Seeking advice on helping a child sleep at night.
My 12-year-old son does not sleep at night. He takes melatonin and he says that doesn’t help. His xbox gets shut off at 8pm. What else can I do to help him sleep at night?
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Ask him what would help him sleep
Melatonin will help me get to sleep but I actually wake up a few hours later. Have you discussed it with his doctor? Does he take other medications? Does he drink ANY caffeine ( soda etc) how much sugar does he intake? how much artificial food dyes does he intake.
bath, essential oils, diffuser, white noise machine, make sure he’s getting plenty of exercise, maybe a small healthy snack, he can try reading something that would interest him, tea, maybe figure out a comfort item? something he likes that he’s attached to
Sometimes a nice warm bath right before bed time helps my son go right to sleep at night.
Physical activity > hot shower > lavender on the feet > cool bedroom > white noise in room > weighted blanket. He need to be tired, one, but then the environment needs to be suited for sleep.
My 10 yr old had the same problem. His fix? Lavender on the feet and the dog sleeps with him.
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Shut that xbox off sooner than 8pm
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A warm bath with lavender. Sleep time tea,
Is the melatonin from a doctor or ordered online …My son has it too and the stuff online doesn’t work on him only the one that is from his doctor works …A huge price difference but at least your getting what you pay for
Have him try reading. I have an overactive mind, and it helps me to focus on one storyline and not on the million other things my mind wanders into before bed
My doctor recommended no electronics during the week.
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Does he exercise regularly?
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No caffeine and maybe a book? Reading always makes me sleepy.
My boys were like this. So we started limiting screen time after school. After they do homework and chores they can play their games or phones until dinner around 530 or 6. Then they have free time until 7. At 7 everything goes off and they read until they go to sleep. Usually by 8. Lavender oil and sleepy time tea help too.
I know im gonna get hell for this but i struggled with sleep since i was 5 years old. I started using cbd gummies along with my sleep med and that is the only way i get 6 hours of sleep. They have cbd gummies for kids
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What mg Meletonin? And is it a pill, gummy, or liquid?
What time does he wake up and make sure when he gets home from school he’s active not just sitting around.
Active brain needs stimulation earlier, so read, puzzles. No caffeine, shower right before bed
More physical activity, less tv time
Shut xbox off sooner, read for an hour before bed instead.
Melatonin actually made me fall asleep, but then I was up in the middle of the night with really bad anxiety in my chest. I can’t take that stuff.
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Shut your windows earlier ^^ Sunlight keeps the brain from producing melatonin
We initiated a no tablet/video game rule this year during the week!! They have 2 hr football practices 4 day a week right now too and when I say bed time at 815 I get zero groans!! They are 9 and 11. The older reads for 30ish mins and the younger goes straight to sleep.
Cut way back on the Xbox. Til 8 is a lot.
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I had this problem and with my daughter melatonin helps. My son I have no video games all week. Homework chores and get outside and play or go to your room and play. They go to bed all week not just weekdays at 9 occasionally 930. No later it’s consistent and that’s helped a lot and he is 10. She is 6
Flip him upside down LOL old school remedy
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Have him join the xc and track teams. They run everyday. You don’t have to be particularly skilled or athletic. You make friends. He will be exhausted you might be able to up the dosage of melatonin too.
My 12 yr old gets 2 melatonin gummies and a unisom only way he sleeps
Xbox is most likely the cause. Turn it off sooner. Doesn’t matter what game hes playing, it’s making him get worked up. I’ve lost sleep bc of games where I want to stay awake longer bc I know I can beat the score or go on to the next level or I play a stimulating game that involves not dying. My heart starts beating fast and it a while to calm down enough to go to bed
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Is the bedroom dark enough? My daughter had the same problem we tried lots of things and they helped but when we tried black out curtains and removed all source of light and added a fan outside her bedroom for noise reduction as we have a busy home. She hasn’t complained about sleep in a couple months 
good luck!!
So IMO , an xbox/tv emits the same light as a phone. Which makes you stay awake longer. You mentioned the Xbox so I’m guessing you think that’s the problem. Turn it off sooner. He’s 12, limit his time on it. He doesn’t have to have it. & if melatonin isn’t helping and it’s not the xbox, his pediatrician needs to have a sleep study done to be sure it’s not worse than just the xbox screen .
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My son struggles a lot with sleep. His doctor recommended the 10mg tablet of melatonin and a benedryl if needed. Helps him a lot.
Ok first off no more melatonin it’s meant for a week tops. Screws up there natural production . After summer it takes a bit to adjust . Xbox is not the issue unless he is sneaking on to it . You need to tire him out. My sons 12 and hard to get to sleep. He has been so tired after 2 days he has passed out earlie. I’d try getting him to lie down in ur room for a week so that u can make sure he just lies there. Sucks but I had to do this starting a month ago. Because I was gonna have a 12 y a 4 y and a new born. No room to fool around
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I’ve read an Xbox or computer can make sleep difficult. Something to do with the light. Maybe shut that off sooner. Not everyone is affected by it, but you could try it. Is he taking in a lot of caffeine…tea or soda?
Lavender essential oil rub it on wrist behind ears and bottom of feet
I downloaded a hypnosis app(I don’t actually use the hypnosis on my children) there are sleep story’s and relaxing music on it which relaxes them enough to fall asleep!
Guided meditation on YouTube?
Does he read at all? I had insomnia all throughout my childhood and teen years, could never fall asleep before 3 am but sometimes reading helped
Magnesium supplements. Get them from a reputable nutritionist.
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Try shutting the Xbox off earlier, keep his room quiet and dark, use a oil dispenser in his room and dispense lavender oil.
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Baseball bat around the head… One strike per night… Problem solved
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Exercise and less Xbox time … consistent schedule and routine … no caffeine …
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Try a weighted blanket
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Take all technology away two hours or more before bed, the more time off the better. Need brain to slow way down. No sugar after dinner. Warm bath, milk.
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Have you tried a weighted blanket
I’m not gonna lie, I’ve always had problems sleeping, from childhood til now. I’ve combined melatonin with lullabies and a fan to reduce outside noises. It’s helped so much. I don’t suggest the melatonin stay used forever but give it a few weeks and then slowly start tapering off the pills but still keep the lullaby and fan unless he has problems again. Then maybe talk to a doc cause that would mean there’s something else wrong.
Switch melatonin with fenergan 
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Exercise, turn off all electronics earlier. Chamomile tea. Reading never helped me, I could never put the book down lol.
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my son has autism which brings insomnia with it… this is our routine… we take a 1.5 mile walk then come home he takes a hot shower with lavander soap and shampoo. then a warm drink usually tea sometimes coco. i bought a “rain/water” type cd to turn on at bedtime to help him sleep. a fan turned on low. and then i give his back a good rub down while the lights are turned down low… it doesnt always work as insomnia is a bitch but… it does seem to help. ive tried melatonin and sleeping pills which worked short term but hes like me his tolerance for oral medications rises quickly and dont feel comfortable raising it to levels recommended now as its HIGH… i hope you get it figured out i know how much harder lack of sleep can make things… best of wishes
Bedtime rituals. Brush teeth after small drink…maybe a fan and/or radio and dim lights 30 minutes before.
New routine. Come home from school. Eat supper. Do homework. Take bath. Go to bed. No xbix during the week. Xbox from Friday after school until Sunday 6pm is enough. The transition/withdrawal from excessive xbox time may be tough in the beginning but think of how much better he will relax/sleep when he’s not ‘keyed up’ or ‘wired up’. It made a world of difference in our home when we took away electronics during the week. Hope it helps ya’ll too.
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Xbox needs to be cut off way sooner than 8
He might have insomnia. I would take him to a doctor.
Exercise during day hes not running energy off
So long term melatonin use is horrible for one because we naturally make melatonin to help us sleep so adding in melatonin as a sleep aid causes your body to make less. I would consult his pediatrician or family doctor about sleeplessness.
Exercise is key to healthy living and sleep cycles.
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Depends on if this happens during the summer also… But I would try online school and letting him sleep when his body needs it. I’m wide awake at night and sleep during the day naturally. Drives my family batty but I can’t help it. I have lived in the city with 24hr grocery stores and in the country with stores I would have to go to in the evening before they close. Adapt.
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I was having the same issues with my child. Our doctor said no electronics 2-3 hours before bedtime.
I used melatonin for 11+ years. Starting at age 8 to 19. No problems at all. I Dont need anything now. I can fall asleep very easy. 1 of my 6 has severe adhd and with him i do bath, lavender lotion, and if he isn’t sleepy then melatonin. School has helped as well. Its made a routine.
My 3 and 4 year olds will stay up way past midnight. I do same with them. Bath, lotion, etc. Some kids, like me, just need extra help. Without melatonin I would’ve never slept. Now i can regardless! Stick to a routine. Add whatever or take away whatever works! Itll get easier.
Now my 10 and 7 year olds with my 5 year old and 8 year old, lay down, watch tv and fall asleep…
Both my boys need it next to freezing in their room lol fan, window open year round, soft music. My husband is the same way.
I just read that pistachios are full of melatonin
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That with milk and if he’s not allergic peanut butter which is full of Serotonin
Don’t let him get used to taking the melatonin. His body will start to depend on it to get to sleep
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YouTube ocean or stream sounds and let that play. Works great for my kids. Or a sound machine
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I have heard a sound machine or low classical music, with a color changing light, or even a lava lamp is amazing for helping to relax & sleep for younger ones.
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Sometimes it can be really hard to turn your brain off at night. At 12, he’s got a lot going on in his mind. I would talk to him about relaxation techniques, I recently did this with my 5yo daughter and 7yo son. At my house we go to school so we go to bed early, at 730pm out by 8pm, because we are up for school at 530/6am. At dad’s, on the wkeds and summers, no school so no early bedtime. So they come home and their routine is shot to shit and they aren’t wanting to go to bed at 730 because they just slept in til 10/11am on a Sunday at dad’s. They get home about 6pm, it’s literally baths, snack, bed, so there’s no electronics even on. I let them watch TV from 730 to 8 occasionally, but not generally on Sundays when they come home because they can’t shut their mind off. I recently taught them different ways to slow their mind down, such as counting sheep (for my daughter. My son counts mine craft bricks as he builds a wall in his mind 
whatever 
). I told them if that doesn’t work, to picture playing on a beach-they’ve never been but have seen plenty. Just different visualization techniques. My 5yo LG likes to “put her body parts to sleep” by visualizing each part of her body relaxing. She told me she makes it from her toes (done individually of course ) to her elbows b4 she falls asleep if my crazy kids can do it I bet he can.
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So are bananas. Boil bananas in water let water cool. Drink banana water contains melatonin eat the mashed boiled banana. If this doesn’t work melatonin might not be your answer. Ask your Pediatrician for referral to pediatric sleep disorders.
What time does he wake up?
Go on YouTube and type in sleep white noise. There are some Binural Beats that are amazing with sleep.
I’ve been an insomniac ever since I could remember. Mom says it started around 5. I’m not the wired type. I just have trouble shutting down my brain so I lay there tossing and turning just thinking. It’s horrible.
But I agree with everyone suggesting to stop the melatonin and electronics be cut off sooner durning school days. 7pm. Start getting ready for bed.
Take a bath. Drink chamomile tea or lavender tea.
My kids cannot sleep unless there is a background noise like rain or a river.
Also may I suggest talking to him at night for 15 min? Sitting by his bed and asking him what’s on his mind? Maybe there is something troubling him at school? Or at home? Or maybe he just has so many thoughts he can’t get straight?
If he doesn’t want to talk then start a conversation of another topic. He’ll open up eventually. Talking it out may help him calm down.
Does he have a normal bedtime routine? Not sure what his bedtime is but I would turn Xbox off earlier than that, have him read or do something not as stimulating for a while before bed to wind down.
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How about outside time
Riding a bike, playing basketball, skate board…in other words physical activity to make one fall to sleep. Melatonin for preteens & teens ?? They will never be able to fall asleep normally as a adult without taken something 
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I personally had terrible insomnia during my teen years… I just couldn’t turn my head off and would just toss and turn. I personally would try to read before bed but sometimes I enjoyed it too much and i would stay up reading not really helping… Around 14 I began trying anything to shut my mind off so I began kinda meditating in bed but nothing weird just tried to calm my breathing.,focus on relaxing, and trying to countdown from a thousand… It just made me try to concentrate. I also was very active with this issue and did not take anything to sleep. Try having him drink some chamomile tea and relax in a bath if he doesn’t mind that, give him a book to read(I sometimes would get very drowsy) and see if relaxing and counting does the trick. Getting him up early too of course. Good luck.
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Get a fan, it helps!
cut the screen time even earlier. Make them read before bed, even 30 mins helps get the eyes tired. Melatonin wont always work. The body get use to it and it become like a vitamin. He needs to be more active, less screen time, like way less. Get outside and play. He needs lots of physical activity and read a book. He will sleep. Put a fan in the room too. Its magical lol.
Set the alarm for 2am and tell me he’s not playing 
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Get him a tent for his bed, or at least the ones you put over the head of the bed. Theyre so cozy and make kiddos feel safe
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Get a new fan to run at night make him turn it off at 730 no food or drinks after 730…
A nice walk before bed , no sugar after school or soda or junk foods , try melatonin gummies i give my 10 yr old 2 3mg gummies it works maybe read a little after giving the gummies read some pages in a book fir like 15/20 mins …i agree with a fan and a tent we have both it works oh a little nightlight too …keep us posted
Lavender is great for keeping body calm. I have a diffuser that I put lavender in.
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We are a very strong believer in music at night. Just turn on the radio it should help.
Having problems sleeping is normal in puberty. The circadian rhythm changes and they don’t fall asleep until later and can have a hard time waking up early.
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Maybe try laying down with him, leave a night light on.
Stop the Xbox use and make him get outside furing the day.
I would say have him go outside and play more often. Being active wears a kid.out