My 6 yr old son is waking up in the night and can't go back to sleep.

[mommyathome76]

In the last 10 days my 6 yr old son has woken up every night, between 9:30 and 11:30 and cannot put himself back to sleep. Most nights he stays awake for 2 hours.   He has always been a great sleeper (aside from some bouts of night terrors).  He is able to fall asleep at bedtime with no problem but when he wakes in the middle of the night, he cannot put himself back to sleep.  He begins to agonize over the idea of being able to get back to sleep and since he is worrying, he cannot calm himself down to sleep.  He has never spent a night in our bed, but he wants us to come and lay with him until he goes back to sleep.  I would be willing to do that if I thought it would not form a bad habit.  He is a very smart, but sometimes overly sensitive child.  Before anyone asks, nothing has changed in our lives over the past few months, NOTHING.  So, I can't understand why this habit has formed and I need it to stop! I am exhausted!  

[margypops]

Has anything happened in that last 10 days , anything to upset him, a move , new school, house, family, friends ,siblings .What time does he go to bed , it maybe early for him , try putting him a bit later, read him some stories say around 8-8-30pm, does he watch anything scary on TV in the evenings ?  I agree once you start to lie by him he will want you to, then you have to stop that. this may be simply a phase so be consistant , take him back to bed if he gets out, he could read for a while if he cant sleep .