5 Years Later and My 7 Year Old STILL Tosses and Turns All Night Long?

In addition to all the great ideas below:

Do you let him read in bed if he hasn't fallen asleep? I suggest this because I know that after I haven't fallen asleep for awhile, it is helpful to stop trying. I read a bit, and then can fall asleep.

Has he ever had a medium to heavy weight blanket? Sometimes it helps to keep the room cool, but have the weight over his legs and tummy. This relaxes some kids and allows them to sleep well.

All my best.

I would have a sleep study done, which might be recommended after a visit to an ENT. Have you had any discussions along those lines with your child's doctor(s)? You're right, it's not good for him. But you really need to find out if this is about not being able to calm down (in which case a medication or approved supplement might help, as would possible counseling and behavior modification), or if there are breathing issues in play (such as apnea) or something chemical/hormonal that's interfering with this sleep cycle.

I would also get a white noise machine for your own room so you aren't disturbed by every sound from the other room. He's old enough to come get you if he's sick, old enough to go to the bathroom alone.

A young child's brain development is really important, and you cannot be going about your life (work, driving a car) if you are so dangerously sleep-deprived. Bad for your health, dangerous for everyone else on the road.

Please seek (and insist upon) a much more comprehensive evaluation of your child.

His sleep cycle is way off because you are letting him sleep in the morning until noon. So if he goes to sleep at 4 am and sleeps until noon he's getting in 8 hrs just not in the time frame you want.

Make sure he's getting some run around time before or after dinner. Bike rides, hiking, kicking the ball around in the yard, etc. Drain some of that energy. Wake him up at a normal time in the morning so he's tired at the end of the day. He'll be cranky and out of sorts for a week or so but his sleep schedule will adjust if you are waking him up at 8 or 9.

Run a fan in your room for some white noise to cover his tossing and turning. He's 7 so its not like he's going to get up and cover his walls with crayon or get into trouble.

Definitely talk to your pediatrician if you haven't already. You do want to make sure you rule out any medical concerns.

I agree with B that physical activity could be a huge help. If your son doesn't have enough time just running around, it will be difficult for him to truly feel tired enough to sleep. Giving him chances to be really active might honestly make a difference.

Our son has ADHD, and his ped and his psychologist recommended giving him Melatonin at night to help him settle down and sleep. They told us that he needs his sleep for good brain development and that he needed us to give him this help. At first I thought I was being selfish by doing this (since I was not getting enough sleep), but I realize that my son needs me to help him make sure he gets enough sleep.

I can think of some medical things that would cause that - one of my children had problems breathing and would toss. Would wake with bags under his eyes. After ENT, he slept well.

One of my kids has a hard time sleeping. Like Gidget, melatonin was suggested by our doctor, and it helped. He also had some anxiety - just at bedtime. Like he couldn't turn his thoughts off. So he saw a therapist a few times - she gave him relaxation techniques. I know it sounds quite involved, but really - the signs were just that he tossed and turned at night.

He also finds white noise (such as a fan) helps him.

Sometimes what you eat or drink before bed makes a difference. Maybe keep a log to see when it's worsened - just jot down what he was up to before bed and anything eaten/drank.

What does your doctor say?
Maybe he needs a sleep study done.
Have you tried running him ragged in the afternoon?
Some sort of soccer practice would be good.
Set a schedule for waking up and bedtime - same times all the time - even weekends - even if he didn't sleep well.
Watch how much caffeine he takes in - soda, chocolate, etc - it can be in things you don't expect.
Getting up early in the morning helps get you tired enough to sleep by bedtime at night.
Do something that gets you outside in the morning - fishing is popular around here.
They also have a taekwondo class that meets at sunrise at the beach - running on sand is tiring.
No screen time for several hours before bed.
Have the bedroom on the cool side - I have difficulty sleeping if my room is warm.
Some like warm milk before bedtime, others find some chamomile tea to be relaxing.
There are apps/CDs and other things that will play a soothing sound all night - I love sleeping to the sound of rain/thunder storm.
I'm sure your doctor will have even more ideas to try.

My daughter has had multiple sleep studies done. Your doctor can refer you to a sleep specialist.

In the meantime, practice what the specialists call "sleep hygiene". No screens for an hour before bed, a cool (temperature) room, a white noise machine (for him and for you), a good routine as you said, and of course, no sugary drinks or caffeine.

Keep a journal, starting now. Keep track of his eating/drinking, his bedtime routine and times, his activities during the day, his wake-up times. A doctor will want that.

Does he take any medications or supplements or vitamins? Sometimes, vitamins can contain food colors or sugars or flavors that certain kids react to. If, for example, your son needs a vitamin for a deficiency, ask your pharmacist for a recommendation that doesn't contain food coloring or extras. If your son does take vitamins but is otherwise healthy, or eats those gummy supplements, try stopping them for a couple of weeks. If he only eats processed, microwavable foods or fast foods, consult a nutritionist (your doctor can refer you) to get your son eating healthy real foods. I'm not suggesting that he eats junk food, I'm just brainstorming any possible causes.

Does he attend school? Do his teachers notice that he's tired?

Also, check his mattress. Is it comfy? In good condition?

Hope you can figure this out!

So, he doesn't have to get up at 7am for school? If he is sleeping from about 4am to noon every day my guess is he is just on a different schedule. I would start waking him up at 7 every day, and I bet it will take about 2 weeks for him to get on an earlier bedtime schedule. He will be grouchy and it will be hard. Each evening tire him out...bike ride, trampoline, swim, a sport of some kind, etc. No sweet or processed food or screen time for a couple hours before bed. Do a hot bath first. Then read three stories. Then turn on white noise like a fan. Have a routine every night. I will rub my 7 year old's back and remind her no more talking and to get into her "comfy position". We always say the same things each night. Work on teaching him ways to relax when he lies in bed such as meditation. (I'm guessing you have already tried all this. I'm sure you don't let him sleep till noon every day). If this doesn't work then definitely take him to the doctor. PS - both my kids are "night owls" and they both have a hard time falling asleep. We stick to the routine and it works. Even on the weekends they get up at school time! In the summers if I let them slide they both will go to bed sooo late and get up so late. They are just both wired in the evenings naturally.

Here's what's wrong. He is staying awake because he's sleeping so late. He's sleeping so late because he's not tired until the wee hours of the morning.

Please go see your pediatrician about this. Ask them for something to help him fall asleep so he will wake up earlier.

Then please, get him on a regular schedule. Not a strict get out of bed by 8am sort of thing, one where he wakes up on his own by 9am or so every out of school day.

Our boy got his sleep aid med from his psychiatrist. She prescribed his Ritalin and on those odd nights when he was wired up and couldn't sleep the sleep aid really really helped.

I was in the same boat for a while. Our doctor prescribed a low does of melatonin (something i take myself to help with sleep, though in higher doses). It has worked wonders for us so far, so now we are trying to build a routine to replace the melatonin so that he no longer needs it.