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The following is a visitor-submitted question or story. For more, you can submit your own sleep story here, or browse the collection of experiences and questions other visitors have shared here.
My Son Hates Sleeping
by Angelica
My son is 4 years old and he HATES sleeping. He couldn't express it any more to me and his dad.
Ever since he was a newborn waking up every 30 mins to eat. As he got older he would take short naps of 30mins, then the naps STOPPED when he turned 2 and he would have issues on sleeping.
Now this is a concern to me because not only is he not wanting to take naps but now he doesn't want to sleep at night. I would give him his bath then I would tell him a "night night story" and read to him and NOTHING he is still wide awake.
There are times when he is "acting" like he is sleeping so I fall asleep and then the next morning his dad tells me, "the baby woke up shortly after you fell asleep". This is still continuing and he just turned 4.
Our child could stay up until 3am until he starts to get tired. He has so much energy it is ridiculous i mean he tells me mom i hate sleeping, I don't want to sleep, i have nightmares when i sleep, he even asked me mom is it going to be dark out soon, because he knows it will soon be time to go sleep!
I have noticed when he finally goes to sleep he sometimes whines in his sleep, he has accidents almost every night, he stops breathing for a short period of time then moves around
Kevin: Hi Angelica, Thank you for sharing your story of your son. Your last paragraph indicates that he is suffering from sleep apnea. It is fairly common in children, and needs to be dealt with immediately so that it does not take a toll on his development by fragmenting his deep sleep. Sometimes large tonsils are the culprit for preventing a child with sleep apnea from breathing well at night. Checking with your doctor about sleep apnea as soon as you can would be a good idea.
The sleep apnea is also likely causing his bedwetting, as the interruptions in his breathing cause his urinary system to think he is not asleep. As a result, the urinary system thinks it should still produce as much urine as it does in the day time. Fix the sleep apnea and you'll probably also fix his bedwetting.
It may also help him sleep more continuously through the night, and perhaps that will lead to him enjoying sleep more.
Good luck, and feel free to update this page with his progress using the comments section below.
Kevin
(Please keep in mind that I am a student of sleep science and not a medical doctor. Please take any thoughts I give with my background in mind.)
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Interviews With Sleep Specialists: Insights Into the Worlds of Sleep Medicine & Sleep Business
America's Most Dangerous Disorder: What Is Sleep Apnea Doing To Your Sleep?
Sleep Debt: How Much More Will You Achieve When You Reduce Yours?
The Stages Of Sleep: The Journey Through The Night
Delayed Sleep Phase: You Want To Sleep But You're Not Tired Yet
Paralyzed at Night: Is Sleep Paralysis Normal?
Sleep In Words: Smart, Strange, and Funny Quotes About Sleep
Sleep Disorders In Children: What's Keeping Your Child From A Full Night's Rest?
Attacks of Pavor Nocturnus (a.k.a. Sleep Terrors, Night Terrors, or Incubus Attacks)
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More Sleep Resources
The Zeo
A revolution in personal sleep tracking, the Zeo is a wireless headband that transmits your brainwaves in realtime to a dock (pictured here) or your smartphone. The result? You can wake up and see exactly what stages of sleep you were in during the night! Unprecedented personalized sleep knowledge.
Sleep Paralysis: A Dreamer's Guide
Ever woken up paralyzed? A surprising number of us have, believe it or not. But few know the actual causes of this phenomenon, and fewer still how to exert control over it. Dream researcher and sleep paralysis expert Ryan Hurd shares breakthrough insights into how to do just that.
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