After shoring up your child's diet, try some other quick fixes to help ensure your child falls asleep quickly and moves through the sleep cycles properly so he can get the kind of rest that makes it easier to start the day with a smile and keep a positive mood until bedtime.

Aromatherapy

Inhaling certain scents may not cure cancer as some people claim, but studies show aromatherapy can in fact produce short-term relief from anxiety and induce sleep. In a study of geriatric patients, lavender oil dispersed in the air enabled them to sleep as well as when they were on prescription medication, falling asleep quickly and sleeping without a lot of restlessness.

Assuming your tween doesn't have allergies, put a drop of lavender oil on her nostrils before tucking her in, or add several to her bath at night. Just be sure the oil contains real lavender. It is possible to mimic the smell synthetically, and the effectiveness of artificial lavender has not been researched.

Soothing for Snoozing

“Trying” to go to sleep doesn't work since it creates the kind of tension that works against achieving the relaxed state needed to fall asleep. If your child complains of insomnia, begin by reassuring him that just resting in bed is enough to ensure he'll feel refreshed the next day. Then try some relaxation enhancers. Help an auditory tween calm his thoughts by turning on some restful music. A visual child may do better visualizing a restful scene, such as lying on the beach, sitting in a meadow, or gazing at stars. A verbal youngster may benefit more from counting sheep or engaging in another mental task that is repetitive but innocuous. If you're not sure what kind of tween you have, suggest he try all three to see which works best.

Alternatively, teach your child a standard meditation technique by having him concentrate on his breathing. Talk him through the process in a hypnotic voice, instructing him to breathe deeply by inhaling through the mouth, holding it in for the count of five, and exhaling through the nose. Tell him to imagine that feelings of relaxation are entering his body when he inhales and that tension is leaving each time he exhales.

Physical exercise releases tension and induces feelings of well-being through the release of endorphins, so be sure your child gets plenty of daily exercise. However, rowdy play and strenuous activities that increase physical arousal should be avoided an hour before bed, as should conversations and stories that create excitement or anxiety.