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Sleep

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5 year old can’t fall asleep

3 replies

Kez12345678 · 29/06/2025 21:03

up To now my 5, almost 6, year old has been a brilliant sleeper, fallen asleep on his own for years and slept through the night as long as I can remember. No issues at all. But recently he’s getting up roughly every 15 minutes from 7 o’clock until 9 ish. He’s so tired, he looks shattered and his behaviour the next morning is always challenging because he’s so tired. We have a consistent bedtime routine, limit screen time to the point he only has any on a Sunday and well before bedtime. Today we’ve been in the garden all day, went for a little walk to calm down after all the excitement, had a bath, got pjs on and then he can read and listen to his Toni box before he goes to sleep. But he just keeps getting up! I’ve tried telling him to count sheep, play word games in his head, all sorts. I’m getting more and more frustrated with him which I know isn’t the answer but I’m completely out of ideas for how to deal with him. Any advice would be massively appreciated!

side note - we have an 18 month old too but she goes to bed before him and sleeps all night now, his issue seems unrelated to her arrival in that it’s only been the last couple of months.

OP posts:
Ninkynonkpinkyponks · 29/06/2025 21:04

Sounds like bedtime is too early. My 4 yo goes to bed more like 7:30- 8pm.

also I don’t think you need to be quite so strict on screen time to one day a week!! It won’t be that making the difference

Springadorable · 29/06/2025 21:04

Is he just too hot? I struggle in summer as even if it's not hot hot I want a cold room. I'd try swapping his duvet for just a cover and see if that helps at all.

Kaleidoscopic101 · 29/06/2025 22:07

I think his bedtime needs shifting to 7:30 to 8pm, quiet play in his bed for a bit with something you feel will engage but not over-excite and then 'lights out' at 8pm expectation of 8:30 going to sleep. This is the worst time of year for light and heat too. I would just relax that bedtime a bit, and possibly ongoing too. It might be he could do something with his hands at that read/listen stage to quieten his mind a bit like an IQ Puzzle, magnetic drawing board to wind down a bit?

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