My 8-year-old has been waking up at night and is unable to fall back to sleep: Thoughts?

Try, a weighted blanket and/or talk to her doctor about a possible sleep study.
I would not suggest melatonin but if you and your daughter do decide to try it consult her doctor first and only try it for short term, like a few weeks to get her body used to a sleep schedule.

Melatonin helps my kids big time. Esp my adhd 12 yr old son. Some times its a hit and miss, but its not a long term type thing since it can have a negative like nessing woth the bodies natrual melatonin levels. So I tend to give it to them on days thats a bit out of routine. His dr gave him a prescription for sleeping, but I felt uncomfortable giving it to him esp when it didn’t work half the time.
Now i let him stay up till 12am. We usually sit and spend time together watching tv and talking. Usually me rubbing his head helps a lot.

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Mohamed Mubeen Sanjee

Maybe try reading to her, or a soothing yoga soundtrack? Goodluck :heart:

Lie down and snuggle with your child until they’re calmed down and falls asleep. Just like when they were a baby or toddler. Probably going through some growing up anxiety. No need for drugs, just your love.

Both my kids were like that at that same age. That’s when I started using fans for noise, not directly on them. Warm bubble baths with lavender bubbles. I never ever used sleep aids, pills. I believed it just happens at that age like growing pains. It also happens again at around 12 it seems. It will take a few months to pass. They will exhaust their self and then finally sleep good for a few nights, and then repeat. If it gets bad, don’t wait, see what the doc says.

Cut screen time. Also, is there a source of blue light in her room. Blue light actually stimulates the brain, even if the eyes are closed and even if the person is sleeping, the brain picks this light up and becomes stimulated, disrupting REM sleep cycle.

Chris Charlotte Klapf might be worth reading some of this.

Try some lavender spray on her pillow or a snake plant by her bed

Maybe a weighted blanket might help as well as some of the suggestions already given, good luck -hope sleep improves

If they like tea sleepy time, lavender, chamomile. When my 4 yr old can’t sleep I make us some tea… honestly my best moments as a mom come from late night tea.

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Pistachios apparenty are great for a good night sleep

Be sure not putting to bed to early no types of caffeine or sugar after 5pm no milk it acts as a diuretic make sure the room is dark try a sound machine…it sounds as though she’s getting a power nap in …also if these all fail a visit to Dr to rule out hyperactivity can be beneficial…avoid naps close to bedtime meaning after 2pm

does she have asthma you wouldn’t be able to sleep and would have nightmares if you couldn’t breath