Insomnia, which results in unrefreshing or non-restorative sleep, is the inability to fall asleep or remain asleep at night. Sometimes, over time, the problem resolves itself. But if the child has trouble sleeping more than three days a week for many months, and the functioning of the child during the day is greatly affected, it may mean insomnia or another sleep disorder.
Causes of insomnia in children
For many adolescents, their difficulty falling or staying asleep stems from their daytime habits or how they spend their time just before bed. For example, consuming too much sugary food during the day or watching TV right before bed might be enough to disturb the sleep of your child. Of course, in particular, younger children will have trouble linking their behaviors with the quality of their sleep, so you will have to behave on their behalf as a sleep investigator.
Other common explanations why your child can have sleep issues include sleep disorders.
Stress. Yes, they're young, but kids often feel stress, often caused by school or home problems. They can fail to stay up in school, encounter difficulties with their peers, or even be bullied. Stress at home may arise from the marital problems of parents, the birth of a new baby, or changes in their sleeping arrangements that now require them, for example, to share a bedroom with a sibling, parent, or grandparent.
Caffeine. There is caffeine in certain sodas and energy drinks that can keep children up at night. Try to restrict the intake of your child beyond lunchtime. Better still, aim to cut as much as possible out of these types of beverages.
Side effects of medicines. In infants, certain medications may also induce insomnia, such as those used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and antidepressants.
Other medical conditions. It may be a sleep disorder, such as sleep apnea or restless leg syndrome, or it may be caused by an allergic stuffy nose, may discomfort, or itchy eczema skin. It will help to detect any concerns that could interfere with their sleep by keeping your child up-to-date on health tests.
Thanks for the info