This should improve your child’s breathing during sleep and stop them from waking up so often. If a medical condition or sleep disorder is causing your child’s insomnia, they might need some kind of medical treatment.įor example, if your child has obstructive sleep apnoea that’s caused by enlarged adenoids, they might need an operation to take out their adenoids.
#Insomnia treatments full#
Feeling hungry or too full before bed can make it harder for your child to get to sleep. Make sure your child also has a satisfying evening meal at a reasonable time. Make sure your child gets some physical activity and plenty of bright, natural light during the day. Your child’s daytime habits can make a difference to how well they sleep. encouraging your child to go to bed at night as soon as they show signs of being sleepy.having a quiet and relaxing bedtime routine and sleep environment.Sometimes treatment for insomnia might just be a case of changing your child’s sleeping habits. Insomnia treatments can include the following. Your doctor will work with you and your child to find the best way to help them sleep better. Treatment for insomnia depends on what’s causing your child’s insomnia. You could do this for a few weeks before seeing the GP. Sometimes, if the causes of your child’s insomnia aren’t clear, your child might be monitored overnight at a sleep centre or at home.īefore you take your child to see the GP about insomnia, it can help to track your child’s sleep in a log or diary. This can help you and your child’s doctor better understand your child’s sleep difficulties. Your child’s doctor might suggest that you complete some questionnaires or surveys about your child’s sleep. They might also examine your child to check for any signs of a medical problem. Your child’s doctor will probably ask a lot of questions to understand why your child might be having trouble sleeping.
#Insomnia treatments professional#
Your GP might refer you to a paediatrician, psychologist or other health professional with experience in identifying and treating persistent sleep problems in children.
It’s a good idea to talk with your GP if you’re concerned that problems with sleep are affecting your child’s wellbeing, schoolwork or relationships.Īlso talk with the GP if the problems are making your child anxious, or if they go on for more than about 2 weeks. Medical help: when to get it for children with insomnia
bedtime behaviour – for example, too much screen time before bed or not enough time for calm, quiet activities in the bedtime routine.sleep associations – for example, when a child can’t go to sleep without a bottle of milk, a parent nearby or music in the background.When children go to bed later, they’ll often get up later in the morning too. Your child might not feel sleepy until around 11 pm or later, so they’ll want to go to bed later at night. This affects your child’s circadian rhythm. Insomnia is common in adolescence because this is when your child starts to release melatonin later at night than they did in childhood. struggle to concentrate or remember information.lack energy or constantly feel tired in the day.sleep at different times from day to day.nap for long periods during the day or fall asleep at school.struggle to wake or refuse to get out of bed in the morning.often wake up during the night and can’t go back to sleep.feel tired but are suddenly wide awake once they go to bed.often get out of bed and ask for things.But if you’re concerned that your child might have insomnia, there are signs you can watch for at bedtime, during the night and during the day. Signs and symptoms of insomniaĪ change in your child’s sleeping behaviour – like going to bed later than you’d like – isn’t necessarily a sleep problem. The amount of sleep your child needs to be at their best for play, learning and concentration during the day depends on their age. This is also called persistent or chronic insomnia. Long-term insomnia is when your child has trouble sleeping at least 3 times a week, and this problem lasts for a month or longer. Short-term insomnia lasts only a few days or weeks.
If your child has insomnia, it means they have trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep at night, or they might wake up too early.