Nightmares are a common part of early childhood – as much as we try, it’s hard to keep your kid from waking from at least one bad dream!
While the thought of any child of any age waking up screaming or scared is distressing, bad dreams in infants also may happen – and can be even more confusing and harder to soothe. Luckily there are ways to support their sleep in ways that reduce their risk of infant nightmares and ensure they get the restorative rest they need.
If you’ve been wondering, “Can infants have nightmares?”, "When do babies start having nightmares”, “What do babies have nightmares about?”, and “How can you prevent baby nightmares?”, read on – we answer all these questions here.
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For babies who are struggling to sleep because of their nightmares: The Smart Sleep Coach by Pampers™ app is offering one week of FREE step-by-step sleep support to get your baby’s sleep patterns back on track – and help prevent nightmares. Take this FREE 3-minute sleep quiz to get started.
For babies who are struggling to sleep because of nightmares: The Smart Sleep Coach by Pampers™ app is offering one week of FREE step-by-step sleep support to get your baby’s sleep patterns back on track – and help prevent nightmares.
Do Babies Have Nightmares?
The answer to do babies have nightmares is not so simple, as some researchers say yes and some say no.
While some believe babies can have nightmares as early as 6-months-old, it's most common for the first nightmare to happen during toddlerhood between 1.5 and 2.5 years old. Many question if babies can have nightmares at 6 months because they can’t full communicate their dream at this age – even confirming if 1 year olds have nightmares is difficult!
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, nightmares tend to peak between 3 and 12 years old and around half of kids between ages 3 and 6 will have nightmares. By this time most can verbally confirm they are having a bad dream.
Why some scientists say babies can have nightmares
Nightmares happen during REM sleep, which is a deeper sleep occurring later in our sleep cycle that helps build cognitive and learning skills. Babies spend more time in REM sleep than adults – up to half as much compared to our 25-30%. This is what fuels the belief that infant nightmares happen.
Another theory to why infant nightmares happen is that a baby’s brain has developed enough to process larger quantities of information. Since they’re new to this world, that information can be confusing. Nightmares are therefore your baby’s way of making sense of the world and processing things that frighten or confuse them.
Another related school of thought is that babies are learning about fear at this point, which can conjure scary dreams.
Why some scientists say babies can’t have nightmares
Other scientists say infants can’t have nightmares because nightmares are complex mental experiences and their brains are still developing. Their stance is that young babies are still starting to understand and process the world, so they can’t have nightmares. Babies under two-years-old also may lack a developed imagination which is needed for nightmares. Another argument also is that the increased REM sleep in babies may simply be their cerebral synapses forming.
Additionally, babies are still developing their circadian rhythm and sleep patterns so will wake throughout the night for many different reasons. Plus, separation anxiety appears around 6-8 months old which could be to blame for them seemingly scared at night.
The same goes for the question can newborns have bad dreams. Even though newborns spend half their sleep in REM, they can’t tell us if they have a bad dream and it’s already common for newborns to cry in sleep, have active sleep, and wake a lot at night.
When Do Babies Have Nightmares?
Babies typically have their first nightmare between 1.5 and 2-years-old, though it is thought that for some infant nightmares can begin as early as 6 months.
It’s unlikely for nightmares to happen during the 4th trimester (ages 0-3 months) or in infants under 6-months-old.
When do nightmares peak in babies depends on your unique child, but nightmares in children typically peak anywhere between 3 years old and 12 years old.
What are Signs of Baby Nightmares?
Baby nightmares are dreams that wake your baby up. As we mentioned they can be hard to identify, but potential signs of a baby nightmare include:
- Baby is crying or fussy in sleep
- Baby suddenly wakes up crying or calls out for you
- Baby is extra clingy or needs more comfort during a wakeup
- Baby struggles to fall back asleep after waking up
- Crying or fussing starts later in a sleep cycle, when REM sleep is more common
Signs of infant nightmares can mimic a wakeup from hunger, discomfort, or normal sleep regression. However, if your baby is old enough to express themselves, ask them if they are having a nightmare. They may be example to explain it to you themselves.
Baby nightmare versus baby night terror
You can distinguish if your baby is having a nightmare or a night terror because in a night terror, your baby will appear to be awake. While a nightmare is a bad dream while sleeping, a night terror is a semi-conscious state in which your baby seems awake and is screaming or crying but is not awake – nor are they in pain. Nightmares happen later in the night and night terrors usually happen closer to when your baby goes to sleep.
Waking your baby up from a night terror may lead to confusion that makes it harder for them to settle back down. Instead, you can offer them verbal support and ensure their safety, as they often will settle themselves.
What Causes Infant Nightmares?
Causes of infant nightmares may include:
- Overtiredness
- Major life changes like a new sibling
- Scary stories or television shows
- Emotional regulation
- General fears
- Normal cognitive development
As we mentioned, baby bad dreams are up for debate.
What to Do if Your Baby Has a Nightmare
If your baby has a nightmare, go to them to console them. If they are still sleeping but crying in their sleep, you can wake your baby from a nightmare.
Once you wake your baby, you should sit with them and offer reassurance until they’re calm. If they’re terrified, of course you can hold and cuddle them for a bit. If your baby is old enough and can remember their nightmare, discuss it with them explain that it was only a bad dream and cannot hurt them.
You can also keep a light on or rearrange anything in their room that may be spooking them.
While you can wake your baby from a nightmare, it’s recommended that you do not wake your baby if they’re having a night terror.
How Do I Stop My Baby’s Nightmares?
There are ways that you can stop or reduce the risk of nightmares in your baby or child. Remember it’s completely normal for children to have a nightmare from time to time.
While we can’t guarantee your baby will stop having nightmares all together, we do know the following tips can help.
- Maintain a Consistent Sleep Schedules: Maintaining an age-appropriate sleep schedule is one of the best and easiest ways to stop your baby from having nightmares. (Get help finding the best sleep schedule for your baby here)
- Create a Calming Bedtime Routine: In addition to helping cue your baby that it’s time for bed, calming bedtime routines alleviate stress or anxiety your baby may feel from their day. Make sure they’re well fed and don’t forget a clean overnight diaper and dress them for sleep in warm, cozy pajamas!
- Choose Uplifting Stories: Read stories that are light, humorous, and fun before bed and be careful of classics that have scary themes. For example. “Hansel and Gretel” is a classic fairytale, but it’s also filled with parental death, abandonment, sinister witches, and murder…literally the stuff of child and baby nightmares. Or try one of the top lullabies instead!
- Limit Screentime Before Bed: Healthcare authorities like American Academy of Pediatrics recommend limiting screen time for babies and toddlers under two-years-old. If you offer screen time, choose television shows or movies that aren’t scary and limit screens close to when it’s time to go to bed to help your baby wind down.
- Talk It Out: If age appropriate, asking your baby about their nightmare will help you understand what may be scaring them and provide an opportunity to explain that nightmares are just bad dreams. They’re just in your baby’s imagination and cannot hurt them.
- Ensure Domestic Stability: Screaming, arguing, or abusive situations can cause babies anxiety and trauma that can manifest in nightmares. If you and your partner or a family member are arguing, keep the conversation civil and quiet when the children are around.
- Address Discomfort: Here are suggestions for how to get a sick baby sleep or a teething baby sleep. Sometimes these things can disrupt sleep and cause nightmares.
When to Worry About Baby Nightmares?
If your baby has nightmares every night, frequent nightmares that are disrupting their sleep, or seems to be having night terrors, speak to your healthcare provider.
Since nightmares are more common in young children, and it’s hard to tell if your baby is having a nightmare or just struggling with sleep, your healthcare provider may be able to give you more information about how to support your baby’s sleep.
Final Thoughts
While nightmares can be upsetting (and disruptive) for both babies and parents, they are a normal part of development. Even though it’s hard to stop nightmares from happening entirely, or to confirm your baby is actually having one, there are ways to mitigate the frequency and make sure your baby gets the rest they need.
With a consistent bedtime routine and optimized sleep schedule, limited exposure to situations that can cause their fear or imagination to turn into a nightmare, and help understanding nightmares aren’t “real”, you may be well on your way to preventing your baby from having more nightmares.
