Comments on: Dilemma of the Week – Insomnia

By: Sunbonnet Sue

Sunbonnet Sue — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 04:39:13 +0000

You’re welcome! We pass on what has been given to us, no?

By: Marie Stroughter

Marie Stroughter — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 00:28:16 +0000

I can’t tell you how much it means to know she is being lifted in prayer! Thanks *so* much, Sunbonnet Sue!

By: Sunbonnet Sue

Sunbonnet Sue — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 00:09:08 +0000

Marie, I was praying for your daughter last night, and then remembered something important that might help. We used a lotion on our boy when he was younger. Made by aveeno I believe, it had lavendar and vanilla scent both in it. It was marketed as a calming lotion for babies. If your girl cannot tolerate having her back rubbed, start with maybe just one of her fingers, an elbow or toe perhaps. Some part of her body that does not rev her up. Test around to see what works. Also ask her to take a turn applying lotion onto one of your fingers or something that is not threatening. Experiment around too with different massage motions, to find one she can tolerate. Just a thought!

By: Marie Stroughter

Marie Stroughter — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 16:56:37 +0000

Thanks for chiming in, Sunbonnet Sue! It’s comforting to know we’re not alone, but sad to know so many children struggle with PTSD at such young ages.

By: Marie Stroughter

Marie Stroughter — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 16:55:16 +0000

Thanks for the tips, Faith & sharing your personal story. We’ve tried lavender aromatherapy (soap before bedtime & a plug-in night light with pure lavender oil), but not vanilla. She does have a CD player in her room for stories and songs, but I hadn’t thought of the white noise. We do run her ceiling fan, but had stopped when she developed a cold last week and the weather changed (she has a medical condition that is triggered by viruses).

Thanks so much for the ideas!

By: Sunbonnet Sue

Sunbonnet Sue — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 15:09:27 +0000

Marie,

Good morning!

We have a little boy who struggles with wakefulness due to PTSD and other issues. He sleeps on a portable massage table at the end of our bed. The end of our bed is tall enough, there is a level of privacy. That, and prescription medication is what finally did the trick. Melatonin is a good idea, it was not enough for him. The white noise idea Faith suggested, we use that too. The air cleaner is needed anyhow, because of asthma and allergies. We also installed a window air conditioner into our bedroom and keep it cold, to snuggle under the warm covers. We set the ceiling fan to high. The only trouble with that is if he loses his covers in the night, then he wants to climb into bed with us. At nearly 11 years, he's too big. Maybe if we got a bigger bed.....

We're hoping he'll someday move into his own room!

Good luck, and hope you find a combination soon that will get you some much needed rest!

By: Faith Allen

Faith Allen — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 13:52:11 +0000

I used to struggle w/insomnia from PTSD. Here are the things that worked (and continue to work) for me:

(1) Vanilla scent in the bedroom.

I burn a vanilla-scented candle for ~ 30 minutes before bedtime. Of course, you would not want an unsupervised flame in a child's room, but there are a variety of ways to get the scent into the room. The scent of vanilla calms the startle reflex in both people and animals.

(2) White noise.

I run an air purifier all night. The white noise drowns out the sounds that would otherwise trigger my startle reflex.

(3) Yoga & meditation.

I do 15 minutes of yoga and then 15 minutes of meditation before bedtime. This cuts down on both insomnia and nightmares.

(4) Thick comforters.

I keep the air cooler and then snuggle up under thick comforters, even in the summer months. The weight of the comforters help me to feel safe.

(5) Melatonin.

When all else fails, I take a small dose of melatonin. It is all-natural, inexpensive, and safe for children and adults.

I hope these pointers help. They have really helped me to overcome insomnia from PTSD.

- Faith