Help with 12 year old and sleeping please. My gorgeous son logs off from technology before dinner, sits down to a family meal and winding down time before bed. Lately he will go to bed happily but within about 30 mins comes to us saying he cannot sleep, sweating and quite anxious. He tells me nothing is worrying him apart from the fact he cannot go to sleep. He is scared the house will be asleep without him. I calm him down and talk and reassure him about trying to have positive thoughts and sleep will come but it is happening more and more and later and later some nights. Has anyone been through anything similar and how did you resolve it? Thanks
5 Replies
Bedtime is a common timethat it comes out. Stop being busy and mentally busy and the tummyache and worries start.
Try bedtime wind down routines, nice warm bath, nice soap, nicepjs, cosy blankets and pillows, dressed warm enough, hot water bottle or heat pack, dim light, warm milk/drink, squeeze and relax each body part, checklist to go over the day, whats done, whats to do tomorrow, wrap that all up.
Try a sleep relaxation story, audiobook, or replaying a nice event from their memory.
It is important to be able to be alone with their own thoughts, thats the goal but fixing anxiety isnt a quick fix, so taking steps to be calm and get through bedtime, using tools thatfil the silence can be ok for now, as long as theyre calming.
We got a clock radio with a bluetooth speaker for our daughter and we play audiobooks or sleep stories through it at night so she can have something to focus on rather than her racing mind. It helps a lot.
He could try journalling his thoughts and worries as well, even if he said it's just worrying about getting to sleep, he might remember more in the moment.
My son 12 is the same. One of us lays with him cuddles him until he falls asleep.
I use to be like this. I’m 36 now and can still be like this. For me it was what I could see and hear when the lights went out. It sounds crazy but I was haunted from a young age. Get him some protective crystals and tell him to picture a bright light surrounding him protecting him. I am psychic and was visited by things others couldn’t see and was always told to get over it. Maybe he is the same. I now listen to rain sounds as I go to sleep so I can’t hear the whispers and breathing of things others can’t see.
I was like this(sometimes still) wish I had music as a kid, would have helped. I can hear everything. As a kid that scared me, as an adult I tune it out for the most part. It still wakes me some nights but I am old enough to know that it mostly can't hurt me.