Monsters under the bed
It is distressing to hear your precious little one sounding scared and upset during the night because of a nightmare or night terror. Witnessing your child crying, screaming, and feeling afraid can be heartbreaking, and it is difficult to know how to help them. Please be comforted by the fact that these sleep disturbances are common and not harmful to your child. If your child does experience nightmares or night terrors, it can be helpful to gain a better understanding of them so that you can support your child appropriately.
It is important to identify whether your child is experiencing a nightmare or night terror, as they are very different. Nightmares tend to be more prevalent among children aged between 3 and 6 years old. They are usually experienced during the REM sleep in the latter part of the night. Children will remember a nightmare and be able to recall it to you afterwards. They will tend to wake from a nightmare feeling quite scared and upset and struggle to settle back to sleep. Your response method to your child following on from a nightmare is fundamental in ensuring that your child feels safe and comforted. Offering support and reassurance will help them to go back to sleep. Nightmares can often occur due to watching something frightening on television, overtiredness, changes in routine, or anxieties. So is important to support your child during the day, allowing them to voice any worries they may have and help them work through these. Planning an early bedtime and having a structured and relaxing bedtime routine in place can often help to prevent nightmares.
Night terrors tend to affect children between the ages of 3 and 8 years old. They are experienced earlier on in the night, usually within 3 hours of bedtime. Children tend not to have any recollection of the incident the following morning. During a night terror, arousal can be difficult, and although your child may appear to be awake, they are in a deep sleep. As a parent, it can be very difficult to witness your child experiencing a night terror as they may scream and appear agitated, thrash around in their bed, cry, and sweat. It is vital that you remain calm and ensure your little one stays safe during their night terror. It is advised to support your child by waiting for the night terror to pass rather than waking them, after which they will tend to return to sleep with ease. Common triggers of night terrors are overtiredness, certain medications, anxieties, and having a fever. They may be more prevalent in cases where there is a family history of night terrors. Planning a structured and relaxing bedtime routine and calving out time during the day where your child can work through any worries they have with you can help prevent night terrors.
Understanding the nature of nightmares and night terrors can help ease your worry so that you can support your child through them and try to prevent them from occurring. Most children will outgrow nightmares and night terrors; however, if they are frequent or you are worried about them, it is advised to speak with your doctor.