far as we can tell. She's not good at hiding her feelings either, so I'm quite confident that nothing is amiss.

Reading to her at bedtime kind of hot replaced with her doing her school reading. Perhaps we should start it again.

We had EXACTLY this with our year old. Previously brilliant sleeper struggling to get to sleep, becoming anxious and self perpetuating. No obvious changes or trigger, we were flummoxed. Went on for weeks until we pushed her bedtime back from 7.45 to 8; totally resolved instantly.! What time does she go to bed? Might not be your issue but they get older and need less sleep; yeah I know seems obvious now.

Was supposed to say 7 year old.

Watching with interest as my 6 year old has recently started struggling to go to sleep. I suspect she needs a later bedtime.

I really feel your pain. My dd has been ill been ill for weeks and sometimes can't get to sleep because of the pain. I've just read to her for a second time and hopefully that will do the trick.

Yes, I'd start reading to her again. My dd loved the Ottoline books by Chris Riddell and we are currently reading the Faraway Tree trilogy by Enid Blyton, which she is loving. Agree with moving her bedtime a little later. My dd used to go down at 7pm but in the last few months it's become more like 7.30pm.

Have a look at sleep inducing foods too

Yep our now 10 year old started this around 7.
I just sort of went with the flow and cwtched her until she was asleep, then gradually cwtched her for a shorter time. She's still a little bit like it now but nothing horrendous.
I think it's an age where they consciously go to sleep rather than sleeping because they are tired and it takes a while for them to get used to it. A change in the maturity of the brain perhaps?

Thank you all. I'm going to try going back to bedtime reading (me reading to her) to start with I think.

By the way, a friend if mine with a similar issue tried the night-time Rescue Remedy that you can buy at the chemist. I'm not convinced it has much effect in our case, but she swears by it. Just in case any of you want to give that a try.

Let us know how you get on

still struggling......