My 11 year old is having a hard time going to sleep at night?

Question

Lately he has been having a hard time falling asleep at night. His diet is fine and healthy,and he has no other health problems. He goes to bed at 9:00pm and wakes up and 7:00am. Sometimes it takes him 3, or even 4 hours to fall asleep.

At about 8:30, I tell him to go brush his teeth and get into bed, while I'm reading my magezine or watching the tv downstairs.

What can I do to make him fall asleep faster and better?

Melatonin is OUT of the question

Answer 1

if he drinks pop before bed dont let him make sure theres like no loud noises and make sure its dark hoped i helped

Answer 2

My son went through a period of this, I got him story tapes from the library, put no pressure on him to fall asleep, but he had to lie in bed to listen to them.

Worked a treat! He has now moved on to reading, and I can't carry the books to him!

The story tapes broke the anxiety cycle of not being able to sleep, and a bonus was that he developed a love of books and reading!

Answer 3

have him expand all his energy have him play outside and run around alot it exhausts people faster maybe read him a bedtime story

Answer 4

he may have insomnia...you may want to talk to a doc about it...

but make him play outside alot, make him read a book, let him listen to soft music to put him to sleep,

I used to have the same problem as a kid, except it was because I was really stressed out. my parents went through a 10 year custody battle, i moved around alot, i got teased at school.

maybe there is something going on at school , a bully that he may be afraid of telling you about?

Answer 5

If he doesn't have a lamp light, get one and ask him to give reading a try.  He can read until he is sleepy.  Reading might tire him out sooner than just tossing and turning in bed.

Answer 6

Check and see if there are underlying reasons like anxiety,

if so, his mind may very busy, and it would be hard for him to fall asleep.  Is school going okay, worried about tests, bullying, seperation anxiety, OCD?  Sometimes we concentrate on our childrens health and activites but forget about their mental health.

You could talk to his teacher and ask how he is in class, is he focused, easily distracted? introverted, angry, sad, oversensitive,disorganized?  Maybe talk to your doctor/pediatrician.  Sleep is so important for their growing and developement.

Try putting him to bed earlier and put soft music in his room, it may help.

I hope you find something to help him.

Answer 7

Have you tried Sleepy Time tea?  It is herbal and may help.

My 5 year old has major sleep issues and takes a prescription heavy duty antihistamine to help him sleep....We usually take it for a week to get him into a good sleep pattern, then take him off of it for a few months......Usually our pattern is on it for a week, then off for 3 or 4 months, back on it for a week........it just helps retrain his body to sleep.

Might I ask why Melatonin is out of the question?

Answer 8

There can be alot of reasons. If you just tell him to go to bed, while you're downstairs watching tv or whatever, you should really start a nightly routine with him. Have him take a relaxing bath and soak for about 15 minutes, and wash his hair (or if he does it himself) and then brush teeth together, lay with him in his bed for about 15 minutes and talk about the day, give him a backrub, and massage his arms/legs/shoulders with lavender scented lotion or any type of lotion you have, read him a story while you're with him and assure him that you love him.

You should try this, email me if it isn't working and I'll try and help out more.

Answer 9

Im having the same problem.I am 11 too.I try reading a book to calm my mind.Mymom says that i should stop watching action packed cartoons,shows before i go to bed,she said my mind is thinking of fighting.I try stretching(it hurts but it will kinda work).Hmmm what else...i usually think of what going to happen tommorrow and that keeps me up sometimes.

Answer 10

You should buy some Lavnder linen/pillow spray, it is not a drug so it will do no harm to him all you have to do is spray underneath his pillow a couple of time lightly with the lavender spray and this should help him sleep easier my mum used it with me when i was younger and it worked a treat it is not expensive and can be found at an drug/chemist/natural body stores, lavender is proven to relieve stress or calm down our bodies and sooth any trouble we have sleeping or relaxing.

It works honest it's great, http://shop.innerscents.co.uk/images/IS0...

Hope that helps. :P

Also i find it easier to sleep at night after reading or watching tv somehow it makes up sleepier not sure why i think it tires our brain out even more as when we sleep it is not our body that needs the rest it's just our brains especially when we are young.

Answer 11

i have an 11 year old daughter,and she has major sleep issues. she was being bullied, but that never bothered her at night.She went to bed at 8 and would fall asleep at 11 or 12. it still happens. a tape helps her go to sleep.

Answer 12

Make sur ehe doesn't ever do anything in bed besides sleep in it This includes reading, doing homework, etc. If the brain can't associate the bed with sleeping automatically, then he'll have a hard time going to bed.

Also, are there any electronics in his room? TV, computer? Get those out. If he wacthes TV or plays on the computer in his room, his brain will not associate the bedroom as a rsting place.

I know this sounds corny and lame, but it's true.

You can also sit beside him or lay beside him while he's in bed trying to sleep. The presence of mommy ALWAYS makes one's soul at peace. =)

And I'm sure he's out running around like all the other 8 year old kids, so he probably uses up all his energy.

Another thing that could be the problem: does he have any problems at school? Bullying? Does he beg nott o go to school? Bad grades? Hates teachers? Sometimes kids stress out about school and it conflicts with their sleep. Speak with him if you suspect something.

Hope this helps.

Answer 13

my 11 year old son is or was exactly the same. he had the same bedtime as yours etc

I used lavender pillows and got a lavender plug in for his room, which helped to a degree...but bizarrely the thing that worked was changing his room around, Im not sure why it worked but it has helped enormously. He likes his bed against the wall and he also likes his room very cold....despite my teeth rattling when i go in his room he insists he sleeps better with it very cold. He also likes music on in the background. He might also just appreciate you poking your head in, mine still likes me to go in and give him a hug and a kiss, and this is the time he usually tells me if anything is bothering him.

Answer 14

you could give him a bedtime drink like hot chocolate ot horlicks and then maybe a story to read to him while hes drinking it

Answer 15

Give him a later bed time, he's 11, needs a little more freedom, or just watch a DVD with him until he falls asleep. Thats what we used to do when I was younger.

Also, try rearranging his room, it might just be uncomfortablely arranged to sleep in.