A whole series of thoughts, images, and sensations that come to a person’s mind during sleep are known as dreams. Adults often dream during sleep, sometimes good and sometimes bad. We have many curiosities related to dreams, one of which is whether children also dream (Do Infants Dream)? If the answer is yes, then what are the dreams of a newborn child like? Let us first know whether small children dream.
Do little children dream?
There are five stages of sleep. Four stages are non-REM sleep and one is called REM sleep (rapid eye movement). We, adults, spend a quarter of our sleep time in REM sleep, which is also the stage of sleep in which we dream. Infants spend about 50 to 80 percent of their sleep in the REM stage. It is a possibility that babies dream during this stage, but it is very difficult to say anything because you cannot ask a newborn baby to narrate his dreams.
REM sleep is a lighter sleep and is a more active sleep than NON-REM sleep. We wake up easily during REM sleep. Why do babies wake up so often and why do they sleep so little, because they are mostly light sleepers. On this basis, it can be said that it is possible for small children to dream.
What do little children dream about?
It is very difficult to say what kind of dreams small babies see, they cannot even tell you. Experts estimate that children see in their dreams the experiences they go through around them or in the womb. After birth, the baby hears, sees and feels something new in the outside world every day, hence all these experiences get imprinted excitingly in his memory and he can re-experience them in dreams (Newborn Dreams).
Possible Signs That Your Baby Is Dreaming
It is true that we cannot know when and how children are dreaming, but we can guess this by seeing their expressions. If he wakes up smiling or is smiling while sleeping, it is possible that he is having a beautiful dream. If he is blinking his closed eyes repeatedly while sleeping then this can also be a sign of the baby dreaming because as the baby’s dream scene changes, he can feel the movement in his eyes.
Do little children have nightmares?
A nightmare can be defined as a frightening or unpleasant dream. Adults have nightmares more often than infants. About one-quarter of children have nightmares every week. Nightmares begin when the child is around 2 years old, an age where they begin to understand the concept of fear a little. This is between the ages of three and six years. Nightmares usually occur during the sleep cycle between 4 and 6 in the morning.
The explanation for nightmares is not known, however, it is thought to be caused by general stress. For example, children who have experienced a traumatic event that has made it harder for them to forget have more frequent nightmares for the next six months.
If your child is experiencing nightmares, please do not ignore him/her. It is important to be there for your child. Reassure them that they don’t need to be afraid and that you’re around.
Does dreamless sleep help a baby’s development?
Sleep experts say that when children do not dream in light sleep, it helps in the mental development of the newborn. If the brain gets rest during sleep, the child develops language, behavior and the ability to understand things.
It cannot be denied that good and deep sleep is very important for the development of a newborn baby because when a baby sleeps, his brain develops well.
So you learned how children roam around in their dream world while sleeping. That is why grandmothers forbid the mother to sleep separately from the baby because he may often get startled or frightened by the dream. In such a situation, they need parents. Whether children have good or bad dreams, you should stay with them. This increases the sense of security in children.