Lights out

Ever since I can remember, I have had great difficulty falling asleep. I vividly recall laying in bed as a little girl, my mind going a hundred miles an hour, skipping from one thought to another, escalating into a panic about the future. As an adult, I have learned to manage it by reading a book until my eyes refuse to remain open. But, I have never learned to actually prevent the issue, or fix it in any way. I just tolerate it. Now, I am having to watch my eldest start down that same sleepless path, and while I can deal with it in myself, it is killing me to see him struggle through it. At this point, fortunately, he doesn't seem to feel the panic I used to. But his brain does go non-stop just as mine did. And once a little scary thought does get in there, it grows and grows. Almost nightly he is turning on his light and reading- sometimes til well after ten- and often begs me to lay down with him so he can fall sleep. So far, it doesn't appear to be affecting his school or life; although it does catch up with him after several nights and then he falls asleep earlier. Oh, how I wish I could just wrap my arms around him each night and grant him instant, peaceful sleep!