Is there anything worse than a child who can’t
get to sleep? Okay, maybe a relentlessly crying kid whose having a temper
tantrum in public. But for parents of children
with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who can’t fall asleep
easily, there could be a new solution: melatonin.
- Melatonin is a hormone your body produces to help it regulate your sleep-wake cycles; it usually starts pumping out of your pineal gland after it has become dark outside and your body prepares for bedtime. When melatonin levels in the blood rise, you begin to feel less alert and sleep becomes more inviting.
- Children with ADHD usually have trouble falling asleep, which can have tremendous consequences to both their health and family life. Less sleep means a less-than-optimal refreshment of the brain and body during the night.
- Giving 3 to 6 mg of melatonin within a few hours of bedtime has been shown to help kids with ADHD overcome some of their insomnia and improve their sleep. “Kids” in most cases reviewed in the study meant 6 to 14 years of age.
- Melatonin is a hormone, most kids produce plenty of Melatonin, it just might not be at the time of day when parents want them to go to sleep.
- We have no idea what Melatonin will do to kids over the long term.
- A dosage of 3-6mg is between 3 and 6 times the dose that is needed in adults - could this be an over dosage?
- Performing the same bedtime routine every night (winding down, getting ready for bed, brushing teeth, being read to or reading on their own, etc.).
- Going to bed at the same time 7 days a week.
- Avoiding stimulants within (at least!) an hour of bedtime. This includes electronics and digital media like the television, computer, and cell phone.
If your kids don’t currently
keep a regular bedtime routine, start there. The best prescription for a good
night’s sleep could be in your children’s habits—regardless of any other
condition like ADHD. Besides, who wants their children to have trouble sleeping
before they even reach the throes of those oft sleep-deprived teen years? They
need all the sleep they can get.
Sweet Dreams,
Michael J. Breus, PhD
www.thesleepdoctor.com
Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/thesleepdoctor
Click here to order Dr. Breus's book, Beauty Sleep, on Amazon or Kindle, or here to buy it for the Barnes & Noble Nook.
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