Looking for non-medicinal ideas to help my teenager sleep.

[July]

He just can't turn his mind off on some nights, and is just a bear the next day.

His doctor recommended melatonin, which seems to help a little, but he still has those tough nights, mainly when he knows he's got something he needs to be alert for the next day (yes, I think he's psyching himself out a little, but he doesn't know how to undo that).

The doctor will give him a sleep medication if we want, but I'd rather steer clear.

So I'll take any ideas you've got, and thank you.

[Phentex]

1. Background noise

Sometimes I need to get my mind to focus on something else, so the tv or radio helps. Sometimes I read. I am usually so tired I fall asleep with no problems. However, when I'm stressed or anxious about something, I can't "turn off my mind" either. That's when I have to re-direct it, so-to-speak. It sounds strange but when you suffer from it, you know what I mean.

[MissMillie]

4. I can't sleep with a radio on

I'll lay in bed and "sing" along with the music in my head.

I do leave the TV on, but not loud enough to distinguish the dialogue.

[malta blue]

10. I have to agree with you on this one....

Some clock radios have "nature" sounds - the ocean, the forest, etc. I found them really helpful when I was having a difficult time and couldn't take anything because I was pregnant.

Also, a warm shower right before bed...

[Iris]

16. That helps me, too. I sometimes put the tv or radio on very low volume so I have to

sort of "concentrate" and then I drift off.

[Random_Australian]

59. If you take this one up, remember that when your mind readjusts the volume will go up heaps,

so make it extremely quiet when you turn it on, and it will raise to a pleasant background noise.

Might I suggest the Chinese Blossom Orchestra for such a thing? It's orchestra music without much change in volume over the piece.

[seemunkee]

2. We struggled with this for years

My daughter typically would lie awake until 3-4 in the morning and have to get up at 6. This would go on for a few days until she would crash as soon as she came home from school. We tried melatonin along with a whole host of other strategies and meds. Finally found one that worked for her but it was a long difficult path.

[MissMillie]

3. I've had sleeping disorders so I can tell you what I've learned

there should be a regular bedtime and a regular wake-up time. EVERY day, even weekends. A schedule is crucial.

There should be a pre-bed routine.... a cup of tea or cocoa, a hot bath, 1/2 an hour of reading... whatever, but it should be the same... EVERY night.

The room should be dark and quiet (though sometimes the noise from a fan or an air filter can be helpful), tidy, and the bed should be comfortable (clean, soft sheets).

Teenagers need MORE sleep, not less. I always found it ironic that as kids grow older they ask for and usually get a later bedtime.... physiologically speaking--bad idea.

[datasuspect]

5. hard physical labor

sweat, sun, and air.

does a body good.

[DS1]

6. wear his ass out

[Midlodemocrat]

11. Seconded. After some serious physical/mental work, he'll be

too exhausted NOT to turn his mind off.

Also, a white noise maker is wonderful.

[DS1]

13. That's why I have a fan

I hate stagnant air, and it helps drown out weird noises - not to mention my tinnitus

[Midlodemocrat]

14. I have a white noise machine, but my son has a fan in his room.

I think he just likes the air moving, because Lord knows he's way too tired when he goes to bed to feel anything but exhaustion.

He's sleeping a whole lot better since he started playing basketball and lifting weights every day.

[elehhhhna]

7. Get "The Relaxation Response" book-- teaches one how to

meditate/relax and works like a charm.

There's always tylenol pm -- the sleep inducing part is , iirc, benadryl.

[catmandu57]

8. Hypnosis/relaxation

there are several good mp3 self hypnosis out there find one and use it, that and I second a regular bedtime schedule and routine.

[Lyric]

9. I had the same problem when I was a teenager.

My solution was this:

1. I got a box fan for my bedroom, which produced enough comfortable "white noise" that I was able to relax.

2. Hot bath right before bed. The point is to get your body temperature up a bit, then let it fall again naturally after you get out of the tub. As your body temp falls, your body starts producing its own melatonin. This is why hot baths tend to make people feel drowsy and relaxed afterward.

3. A change of scenery. Re-arrange the bedroom, change the lighting to a lamp instead of an overhead light, etc. It helps to get rid of any negative sleep associations he might have, since he's been having trouble sleeping.

[NMDemDist2]

12. no caffiene after noon. if he's like most teenagers he lives on MtDew and Red Bull

could it be that simple?

[skygazer]

20. Exactly what I was going to say

Teenagers tend to be on a perpetual caffeine and sugar rush.

[Deep13]

15. Hit the sack 45 min. early and read for awhile (not school work).

Develop a nightime routine to signal the brain it is time to sleep.

[RogueSpirit]

22. The best reading to help you sleep

Would be the US tax code.

[Iris]

17. Valerian

I had good luck with this herb a while back.

Also, maybe he's overtired. Perhaps a 30 minute nap (or rest period) after school. It might clear his mind a bit.

[hedgehog]

18. Just because it's an herb doesn't mean it's not a drug!

Valerian is a sedative.

[Iris]

19. so is melatonin and she said they tried that.

So, I just threw it out there. I supposed I should have said read the label but I'm not posting as doctor or medical practioner. Just someone who hardly slept at all in my 20s.

[RogueSpirit]

21. It's not non-medicinal, but it doesn't require a Rx...

I use benedryl nightly to sleep.

[hyphenate]

23. I've read

that warm milk has similar effects to turkey, because it has the L-tryptophan in it, which helps make you sleepy. Melatonin isn't too bad--since it's OTC, you might just want to check them out at your drugstore or Costco.

Benadryl will also make you sleepy--diphenhydramine is the main ingredient in it. I would suggest that if you decide to try it out, to NOT buy it as a sleeping aid, but check the anti-histamines out instead--it's the EXACT SAME product in both sections of the store, but marketing it as a sleep aid somehow make it sound more expensive. Just check out the label. If you buy it as a generic, you're saving a lot of money.

You might want to look into homeopathy to see if there are products that might help.

Another natural item worth mentioning is Valerian Root, but I doubt if you can get them to take it--Valerian Root has the worst possible smell you might ever smell--someone described the odor as reminiscent of moldy socks in a gym bag.

Another suggestion is Bonine or Dramamine--both for motion sickness, but because of the calming nature, it can help make you sleepy.

[RogueSpirit]

26. I get benedryl at

wally world, under the brand name equate. I can get a bottle of 100 for like 4 bucks

[TommyO]

32. generic "Benedryl" at Costco is even better

For three dollars and change, you can get 400 caplets.

[RogueSpirit]

41. Unfortunately...

the closest Costco is about 50 miles away, WalMart is in my town and with gas prices the way they are, I can't drive in to costco as often as I would like to. I am pretty much forced to do the walmart thing

[TommyO]

43. What about Sams Club - yes, it's still a Wallyworld company, but you can

get similar deals there on the generics.

[Zoigal]

44. Rx medication can be ordered online from Costco.

Don't know if they offer OTC stuff or not. You don't have to be
a member to buy from the pharmacy in Costco either.

[dropkickpa]

24. A hammer

Works every time.

[coffeenap]

25. Acupuncture , really. Also, there

are other whole-body therapies that help reset his body clock or aid in relaxation. I was skeptical until I saw it work with teens I know. Good luck.

[begin_within]

27. Yoga

[myrna minx]

28. Hyland CALMS and CALMS Forte tablets.

These really help me and they are not habit forming.
http://www.hylands.com/products/calmsforte.php

I was told by a DR. to tale L-Tryptophan (which was sold over the counter in the 1980's) back in high school when I couldn't sleep. That stuff made me hallucinate. It was like having waking nightmares so I'm very sensitive when it comes to sleep assistance products. I have tried melatonin, too, but that gives me unrestful sleep and very strange dreams. Calms works very well without the side effects of narcotics or other sleep drugs.

On edit: You can purchase at your local co-op or health food stores.

[mitchum]

29. Dairy products or turkey (n/t)

[petronius]

30. No TV, computer, video screen viewing in the hour or so before bed?

I have read that these can impair sleep.

Perhaps talking over the important next day activity with him, to help him go to bed knowing he's prepared for the upcoming day?

[PassingFair]

31. Strike him sharply with this.

Once should do the trick.

[July]

33. Wow, thank you, everyone, including those providing humorous

(I think) responses.

We will be trying some of these ideas.

My son has cut down on caffeine drinks and has tried the "sleep sounds" approach. His brother is telling him what one of you said, that he should step away from the computer for about an hour before bed, and he is edging toward that, although he is, like most kids his age, married to his computer.

We tried the OTC (benadryl-type) sleep aid after talking to his doctor about it, and he was in a stupor the next day, so I'm very hesitant to try something like a real sedative. His doctor (a pediatrician) says she's okay w/Ambien, but I'm still skeptical, even though I think quite highly of her and have agreed with her previous advice on a number of subjects.

I'm still trying to get him to try yoga or meditation, and the exercise approach is something he hasn't done yet.

Warm baths are something I will have to get him to try.

In the worst case, I will look for the hammer!

Thank you all, again.

[BlueIris]

34. Bach's Flower Essences. Rescue Remedy, Clematis or White Chestnut.

Technically, it's White Chestnut that's for the "not being able to shut off mind" problem, but I actually think Clematis, which is a general centering essence, works better for that.

[BlueIris]

35. Also, you might want to rethink the melatonin.

It worsened my depression. A lot.

[SarahB]

36. Valerian

http://www.aafp.org/afp/20030415/1755.html

[Joe Fields]

37. Work him until he is bone tired. Hard, physical work.

It carries a ton of benefits, including being able to get a good niight's sleep.

[Squatch]

38. Booze works.

[ThomCat]

39. Some meditation training

if you can find some in your area. Learning how to clear his mind, keep it clear, and concentrate on his breathing could do wonders for him. Learning how to focus his attention couldn't hurt either.

[Downtown Hound]

40. I highly recommend hypnosis

It worked much better for me than meditation. I used to have really bad insomnia, so much that once I was up for four days in a row. It even caused me to have a car accident and stop working. After a year and a half of trying every sleep aid on the market, which always left me feeling like shit the next day, I tried some hypnosis CD's and they worked beautifully.

I found hypnosis to be better than meditation because it automatically puts you into a state of deep relaxation, whereas meditation is more of a process of trying to quiet your mind. Once you're in that state it's pretty easy to drift off to sleep. It really does work and I wish more people would try it instead of all the pills and drugs.

[BreweryYardRat]

42. If he's got a girlfriend, you could turn a blind eye to "sleepovers."

I guarantee you that would do the job of getting him to sleep.

[graywarrior]

45. Workout at the gym or jog/run...but not before bedtime or he'll be up all night.

Or yoga, meditation, or pot.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

46. No caffeine after 6 pm.

[applegrove]

47. Insomnia can lead to depression. Watch out for that.

[applegrove]

48. Try milk with a little bit of almond extract in it before bed.

[idgiehkt]

49. maybe writing his thoughts out or typing them into a document file?

that always helps me, I have the same kind of 'run-on' mind, and writing is just about the best thing that works for me. Just write without censoring, all the scenarios and his feelings about it, etc. Meditation helps a lot too but that is a discipline that is learned over time and he may need more immediate help...

[RevolutionaryActs]

50. Rescue Sleep

http://www.rescuesleep.com/home/default.asp


My mom swears by it, and it works great for me when I can't get to sleep some nights. :hi:

[grasswire]

51. baked potato and a glass of milk

The potato skin is loaded with tryptophan. You can bake several up ahead of time and then just zap in the microwave.

[Adsos Letter]

52. Reading the Bible in bed at bedtime used to do it for me...

20 minutes, max...out like a light. In a difficult case, you might follow this by a short, sharp blow to the forehead from a rubber mallet...

:D

[DainBramaged]

53. I can't turn my mind off either

Some mornings I can't get to sleep till dawn and then I have to get up by 8. Building cars, health worries, my new lady friend, my daughter, is she ok, is she home, do I have enough money for the month, Bush sucks, got to fix the sink, drip drip drip, I need to change the cat litter, why is my dog sleeping on me, the neighbors are fighting again, Bush sucks, what can I make for breakfast, should I call my Mom, should I call my ex, should I call a shrink, cold, should I close the windows, should I pay some bills, Bush sucks, can I fake I'm asleep so the dog won't want to go out, how does he know, the cat is licking my ear, Bush sucks, TV commercials too loud, nothing is ever on after 2 AM, will I survive sex, god she lives too far away, will her dogs get along with mine, my hands hurt, can we stay in business, I need to go shopping, Bush sucks, how many died today, fuck Paris, do the time, I wish I had some pot, where is the remote, infomercials, hey I could use that, goddamn prostate.

Bush still sucks, working out rreally hard before bed helped me, and I wish you all my best.

[Fleshdancer]

54. this is typical of teenagers from what I understand

I watched a fascinating show on PBS years ago that described the brain developments of teenagers. Apparently their frontal lobes develop at a rate very similar to babies during the the first three years of life...meaning, there's a ton of activity. One of the negative side effects from this is insomnia. Another side effect is that horrible lonely feeling we've all experienced as teenagers - the one that convinces us that our parents don't understand us.

I recommend he creates a bed time routine that starts 1-2 hours before he actually tries to go to sleep. No computer games, no tv, no loud music and no homework. He should find something that relaxes him whether it be a long hot shower, leisure reading, meditating etc.

[hippywife]

55. Another thing that kid's do

is hang out in their rooms and tend to lounge on their beds while they do everything throughout the day...use the computer, read, do homework, talk on the phone. One major thing that sleep experts recommend is to not use the bed or bedroom for such purposes. If he's doing this, get him to do these things in other rooms and only use his bed for sleep.

[snailly]

56. A hammer

Seriously, remove all stimuli after 5pm. That means TV, video games, computer, cell phone, whatever. Have him help you make a nice dinner and eat at 6pm. He is only allowed books of his choice from then on. Go through a bed time routine that you had when he was really young. Leave him alone after that. He's on his own.

[philosophie_en_rose]

57. Physical exhaustion in the afternoon. in bed by nine. wake up early.

Once he's on that cycle, it should be easier. He should probably not drink anything stimulating in the evening.

Also, try to shift something he likes from the evening to the morning. Like TIVO'd tv or computer time or a sport, etc.

[TheFriendlyAnarchist]

58. It is medicinal, but I advise. . . Marijuana.

[Random_Australian]

60. Wow, have you asked the right place or not. From what I see, there's one thing missing -

and probably the most important (after the 'no-caffeine' thing)

The bed, and preferably the bedroom, are to be used pretty much just for sleep.

The thing is, when a person gets into the habit of bieng active after a certain stimulus, for example if going into their room is usually met with watching the teevee, then the physiological state of the body is set to go to 'active' after that stimulus, or in other words it takes time to get to sleep.

Or at least it would - except that sometimes not bieng able to go to sleep means that the person gets stressed. And stress makes it harder to get to sleep, so they get more stressed, and so on until they have a bad night or two.

Then, the crunch is that lying in bed becomes associated with a stress response, which makes it near impossible to get to sleep and gives you the kind of stuff you were describing, especially about psyching himself out.

Hope this helps!

(Mind you, I did learn all this in first year - "mechanisms of sleep, motivation and emotion" was something I got a distinction for, but it's still fairly basic and no substitution if a proffessional says to go the other way)

[jmowreader]

61. May I recommend the Joycelyn Elders solution?

At the risk of getting the thread locked, myself tombstoned, or at least laughed out of the lounge...

Teach him to beat off. Seriously.

Masturbation is a proven sleep inducer. A good sound orgasm will cause you to go to sleep, and REALLY soundly too, in almost all cases.

It's safer than a rubber mallet to the forehead. Cheaper than a sleep therapist. And, unlike Seconal, absolutely drug-free.

Just get him a towel, a gallon can of vaseline and some halfway decent porn, have him beat his meat every single night, and his insomnia will trouble you no more.

[Scout]

62. hmmmm, try these things...

1. bedroom is used only for sleep--no tv, no video games
   
2. a regular schedule of rising and laying down to sleep
   
3. no naps in the daytime
   
4. regular exercise, but not in the evening
   
5. keep a notepad and pencil/pen handy at all times--it helps to relax if you know you've captured your thoughts, ideas, and to do items for the next day, and can quickly write them down if you happen to wake up in the night
   
6. yoga or meditation
   
7. take a tepid shower or bath before bed
   
8. white noise or background noise such as crickets, or ocean waves, or
9. rain when laying down to sleep
   
10. reading for a brief time
    
11. be sure mattress and pillow on his bed are the right firmness
    
12. no caffeine, msg, other stimulants from dinner time on
    
13. don't eat less than three hours before bed time
    

Good luck, I know it sucks when one can't sleep!

[Withywindle]

63. Also, be aware that this condition is a very real thing...

Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delayed_sleep_phase_syndrome

Very common in teenagers - and some "lucky" people have it for life. (I'm almost 40, and the only time I can EVER fall asleep before 2 or 3 is if I'm deathly ill.)

[ellisonz]

64. More exercise, more water, less caffeine.