My son is 8. He barely sleeps. He might get 4 hrs a night. I took tv and Xbox out of the room, but I still hear him up at 3, 4, 5 AM. Melatonin will put him to sleep, but only for 2-3 hours. His bedtime is 9pm. I tried chamomile tea as well. When I was pregnant with him, I couldn’t sleep. What do I do?
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You can try Dr Teal’s sleep lotion with melatonin & essential oils
Might want to rub it on his forehead and ears massage his back with it!
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we have a 10 yo with same problem took him to dr. got him sleep meds. just an option
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My son did not sleep very well. Get together with his teacher and guidance counselor and see if he has trouble sitting still. My son was diagnosed with ADHD at 5 years old.
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Have him run laps, ride his bike or scooter around for at least an hour. Sounds like he needs to burn some energy.
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My son is the same way. He’s 6 and a half. We have the same issue with melatonin. We use lavender sleep spray, lavender essential oils. Nothing has helped. He’s going for a sleep study on Monday. Maybe ask your pediatrician if that’s something you can do also!
Have you tried taking to his pediatrician about it? I only say that bc my 10yr old has always had sleep issues melatonin will put him to sleep but not keep him asleep finally had to have prescription meds to help him stay asleep
Kavinase pm and maybe try magnesium at night. I’m not a doctor but you can try this.
Tire him out. He should be playing and doing enough physically that he sleeps. Take him outside on walks to the park, hiking etc.
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I personally recommend Valerian root it’s like melatonin but stronger and it’s natural
Humans are actually segmented sleepers… is he sleeping during the day?
You’ve passed your non sleepiness on to him 
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Take him to a sleep specialist. My daughter was finally diagnosed with sleep apnea at age 12. She didn’t sleep through the night from birth until age 5. And even until recently would still wake up a lot of times. We finally know why and are taking care of it. She gets fitted for her Cpap tomorrow.
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Maybe try a weighted blanket
Don’t allow naps - if he is taking them stop. Ensure he is up at same time every morning. CBT-i coach is an app that’s free that has some good techniques.
Cut sugar out of his diet, also control the carbs, red food dye
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We took our daughter to a psychiatrist. They made sure we saw a sleep neurologist to make sure there wasn’t anything medically keeping her away. My daughter’s body does not slow down to get enough sleep. She used to stay awake days at a time. The psychiatrist prescribed her something for sleep. It’s amazing what a difference 6 hours of sleep a night have done for her!
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Sleep study and maybe an ENT for tonsil and adenoids issue
Check his diet remove sugars. Have a routine.
My 7yr old also doesn’t sleep, weve done sleep studies and nothing works. He plays outside after school for hours and is still up till midnight or later. I just finally gave up. He does great in school, he not a behavior problem. HE just doesn’t sleep!!!
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I have found that having a set routine for bath and bed is very helpful. It helps train the body to associate certain things with bedtime. Bath + pj’s+ reading= bedtime. All kids are different but it has worked with all 3 of mine. Good luck!
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Did you try the advance melatonin that is like extended release
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My dr told us it could be a nutritional thing. My son doesnt eat too healthy and drinks alot of milk. We changed his diet and he is doing better. He also said not to use melatonin but to use the melatonin patches
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Also let him go outside during the day keep him very busy
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Talk to doctor to rule out medical issues and then come up with a plan. It will be rough but sleep and a sleep schedule is vital for health, weight control as well as emotional/ behavior control too. Good luck!
Only certain melatonin help me. Others im up exactly 2 hours i tried a different type and sleep the full 8
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My sons 8. He had a sleep study done he had sleep apnea, insomnia, and restless sleep. We got tonsils and adnoids out, meds for the restless sleep(severe leg pain) and now finding meds for the insomnia. He used to not hit rem sleep and now we are hitting it more times than not and he is sleeping better not perfect but better
My daughter was diagnosed ADHD and was prescribed a med to help her body n mind relax and help her sleep
Naps might be interfering. He might be getting enough sleep through the day to where he won’t sleep at night. My daughter has this problem. I would remove sugar too and caffeine like sodas or coffee or energy drinks. Get on a sleep schedule where he goes to bed at the same time every night and wakes up at the same time every morning. Have him exsercise during the day, make sure he’s doing stuff to make him tired. Stay off the electronics , especially around night time because the light tricks your mind into thinking it’s day time so it keeps you awake. Excersise will help him relax if he’s just really stressed out and will release happy hormones and calming hormones which will help him sleep though. I hope he feels better soon and actually gets some sleep. Hopefully he’s not depressed or something. 
Go get a sleep study done on him and see what his doctor recommends when the results come in. It could be a number of issues.
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My son has adhd, he’s up reading at all hours, can’t sleep. But doesn’t affect him daily so we just go with it his doctor won’t be concerned until other wise 
I have had much success with a sleep spray! If you’d like more info I can certainly get it to you, just message or comment and tag me in it!
I’ve been having a similar problem with my 7yr old son, but I think it’s because his school has been remote since last March, so he basically is sitting in front of a screen all day. If you’re able, try and get him outside. Depending on where you’re from that could be hard too if it’s cold out. Limiting screen time at night is helpful to us too…but it wouldn’t hurt to ask his doctor for suggestions
I would take him to see your doctor, could be underlying issues. It wouldn’t hurt in the meantime to make some diet changes etc
I’m assuming all the parent comments here come from their own stories and frustrations. Everyone is different. My mother tells stories about coming into my room at all hours, and I was quiet, but awake, even back as far as my crib years. I am 63 years old and still rarely get more than 3 hours of sleep a night and I can skip sleep altogether for a night or two. I have had sleep studies done. The “funniest” one was the technician yelling at me all night that I had to go to sleep because otherwise he couldn’t do the study. Um… that’s why I was there, connected to the wires! He finally kicked me out at 5 a.m. …and sent a note to my doctor that I was uncooperative! I am healthy and energetic. I get outdoors. I have raised children and am very active in my grandchildren’s lives. I have more energy actually than most people I know. I rest…I’ll watch mindless TV for hours to give my brain a break. Some people simply don’t need the traditionally recommended amount of sleep. So sure, investigate in case there’s an issue. But there may not be.
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I would speak to the pediatrician about it.
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Lots of physical activities close to bedtime. Maybe up the dose of melotonin. I was on 5mg for a while but had to go up to 10mg. Sometimes I take 2. I know kids dosages are different. If that doesn’t work, talk to Dr.
Talk to his doctor because it’s not good for him or you. My daughter did when she was young and it took a toll on me. But is this new from the start of the pandemic? Maybe he needs more activities?
Limit screen time at night! Try having him read 15-30 minutes before bed! If that doesn’t work I’d see about upping his melatonin intake! I use melatonin and occasionally I have to up it or I’ll only sleep a few hours! I wouldn’t up it by much maybe half of the normal dosage you give him.
School should kept him busy in the mornings, but also learning activities from books, fun activities like painting, using water ect. Get creative. Ones school is over take him outside to play, ride bikes, scooters, running, going on walks ect so many outside activities. After that a nice warm bath and dinner, a nice book and hopefully his little mind is so tired from keeping busy all day. Get him on a daily routine doing the same stuff pretty much and have times. All my kiddos are in bed by 8pm. But we are busy all day long. And not much tv, or tablets, and no video games at all. I personally don’t think they are helpful for young kiddos.
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Some people can somehow function with minimal sleep. My 11 year old only sleeps a couple of hours. Melatonin does nothing to him, even morphine won’t put him to sleep. I gave up trying to make him sleep. Ask his dr for a sleep study, there might be underlying issues.
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My 12 year old is the same way and always has been. He usually sleeps 4-5 hours a night. He is currently on hour 27 of being awake. He has seen many doctors and everything seems to be fine. Melatonin will put him to sleep or a few hours but I hate to give it to him. So it just is what it is. Hope you are able to find a solution for your little
Ive been like that since I was born and I’m 34 now still the same. I’m not tired all day some people just function on less sleep
Exercise, make sure he’s not hungry before bed, meditation/mindfulness, maybe a short period taking benadryl. If nothing works, request a sleep study. It’s vital for functioning so it’s got to be resolved.
Consulting his pediatrician is the beat advice really anyone here can give you. There may be a medical issue or he may just not need as much sleep. Also may need to up the dose of melatonin. Great thing to ask his doctor! Good luck!
Bath time before bed time
More sunshine! No computer devices 2 hours before bedtime.
Melatonin is naturally made in the body. Your body makes it from vitamin d which is absorbed through the skin from sunlight. If you constantly give your kid melatonin their body will stop making it. Stop giving kids melatonin!
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My daughter was having issues sleeping at that age as well. We found led lighting and something to listen to (She uses Chillhop the Racoons version on YouTube.) I was an overthinker as a child too. Sometimes it’s just hard to shut your brain off. Something familiar/repetitive -( same disney movie/tv show) was always soothing to me and helped me sleep. It kept me distracted enough to not overthink, but I wasn’t forcing myself to stay awake to see the ending.
As always, I would recommend most importantly, talking to your ped. It’s most likey just a phase, but doesn’t hurt to ask.
Great grandma here, kids not sleeping something I’m hearing more and more about. Mommas please look at history. Look at what kids ate and their daily activity level. Try taking processed foods slowly out of your kids diet. Have them go outside if you can , bundle them up go for a walk . Cold or heat doesn’t make you sick unless you over do .
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My 8yo is the same way. She has ADHD & anxiety.
When lockdown is over see a reflexologist.We can help. For now pm me I can give you some tips.
Here’s what I think . If your kid goes to bed 7-30-8 like he should . 5:30 is not a bad time to get up. Nothing wrong with teaching an earlie riser to wake up and enjoy there time . I love 5:40 wake ups and I love 8 bed time , we are all wired differently
Probably to much pent up energy . 9 is to late anyway . My 6 year old still falls asleep with my one year old at 7-7:30 in the same room . See if 8 makes a difference .
Followinnnngggg … same boat
My brother had this issue due to his ADHD. He has to take clonidine nightly to be able to sleep otherwise he sleeps for a couple hours and is ready to go again.
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Melatonin should only be used periodically, if your body stops producing its own it won’t work anymore that’s what our Dr said.
All of the recommendations above also consider a weighted blanket.
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Find him after-school activities . Maybe that will help wear him out. I have 2 kids who are ADHD and if they dont have activities to do they are up all night.
See his doctor…but also. There are some humans that just dont need as much sleep …crazy genius people.
White noise machine. Avoid caffeine & sugars before bed. Follow a bedtime routine. Sleep training. I had to do it for myself.
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Higher dose of melatonin.
My daughter is 7 and same problem we have to make sure she gets enough playtime I mean like outside running around burning off energy play… special in the winter months… she takes melatonin around 7ish and will sleep until about 11 to 2am ask for a drink then sleep until 6 or 7 depending.
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All lights, tv, phones off. Silence and blackness. Also have his breathing checked. Do a sleep study. It could be apnea waking him.
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Sounds like ADHD maybe. My youngest grandson has it and takes medication every other day. Doctor told my daughter that sugar has to be cut out completely!!
Make him tired maybe full of energy or too tired to sleep?
There is a melatonin that can be given mid way through the night. Sounds like you should call his doc. Good luck!
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Take him to a sleep specialist
My son has this problem cause of his ADHD…
we cut off caffeine and sugar around 7:00
And put on soft night time music on his tv at night…(my sons favorite is the sound of the beach waves) and has to have it dark…
He was around 9 and now he is 12 and still goes to sleep with the sound of waves…lol
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Does he have Problems focusing during the day or difficulty sitting still? ADHD can cause kids to have insomnia. Their bodies have trouble settling down for the night. Talk with his doctor and you may want to get him tested.
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Try deep pressure for about 5 minutes before bedtime and a weighted blanket. My son has sensory issues and a heavy cuddle from his dad or I before bed calmed his motor down.
Adhd, autism both can cause this.
Anxiety will keep him up too. Is everything ok at school? Or is he at home. This year has been stressful for everyone. Have him checked for anxiety.
Walk after dinner and the melatonin. Same problem here but the walk helps. Also get him up earlier may help. Good luck.
Melatonin or chlonadine
Make sure the melatonin doesn’t have sugar in it
Have you talked to his doctor?
Time released melatonin. Last longer
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Get him to play outside more
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Have the kid ground outdoors barefoot and play before bedtime. A warm shower and prayer before sleep. Listen to Solfeggio 9 healing frequencies day n night. Watch these documentaries they help…
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Any chance in bipolar disorder? Maybe he’s having trouble getting his brain to shut off
Melatonin helps you fall asleep but doesn’t keep you asleep. Try a fan for the white noise or weighted blanket. Hot shower at night. Turn the temp down at night if possible.
Otherwise take him in. At his age he needs at least 8 hours of sleep. Good luck mama!!
They have melatonin that are pills and theres something in them to help keep you asleep to
Melatonin has the direct opposite effect on some people. It keeps me up all night.
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Does his legs tingle, is it to hot in his room
Does he need to sleep naked.
Is he hyper
Take him to to a doctor. Get recommendations from other parents.
Is he bi-polar.
Talk to his pediatrician. There are other things besides melatonin. We went through this.
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Get him a sleep study.
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You really need to talk to his doctor about this.
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Is he healthy? Is he growing? Is he waking up at a decent time in the morning? I worked a lot of night shifts and my son is for the most part a night person no matter what tried.
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Is he very active during the day? Have you asked him why he thinks he can’t sleep/has a hard time falling asleep.
My daughter is also 8 and went through this. She had a growth on her penial gland which is what helps you sleep… Id take him to the dr.
He’s a night person.
Doctor. My son has spd and adhd and had to take trazadone for YEARS. now we switched to a low dose Seraquil and it works
Try a weighted blanket look on Amazon get him a 10-15lbs one it goes by the child’s weight
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Talk to his doctor.
My 7 year old has severe adhd, and it causes him to have issues sleeping. Always has.
To an outsider looking in, it looked as though he just didnt need that much sleep, but you’d have to know him. The more tired he is the more hyperactive and unfocused and downright…giddy (almost drunk-like) he becomes.
Most people thought that because he was still running around and being “normal” play wise that meant that he just didn’t as much sleep.
However, when he started meds for adhd, the fact that the lack of sleeping was affecting him became super apparent. He was more cranky and emotional.
He takes a medication called clonidine for sleep. He has for a couple years now.
I’ve been prescribed clonidine myself in the past as well as a medication called hydroxyzine (it’s an antihistamine used for sleep and anxiety).
Some other things that can help…
-“heavy work” before bed, it’s an ot term but basically it uses large muscles and works them
-compression sheet or weighted blanket (weighted blankets have to be no more than 10% of your child’s body weight)
-a set routine. My son’s 7 and our bedtime routine starts between 630-7 because even with meds he doesnt fall asleep until around 8ish.
-make sure there’s no physical needs, like thirst or hunger.
Check on what he eats Google red dye 40 or red dye in food causes hypertension in kids give it a try
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What’s he like during the day. Does he have energy to make it through is he crabby. My 13 year old hardly sleeps. She is sleeping little longer now that she entered teenhood. But as a kid her doctor said that may just be her. If she can get through a day if it’s not effecting her mood or behavior than let her body just be.
Back rub? Fill his tummy with food
Some people just function off of less sleep it’s really not that uncommon I have four kids one of them can function no sleep the other one needs like about 12 hours and one of them wakes up at the slightest noise and one of them will sleep soundly but as soon as he’s awake he’s up
I would get him a fitness watch that tracks his sleep (we like Fitbit) he may be getting more sleep then you think and some of the noise hes making in his sleep. It will also help him to set a goal of steps per day and that could tire him out more. Also try a weighted blanket