It is normal and common for parents to wake up when they hear how their child is suffering from some kind of nightmare. This is normal, since all people suffer it to a greater or lesser extent. All the nightmares They usually occur when children are quite young, although they decrease over the years.
The fact that a young child experiences nightmares on a regular basis is normal since it is undergoing a cognitive maturation process. As it grows, it reaches a certain maturity, which makes nightmares occasional.
At what age do children begin to suffer from nightmares?
Nightmares are estimated to appear after two years of age which is when the little one's imagination is maturing. Such nightmares are totally normal and parents should not worry about them. The child begins to realize that there are things that can harm him and they bring it to his mind. Nightmares can be caused by multiple reasons such as changes in routines or increased stress in the child's life. As we have already mentioned above, as the child grows, the nightmares diminish and become occasional.
What is a nightmare
Parents often confuse nightmares with other sleep disorders as is the case with night terrors or lucid dreams.
- Lucid dreaming occurs when a baby goes from one dream cycle to a different one. It is something common so there is no need to worry at any time. If a child suffers a lucid dream, it is normal for him to sit up in bed or talk to himself. These dreams last a short time and the little one does not remember anything of what happened.
- Night terrors are rare and occur early in sleep. In these terrors the child is sound asleep and has a really bad time, getting to scream or cry. Once said terror is over, the little one is still sound asleep and the next morning he is not able to remember anything of what happened.
- Nightmares usually occur in the last part of the dream. Unlike the previous two, the child is able to remember the nightmare the next morning.
What to do to prevent your child's nightmares
It has been shown that children who sleep poorly and for a few hours are more prone to nightmares. Therefore it is important that the child sleeps the hours that his body needs and that he is well relaxed.
It is important to create a routine before going to bed so that the child arrives as relaxed as possible. It is also good to talk with the child about nightmares and give him some other advice to know how to face them.
How to deal with a nightmare
The first thing parents should do is comfort the little one and try to calm him down and relax after suffering the nightmare. The warmth and love of the parents are key for the child to calm down as soon as possible. It is advisable that the little one can express what has happened while you continue to calm him down.
Once you see that he is calmer, you can put him back to bed. Many parents make the big mistake of taking their child to bed by breaking their habits and routines. Before he goes back to sleep you can leave a little light in your room so that you get to sleep without problems.
In short, nightmares are quite common during the first years. Over time, they decrease. It is important to put yourself in the child's shoes and understand him at all times. Many parents ignore this fact and overlook it. Children have a really hard time and need parental support and understanding at all times.