8 year old not sleeping

[frecklejuice]

Just after some advice.

DS8 (9 in October) has suddenly stopped being able to fall asleep at night, we are in the 6th week of this now and it's driving me crazy.

He has never been one who goes to bed early, maybe 8/8.30 and then would mess around on his own for a bit before falling asleep around 9pm and that would a heavy deep sleep for the rest of the night. About 6 weeks ago he started coming down stairs 20 times a night to say he couldn't sleep but we were just sending him back to bed, this worked for a few nights and then we had full on tears and him saying that he was tired but couldn't sleep. It's now got to the point where he is awake every night until 11/11.30pm up and down the stairs saying he can't sleep and he is really really trying and then I finally give up get into bed with him and we both go to sleep. I haven't slept in my own bed for 4 weeks!

We have tried: Lavender sleep spray, Rescue Remedy Night drops, audio books, meditation on his IPod (he turns this off because "it's boring"), warm baths and stories. If you ask him what's up he says nothing, apparently he isn't worried and he isn't scared

I have no idea what to do and dh's solution is to now shut him in his room and tell him he is not allowed out until morning otherwise there will be no football, friends over, Xbox etc 🙄 He hasn't done this yet but wants to do it tonight, I'm not convinced.

Help!!

Sorry! Forgot to say that when he does fall asleep it is such a lift sleep that he wakes if I leave the bed/room and tosses and turns all night long. He falls asleep about 11.30 and is often awake at 6.30am.

Is he playing Xbox or on a phone/tablet right before bed?

Is he worried about stuff so his brain won't 'switch off' at bedtime? My DS (also 8yrs) has always found it hard to get to sleep. A few months ago we started a 5 minute 'talk time' at bedtime just before lights out where he can talk about anything that is troubling him and that I or DH will just listen and offer advice only if asked. Often it's just random stuff related to lego, but sometimes it's related to something at school, either earlier that day or coming up the next day. Once he gets it out if his head then he tends to fall asleep more quickly. A bit like writing down your worries when you wake up at night and can't sleep.

No Xbox or anything after 6pm here, he was allowed TV until 7.30pm but we have stopped that now as well so from 6pm it's reading only or toys which he doesn't play with! He does have his IPod in his room but that's only when he has an audio book on.

We have asked and asked if there is anything worrying him or making him sad but he says no. All he says is that he just can't sleep. He has a friend round this evening and he looks absolutely knackered, I know it's the end of term but he looks awful.

I also spoke to his teacher who said apart from him looking terribly tired she hasn't noticed anything different, his work is still ok, he is happy and there aren't any friendship issues that she knows of.