DS13 has insomnia

[RoughCollie]

DS13 has insomnia. He is homeschooled, but I can't start school in the afternoon. If I get him up at mid-morning, he is so sleepy that he can't concentrate and doesn't retain much.

His health is fine. His mental state is fine. He has always been a night owl and it's gotten worse in the last year or so. I did research this and found out that teenagers often have messed up sleep cycles and go to sleep later and sleep later in the morning.

DS wants to get up early and get started, around 7:15 a.m., when my other DC leave for school. Lately, he's gotten up early (for him, between 8:30 and 9:30) and stayed up and awake all day -- but at night, he still isn't sleepy any earlier than usual.

DS had a bad cold a month ago, and even NyQuil (which knocks me out) didn't make him sleepy.

I don't let anyone play video games, use the computer or watch t.v. at night because I don't want them to be too stimulated to sleep.

My DC all like to sleep 10-12 hours a night! (The 3 who go to school don't get that much, but they sometimes take naps to make up for it.)

What can I do about this?

Thanks for your help!

RC

[Claire]

Calcium and magnesium deficits can cause insomnia. You might want to Google this for more info. Here is one website (http://http://www.drlwilson.com/Articles/Insomnia183.htm) that mentions it, but I haven't read it in detail so don't know how good it is. Taking a calcium and/or magnesium supplement won't hurt, and it might help. Calcium requires vitamin D for absorption, so I would look for a good calcium *citrate* formula that includes magnesium and D. (Calcium citrate is in a form that the body can use. Many other forms of calcium look good on the label, but are not easily absorbed by the body so much is wasted.) Also, taking a bath with epsom salts can help magnesium as it is absorbed directly into the skin.

I would try epsom salt baths and a supplement. Also, I have found that over-the-counter sleep aids can be helpful in "resetting" the biological clock. If you check labels, you will find that different brands contain the same primary ingredient. Have him take one of these at least one hour before you want him to sleep. (It can take longer than an hour to be effective.) Have him do this for one week, gradually taking the sleep aid earlier, until a new pattern has been established. Then have him take it every other day to make sure the pattern will be maintained. Once he is stable, you can remove the sleep aid.

You could research melatonin also. Some people have a melatonin deficiency. However, many people with insomnia do not have this deficiency. When this is the case melatonin will help with sleep initially, but then the person will develop very vivid nightmares. If you try melatonin, be aware that this can happen.

[RoughCollie]

Thank you, Claire.

I don't want DS to have nightmares, so I won't try the melatonin. I'm glad you pointed that out because I was thinking of trying it.

I have some Calcium/Vitamin D pills from Vitamin World, and I was planning on giving him those anyway. Wouldn't it be great if that worked.

Also, I will buy an over-the-counter sleep aid as you suggested. We are getting desperate here!

Thanks for your help. I really appreciate it.

RC