Sleep deprived?

Question

Ok. So I have a 7-year old daughter who wakes up in the middle of the night and refuses to go back to sleep. We've been sleep deprived for 6 consecutive nights. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to get her to go back to sleep? Thanks.

It's nightmares, but I would like to know if there's anything to get her back to sleep like warm milk or lullaby or something....

Answer 1

While an occasional nightmare is normal, an increase in the number of nightmares can be a response to stress or your child being anxious about something. Other triggers can be a change in her normal routine, like moving, starting a new school, or a death in the family. Or the nightmares may be a response to a violent or scary movie, television show or story.
When your child has an occasional nightmare, you should reassure her that it was just a dream and isn't real. Give her lots of hugs and be supportive. You may need to search her room with her to reassure her that their aren't any monsters or whatever the nightmare was about. It is probably best to wait until the next morning to really talk about the details of the dream, at which time she should be calmer. And try to figure out if there was a specific event or stressor that may have triggered the nightmares. Did she see a television show or movie or read a story in which this may have occurred? Have you recently moved or had another big change in your home situation? Is she on any new medications that may be affecting her sleep?
Tips to decrease nightmares include:
Decreasing stress in her life.
Avoid television at least an hour before bedtime.
Avoid telling her scary bedtime stories.
Let her sleep with a night light.
Talk about the nightmare the next day. Suggest that she draw a picture of the dream to help her talk about it.
Teach your daughter relaxation strategies to help her relax at bedtime and fall asleep, especially after a nightmare. For example, have your daughter imagine a relaxing scene, such as lying on the beach or watching a sunset. This will give her something else to think about while lying in bed and help distract her from her fearful thoughts. Also, it is physically impossible to be relaxed and scared at the same time.
From experience, using a white noise machine (can be found at Toys R Us for under $20) which has a soothing effect and a little back or foot massage with some lotion with a little lavender in it will help her relax. Make sure that she has a dim night light and her favorite animal/blanket, etc. Don't talk too much, but reassure her that you are there and hugs and kisses for comfort.
If it comes down to it, cuddle with her on the couch while watching one of her favorite movies. I have done that just to get them to sleep after a nightmare more time that I can count.

Answer 2

When she crawls into bed with you talk to her to find out what woke her up. Take her back into her room and put her back into bed. You may have to lie down with her to get her to stay but you need to stick with it. You can try reading a book to her or singing her a lullaby or put a nightlight in her room.

It may be bad dreams, it may be something outside such as the whirring of an air conditioner or dog barking, it may be shadows and it may be something she saw on TV. What ever the cause, at 7 years old she should be able to talk to you.

If the behavior persists, you may have to discuss this with your pediatrician. Unfortunately, when you are sleep deprived you are not going to be any good for the rest of your family.

Answer 3

Start a new routine for going to sleep so that then, later, if she wakens, she can use the same routine to get herself back to sleep after a reassuring hug from Mom or Dad.

One example: take her to pick out a "huggy bear". Then give the bear magical powers, for example, "When you go to bed at night, give the huggy bear a special hug, and he will help you go to sleep." This huggy bear will then be kept in the bed only- as a special nighttime support when she needs it.

Also- be sure she is not napping during the day so that she's still tired when she wakens at night.

Best wishes!

from a grandma-aged person

Answer 4

Warm milk would work because it has that famous ingredient that turkey has..Triptofan. That my friend is what puts you to sleep on thanksgiving. Give a generous glass of warm milk and get her to drink as much of it as possible and then rub her head as she goes back to sleep...

if the nightmares keep occuring figure out what they are about. Talk to her make she understands that is not real. you may think about calling her docter if this persist.

Answer 5

It's allergy season. Are you giving her Claritin-D or Pseudoephedrine? If so, that could very well be the source of your trouble. Pseudoephedrine is similar to amphetamine and will certainly boost your daughter's heart rate and possibly deprive her of sleep.

Answer 6

DEAR

PRETTY PLEASE READ THIS OK AND PRETTY PLEASE ASK THESE QUESTIONS TO HER TO SEE IF YOU GET A YES ARE NO ANSWER OK.

(1ST) ASK HER IF A BUG BIT HER LIKE A LITTLE HOUSE SPIDER NOT POISONOUS OK ?

(2ND) ASK HER IF SHE HAS SEEN A GHOST ? IN YOUR HOUSE AND ARE HOME .

(3RD) HAS SHE A HORROR MOVIE AT ONE OF HER FRIENDS HOMES AND ARE HOUSE ?

(4TH) ASK IF SOME ONE IS PICKING ON HER AT SCHOOL?

(5TH) HAS SHE BEEN A CAR WRECK ANY TIME FROM 2000-2007? WITH ANY ONE AT ALL ?

(6TH) IS SHE MAKING BAD GRADES AND NOT WANTING TO TELL YOU ARE YOUR HUSBAND AFRAID OF GETTING PUNISHED?

PRETTY PLEASE AND SEE IF ANY OF THESE APPLY TO HER IF SO DO NOT YELL AT HER OK

ALSO PUT NIGHT LIGHT IN HER ROOM LAY DOWN IN THE BED WITH HER UNTIL SHE GOES TO SLEEP YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT IS IN THAT LITTLE MIND UNTIL YOU ASK HER OK. AND DEAR IF IT IS GRADE HELP HER

BRING THEM UP OK AND DO NOT PUNISH HER FOR IT OK AND WHEN YOU LAY DOWN IN THE BED WITH HER AT NIGH RUB HER BACK AND PAT HER OK LET HER KNOW MOMMY IS THERE OK

I GOT BIT BY A HOUSE SPIDER A MONTH AGO AND IT SCARED ME SO BAD IT WAS IN THE SHOWER ON THE SHOWER HEAD WITH THE HANDLED HOSE AND I DID

NOT SEE IT BECAUSE I WAS WASHING MY HAIR AND IT CRAWLED DOWN AND BIT ME I FELL DOWN BUT IT DID NOT GET HURT A TRUE STORY I SCREAMED TO THE

TOP OF MY LUNGS AND MY MOTHER CAN IN AND SEEN WHAT WAS GOING ON AND SHE SAW I WAS CRYING
SO DEAR PRETTY PLEASE ASK HER OK

TAKE CARE I HOPE THIS HELPS

Answer 7

she might be having nightmares if so there is nothing you can do talk to her and ask her why she is waking up so much she should beable to give you an idea.