It may seem to you that this is all nonsense, nothing terrible and just whims, but for a child, night fears are very serious.
If a child often sees nightmares, wakes up and runs in tears, do not laugh at what he dreamed. Think about why this is happening. What could be the matter, explains our expert – psychiatrist, psychotherapist Aina Gromova.
“The main cause of bad dreams is heightened anxiety. When a child is constantly worried and depressed, fears do not disappear even at night, because the brain continues to work. They take the form of a nightmare. Its heroes are often monsters and villains from fairy tales and cartoons. A kid can see something frightening on the screen and sleep peacefully the next night, but if the film made an impression, caused an emotional response, the characters, the plot will be embodied in a bad dream in a day and even after a week, ”says the doctor.
Most often, nightmares disturb a child during periods of age crises or serious changes in life, especially at the age of 5-8 years, when the child is actively socializing.
Pursuit
The kid dreams that someone unknown is hunting him: a monster from a cartoon or a person. Attempts to overcome fear, to hide from it are sometimes accompanied by dreams with such a plot. The reasons for nightmares in an impressionable child are often family discord, scandals that cause severe stress.
Falling from great heights
Physiologically, a dream is associated with malfunctions of the vestibular apparatus. If everything is normal with health, most likely, the child is worried about changes in life, worries about what will happen to him in the future.
Attack
Continuation of the plot with the chase. The kid is worried about situations that he cannot influence. It seems to him that problems are destroying the usual way of life.
If a baby comes to you in the middle of the night complaining about another nightmare, ask what he dreamed, what exactly scared him. Don’t laugh, don’t say it’s stupid to be afraid. Take his side: “If I were you, I would be scared too.” Let the child know that there is nothing to be afraid of, explain that you will always protect him. Then turn your attention to something good, remind you of your plans for tomorrow, or give your favorite toy in your hands. Make sure he’s calmed down and go to bed. Staying in one bed is not worth it: the baby should have his own personal space, you should have yours.
It’s not just nightmares that indicate increased anxiety. It can be difficult for a child to establish contacts with others, and enuresis, stuttering, and behavioral problems often begin. Did you notice the symptoms? Analyze your behavior. The child absorbs everything like a sponge, reads the emotions of others. Do not quarrel with the baby, do not complain about your spouse and do not use it as a means of manipulation. Establish a trusting relationship, instill confidence that you can come to you with a problem and you will help, rather than ridicule or swear.
A clear daily routine is also important – a few hours before bedtime, you cannot use your tablet and phone. On the Internet, social networks, games, there are a lot of visual symbols, information that the brain is forced to process. This leads to fatigue and sleep disturbances.
Spend the last hour before bed in a relaxed atmosphere. You shouldn’t watch movies, they can agitate your baby. Read a book or listen to music, arrange water treatments. It is better to refuse tales about Baba Yaga and other villains.
Come up with and observe a certain ritual before falling asleep. Agree that all family members will follow it if you put the baby in one by one.
Before going to bed, the baby needs tactile sensations, it is important for him to get affection, to feel warm. Hug him, read the story, stroking his hand.
Teach your child to relax. Lie on a bed or rug together and say, “Pretend you are a teddy bear.” Ask to imagine how his legs, arms, and head relax in turn. A few minutes are enough for the preschooler to feel calmer.