Sleep Problems | ADHD Information

My 10 year old adhd child STILL cannot fall asleep at night. She has a regular routine 8pm shower, brush teeth, go to room and read or play quietly until 9pm. lights out, tuck in and prayer. Also we have eliminated sugary snacks 2 hours prior to bedtime. Yet still she gets up several times to pee (which I don't want to discourage because then she will wet the bed) and doesn't fall asleep until well after 12pm. Then morning time is an obvious nightmare. HELP! I dont' know what else we can do.

Yep - showers activate positive ions and helps to wake you up. My daughter is better with a shower in the morning for sure. Maybe a bath at night? That could be good. I also give my daughter warm milk or chai tea. That helps a lot - just suggesting that it makes her sleepy is half the battle

I try to change it up so that we have an arsenal of tricks to get her sleeping - back rubs, warm drinks, foot rubs, reading to her ... plus if she has had a tough time the night before, I will try to wake her up earlier the next time - trying to capitalize on the exhaustion ... hehehe. Sometimes it makes it easier to get her to bed that night.

Plus, there are tricks on the other end - getting her out of bed. In the winter when it is cold out I will put her clothes in the dryer and then say, 'Quick! Get up before they aren't warm and cozy any more!'

alisonsmom39552.3185416667

I am ADHD, and although I was given a sleeping aid to help me sleep I don't take it because I feel one med is enough (Adderall xr). Sometime I feel the only way I can sleep is when I have a tv show or movie going. I know a lot of parents are against this (I am a parent I understand) but when you have add or adhd your minds wired a little different anyways. I feel that the tv helps keep my mind from wondering all over the place and I usually fall asleep within about 30min. I will do the same with my children if they inherit my gift because nowdays no matter what you do tv will at some point find it's way in, and i'd rather them they get the healthy sleep they need.

I'm wondering if showering at night could be causing my son's sleep problems. He started showering nightly in the beginning of March in order to rinse off pollen. I can't remember if that's when the sleep problems started. For more than a month now, he does OK falling asleep (around 8:45 PM), but he wakes up somewhere between 3 and 5 AM. If it's close to 3, he'll fall back asleep w/o too much problem. If it's 4:30 or later, he's up for the day. Could showering at night affect him that many hours later? If so, how many hours do you need to shower before bed for it not to be a problem? Switching to morning isn't an option b/c he has to get pollen off his hair and skin.How you describe your dd is exactly like mine. Thank you for the responses, these are helpful suggestions

We put a sound machine in my sons room recently and it has helped. It has a choice of sounds, ocean waves, rain, crickets, heartbeat, jungle night etc. It helps keep his mind from running all over everywhere, yet isn't stimulating like the tv or radio. He isn't a bed wetter so we use ocean waves and rain, but there are other choices if you were afraid of the "wet" sounds - hehe! We got it in the personal care area of Target.

ommas ~

I think you make a very good point about how lack of sleep can effect social development and amplify disorders. I have battled on and off with insomnia since my college days, so I can sympathize. My adderall makes it worse now too. I have encountered a lot of people who think insomnia is not a very big deal. But when I point out that sleep deprivation is a well used torture technique - they stop and think about it a bit more seriously.

Have you thought about changing shower time to mornings. We found one thing that was keeping my son up was him taking showers at night time him and my husband are the same way they can't sleep if they get a shower at night.

maybe shower time earlier then 8pm.

Just a thought. Good luck, i'm still struggling with figuring out why my son struggles to go to sleep at night.

brtsqd339551.5383680556I was told it was a side effect of her Concerta. So maybe the medication (if he takes any) could be the culprit?

[QUOTE=deepbreathe]I was told it was a side effect of her Concerta. So maybe the medication (if he takes any) could be the culprit?[/QUOTE]

He's been on the same dose of Metadate CD since October, and no other meds have changed. Good thinking, though!

To the op, have you tried melatonin?

with my son he is no longer aloud to take showers after 6:30pm, just because of that reason.

I would just gradually try making it earlier, see if it helps. good luck.

brtsqd339552.7054513889

Could you tell us about Melatonin? Where do we get that. it's over the counter, right? Do you know what dose is acceptable?

She has to take a shower at night but I will try to put her in earlier and let her play after the shower to unwind. Maybe shower right after dinner.

The TV suggestion doesn't work weve tried that and the radio. She is too stimulated by it. She would lay there all night watching rather than close her eyes and fall asleep. She has never fallen asleep through a movie in her life.

I've tried the earlier wake time as well. It doesn't work with her. She will be so exhausted and have bags like someone punched her under her eyes and will still be up and raring to go all night long.

UGGHHHH

shot in the dark.

use visual promps for bed time.

no reading

at dusk dont let the lights in the house shine like day let them get low and dimmer and dimmer .

after lights out no talking from her or others in the house not even television voices. just hand signals

and remember that no harm will happen if a child is expected to stay in bed with covers on.

little babes often jump around before sleeping . often times this brings then to a level of stimulus that keeps them awake.

self stimming

i feel the trick is to stop the body get it in bed and keep it there.

if wetting the bed is a problem then buy those rubber sheets to keep from ruining the matress. and get some meds from a doctor who can help with that issue.

i the long run in hind sight you look at this way what was more important.

9hrs of sleep vs wetting the bed

in know shell grow out of wetting the beb

but developing social issues due to the frustation of being exhausted mentally all through child hood can last well into adulthood too.

Im one to put an emphasis on environment and school.

you may also try using white noise that quietly drowns out all other noises from inside and out of he dwelling . take notice if there are things heard from outside

like dogs, traffic, people ,wind

ive even heard of one parent that used a real hypnotist o help with bed wetting and relaxing at bed time.

i work in facility for locked in juveniles. at bed time they still do the same thing.

theyre tired and exhausted but still stay up knowing ill be in there at 6am expecting them to participate in unit activities.

watching them deal with exhaustion as it makes thier disorders morre prominate.

some get sleeping meds some dont.

the onething i would have to say is the "readers" have this issue more than others .

the one thing over the last 14mos while ive put them to bed .The sleepless ones.

everytime i explain and expect them to

get in the bed

put covers on

dont talk.

use covers to block out the light

i demand all staff remain seated and silent making sure there is no audience to disturb them in thier effort. if theyer realy trying.

100% of the time they are asleep in 15 minutes

i sometimes turn on the unit washing machines and dryers to use as while noise

I also explain its not a cime to feel like they cant sleep . but is just as important to get the right amount of sleep . otherwise it complicates theyre treatment.

the right amount of sleep is equal to meds in my opinion.

also lower body temperatures invite sleepiness

an algorithym that is proved at 2pm when most people crave a nap as day temperaturesfall from thier peak .

we eat at that time to cause our metabolism to heat us up again.

so at night its not just high energy foods that cause restlessness . it can also be an active metabolism. i tell my unit kids to drink cold water . then keep thier eyes closed . i get te water for them rather than walking around the unit stiming for attention. since its suggested yawning helps regulate head temperature that aids sleepiness . I yawn on purpose hoping it will be contageous.

my other co staff think i cater too much but im looking at sleep time one kid at a time.

some need to have time to self away from agressive roomates then with the them ou of the room i threaten the aggitator with mealtime consequinces .

when the otherones comes backi sometimes send them to the cooler for a few cold drinks of water. i expect silence and theyre all asleep in 10-15minutes

thing is the kids change as they leave new ones show up.

ive had 160 boys come through while ive been working there.

the one thing ive seen work the most.

is alternate staff

whomever and what ever secondshift staff are doing or allowing.

i come in with a silent yet stern approach. silence or consequinces

in bed or consequinces

silence or white noise from the environment .

expect the rest staying up reading also go to sleep.

expect my co staff to be quiet or i write them up in a report.

later in night we talk and do whatever.

but at the 7 hour mark meaning if i get them up at 6am they must be asleep at 11pm

so 11pm when i walk on the floor i mean business from the kids , my co workers , myself . its not just bed time but time to fall asleep to!

cold drinking water. lying in bed . limited stimulus. automatic consequences for non-compliance. 1:1 conversation when they get up explaing that if they have a extra grumpy day its because they didnt get enough sleep. and a report to their therapist about it if it continues to reoccur.

ommas39553.2863888889

What about a relaxation CD? Last year we were travelling out of town and the hotel we stayed at had a free relaxation CD. It is calming music and a narrator that teaches relaxation exercises. My daughter used it to help her focus and concentrate before a competition. Also, we started what we call "spa" baths. I draw her a bath, turn off the lights, light candles and play soft, quiet music. It seems to help.

As for the melatonin - I have used that myself and it is quite helpful on a short term basis. The melatonin "prepares" the body for sleep. You take it only when it is dark out, shortly before bed. Melatonin signals the brain to slow down the body and prepare for sleep - triggering all the right notes in the brain. It is meant to be used for 1-2 weeks to train the body for sleep because it isn't doing it on it's own. You can get chewable tablets (from GNC or a natural foods store) especially designed for children.

Thank you for the helpful melatonin information.

Sleep disturbances are very common for ADHDers and it is a common side effect of the meds. I have heard something about eating a protein snack before bed but can't remember where.

My son uses white noise to help with sleep. We used to have a tape of music called Loon Lake that my son loved and wore out. It has very quiet music that sounded like birds and tickling water. I got a CD of Native American flute music that we put on low. The music is very relaxing. We found ours at Wal Mart.

melatonion is something everyone produces, however some people do not produes enough. You can buy it over the counter it can be found with the vitimans. I would by the 3 mg dose and start with 1/2 a pill. (I don't know your childs size) My son is 5 and 70 lbs and I give him a whole pill. They also come in 5 mg pills. I hope this helps.

Swags92 is correct. Don't forget to let your doctor know t when you begin melantonin use. May I suggest that you start with a low dose and work up to an effective level? Often too high a dose can cause nightmares. I havea 14 yr old who takes 1 1/2 mgs along with his nightly Tenex.

My son's pediatrian said to start with 1 mg and work up to 3 mgs. If you are worried about it, try it yourself. I have used it and it really works. It tends to make you feel tired and yawning within 30 minutes.

Others have used Benadryl. Antihistimines are used in the OTC sleep aids. I would watch them because they can hyperness in some people.

Recently I read about how exercise improves mood by raising melatonin and these programs are being used to help people overcome all sorts of things like depression, BP and other mood disorders. Wonder what it would do with ADHD? Maybe some very vigorous exercise at least a half hour a day would help?

I find exercise to be relaxing. You want to do in the morning or afternoon, too late in the day tends to keep them awake.