To address sleep disturbances in a child, one must first look at their lifestyle, favoring a healthy and balanced diet, along with physical, moral, and spiritual activities. Keeping screens and processed foods at a distance is also essential.
If, despite all this, the child remains unsettled and restless, suitable syrups based on marjoram, chamomile, lemon balm, and hawthorn, for example, can be given.
What the science says: in children, sleep
What published research says about the remedies mentioned above, for context only — the studies address material causes, while healing belongs to Allah.
In children
In infants, the probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri reduces colic crying according to a meta-analysis (Pediatrics, 2018) (Acta Paediatr, 2024); in children, honey soothes nighttime coughing (after one year of age) (Cochrane, 2018), fiber and hydration treat constipation (J Pediatr, 2022), and omega-3s are being studied for hyperactivity (Neuropsychopharmacology, 2018). Precaution: never give honey before one year of age, no essential oils before age 3 (age 6 for peppermint), doses adjusted to weight; any fever in an infant under 3 months is an emergency.
Sleep
Improving sleep improves overall mental health, according to a meta-analysis of randomized trials (Sleep Med Rev, 2021); sleep hygiene (regular schedules, darkness, no screens or caffeine in the evening) has a measurable effect on insomnia (Fam Pract, 2018) (Sleep Med Rev, 2025). The Sunnah adds its own guidance: sleeping early, on the right side, after the bedtime supplications. Precaution: insomnia lasting more than three months, snoring with breathing pauses, or significant daytime drowsiness should be evaluated by a doctor.
