Advice please - 4yo obsessing about how to "get to sleep" and in doing so is not getting to sleep till 10pm

[finecheese]

Hello - I would really appreciate any help as I can't seem to find any past threads which are relevant.
My DS has always been a great sleeper. He's settled and happy in Yr1 now so I can't even put his sudden change of sleeping pattern down to starting school. If anyone has any ideas about how I can get him to just relax and stop thinking too hard about the process of getting too sleep I'd be really grateful. Its been over a week now and he's got big bags under his eyes :(
Thankyou!

tell him you dont want him to go to sleep but that you just want him to 'rest'.

keep checking on him every 15 mins, 'are you still resting?' 'you are doing a good job of resting' ' just lie quiety and rest'

that should de=stress the situation becuase he CAN rest, he know how to do that, its easy.

once hes relaxed ... sleep will naturally follow.

good luck

Can he read a book? Yes, he might read later than you want him to, but it will distract him and he might fall asleep with it in his hands?

Thanks for your messages. StealthPolarBear - totally been doing the book thing - he goes through 10 of the things and still wide awake.
boohoobabywho - I like the sound of your plan, will try it tonight.
Thanks again and hopefully I won't have to ever resort to Medised to break the cycle - ho ho!

I sometimes put a drop of lavender oil on either or both of the DDs (4 and 8) pillows. Partly because lavender really does help you sleep, but also partly for the psychosomatic effect, eg. "I am putting this on, and it's going to help you sleep".

boohoobabywho - I just wanted to say Thankyou! It worked. He's sleeping like an angel again. Hope that hasn't jinxed it actually...