Help both kids waking every night!!!

[foibles2011]

Well the title says it all really I have a DD 9 and a DS 6 who BOTH wake up every night at separate or the same times and my husband and I are exhausted!
They have the same bedtime routine bath/shower, pjs, teeth brushing and then sleep meditation music to go to sleep to both in bed by 7.30 (DS) and 8.00 (DD). Sometimes they settle well sometimes they call downstairs repeatedly or get up due to feeling sick or being scared or having tummy aches or headaches but are repeatedly put back to bed.
Then from around 1am they both start waking with nightmares/feeling scared/feeling sick and won't resettle themselves easily. We tuck them in and reassure them but there are tears and tantrums and the whole process can take hours and honestly I'm at my wits end
I think I'm doing everything I can to help but any other ideas would be greatly appreciated this has been going on for months and seems to be getting worse
Xxx

If it started a few months ago, did anything happen around that time?

Are they both back at school yet?

How much screen time are they getting as well?

@DominicRaabsTravelAgent

If it started a few months ago, did anything happen around that time?

Are they both back at school yet?

How much screen time are they getting as well?

Nothing that I can think of apart from it was coming up to the end of term so . . . excitement???? Screen time is the same as always - maximum 2 hours and always ends an hour and a half before bedtime - I monitor what they watch for content x

Later bed time? At those ages they may not be tired enough for bed at 7:30. DS (age 10) is still out at after school activities until 8 a couple of nights a week and has been since infants. DS (age 5) treats it as a nap if he goes to bed early and wakes again. I've found that getting them both in bed and asleep for the night at 10 is infinitely preferable to faffing around for hours trying to enforce an early bedtime. Maybe you would find 10 too late but try half 8 or 9?

@DrCoconut

Later bed time? At those ages they may not be tired enough for bed at 7:30. DS (age 10) is still out at after school activities until 8 a couple of nights a week and has been since infants. DS (age 5) treats it as a nap if he goes to bed early and wakes again. I've found that getting them both in bed and asleep for the night at 10 is infinitely preferable to faffing around for hours trying to enforce an early bedtime. Maybe you would find 10 too late but try half 8 or 9?

Something I hadn't considered because they're early risers I guess but anything is worth a try at the moment x

I agree maybe try a later bedtime, my little girl is 3 and unfortunately we can’t get her into bed before 8.30.

Honestly, I would put them in bed with you. My DS goes through periods like this and tbh, rather than try to resettle him in his bed, it's better all round if he gets in bed with one of us. Could each of you do the same?

I then find, that after a couple of weeks, the phase settles down again.

It takes what it takes and won't last forever. Xxx

I'd try a later bedtime as well. Maybe aim for the eldest to have the lights out by 9 and the youngest by 8?

Are they getting plenty of exercise as well? I'd aim to get the swimming/skateboarding/walking miles and miles this weekend.

Are they going to be doing many after school clubs as well? Mine are older but still sleep better on the nights that they've done something instead of being on screens. Whether it's the lack of screen-time or the activity or a combination of the two I'm not sure but it does seem to help.