7 year old will.not.sleep

[Izzythezizzy]

Looking for some advice!

My daughter has just turned 7, and she will not fall asleep until around 10pm every night. We’ve tried every bedtime routine imaginable, but nothing seems to make a difference.

These days, we finish her routine (story, etc.) and leave her at 8pm, telling her it’s bedtime but she can read or draw quietly if she wants. (We used to stay with her until she physically fell asleep, but that would take hours every night.) The problem is, she ends up reading or drawing until 10pm or later.

She insists she isn’t tired, but by morning she’s clearly exhausted and it’s obvious she needs more sleep.

Has anyone been through something similar, and do you have any tips that worked for you?

Instead of reading, have you tried audiobooks? If she's lying down with the light off, she might fall asleep. Something not too exciting, narrated by a soothing voice.

Melatonin? You can get it from Biovea, should help her fall asleep.

Keep a sleep diary for 2 weeks (so they dont send you away to do a sleep diary and you have to make another appointment) and then go to your GP and ask for meletonin. In my area this takes years, but at least you've got the ball rolling. They might offer you a referal to a sleep support service.

You have my sympathy. Our DD was like this but with multiple demands for us to be with her. It was exhausting.

Ultimately Melatonin was the only thing that sorted out her sleep but some things that helped a little were guided meditation, Sleepy Cream from Lush, exercise and plenty of it and foods that can make you sleepy.

The Melatonin came after her diagnosis for ASD.

Thank you so much for all the advice!