Hi,

I just wonder if everyone else has trouble with sleep issues and SR like my son does?
He gets very angry at bedtime and this has developed into 'I do not want to go to sleep at all as I do not want tomorrow to come.' So he tries to stay awake even when in bed.
This means that tiredness of course compounds the problem but he can't see this or he sees this and thinks that it will mean he just stays home anyway as he is too tired to go in to school. It is a vicious circle and I am just not sure what the best step is. The pscyhologist just says 'make sure you have a good bed routine'. But when he is forcing himself not to go to sleep then I am at a loss to know what might help. I know someone on here took melatonin (not available here as far as I know) and probably not suitable for the age of my son anyway. I tried bach's sleep remedy and it seemed to make absolutely no difference. I try quiet time but he always gets hyped up instead.
He has missed three days this week but I am very relieved he went in today.
Any ideas re the sleep thing would be appreciated.
Linda

hi linda it was my son who was put on melatonin,to be very honest it worked as we all got some sleep my son used to stay awake worrying til5 am most mornings so i was exhausted.the dr gave him melatonin and it made him sleepy and he got to sleep easy he was only on it for 5 months now he watchs tv then he reads for about an hour.i know when he didnt sleep he was very grumpy and depressed good luck oh my son was 12yrs when he was given it.good luck donna

Hi Linda,

My daughter always had problems sleeping!
Just like you, we tried everything, but in the end we just accepted thats the way it was, but as you say, it compounded her wish to stay home as she was so tired.
Near her exam time I used to put a little Bachs Rescue Remedy in her drinks. (My mum was told about it to ease her blood pressure). Did it help? I think it may have relaxed her a little or was that just wishful thinking on my part!?
Our GP did give us medication to help relax her just on exam days but she wouldnt take it. She hates any medication. Ive also heard that anti-depressants help but I didnt want to go down that route.
To be honest, M still has problems sleeping if anything new is about to happen, so maybe its just part of their make-up and not just SR.

Take care Linda.

Sue and M. xx

M has never slept well since he started school - way before SR. To be honest now i leave him to his own devices now at night as i need my 7 hours !! He is just never ever tired and can quite happily function on 4 hours a night and always up in a morning.

My 12 year old - yes 12 today actually has always needed lots of sleep until recently. ~I think he should be in bed by 9.30 on school nights, but if he does he struggles in the mornings. If he stays up til 10.30 - 11 which i think is far too late he functions far better very strange.

Sar xx

Linda
thought about the subject of sleep last night and did monitor M's night. I went to sleep around 11ish and he was watching tv and said he would soon go to bed. I woke at 2am and he is wide awake, and again at 4pm. I got up at 7am and he got up at same time showered and dressed. He studied this morning on his own, then had tutor this afternoon. Family meal out tonight and we are back now watching tv and he is on facebook. I am very tired but he is not at all - and i bet he wont get more than 4 hours tonight but will still be up in the morning.

i certainly couldn't function on that little sleep, but he does.

Sarah x

Thanks everyone for your comments on this. Sarah - can we ever be sure that the lack of sleep does not impact on their anxiety? My son's psychologist says that lack of sleep will make his anxiety worse and yet his anxiety leads to lack of sleep - catch 22. I know how you have just let it go because what on earth do you do!!? My son does have trouble getting up in a morning though - I have to drag him out most days.
Has anyone else tried the Melatonin?
Linda

Hi Linda,

Haven't been on for a while so just catching up. My son takes melatonin and it has been great for us. He takes it at about 8.30 and is a asleep by 9.30. He doesn't take it at the weekends or holidays. His Psych recommended it and assured us that it is perfectly safe, infact he takes it himself. I use it when I'm feeling stressed and my daughter takes it when she can't sleep too. Lack of sleep has a huge impact on my son's anxiety, he is so much worse when he is tired so it has worked for us. His doctor gave us this website to order it from www.biovea.net. He takes 3 mg in capsules. Take it an hour before bedtime. There are also time release capsules so that they don't wake up in the night. It has completely sorted his sleep problems out but my son needs his sleep whereas his sister can function on very little. Children are so different so its what works for you... My son is just 13 and my daughter is 11 and my son has been taking it for over a year now...

Hope that helps...
sophyx

Linda - the difference is my son has no trouble getting up in the morning and never has - he is up and about everyday. This morning he was up about 7, showered dressed and cleaning out his pets, and he was still up at 2am.

I dont think this is a factor to his anxieties as he just has never needed much sleep - but then again his father never did.


Sarah xx