We’ve all had a nightmare once in our lives. They suck, to put it bluntly, and I wish I never had them, but like everything else in the world, it’s a part of life. But why do nightmares happen? No one really knows, but it’s been found that people who are overtired, have irregular sleep routines or are stressed run the risk of having more nightmares than people who sleep regularly and with low stress.

When do nightmares occur?

Dreaming occurs during REM sleep, lasting about 90 to 120 minutes about four times a night. Nightmares are most likely to occur in the middle of the night or early in the morning. Nightmares are more common in children than adults. Fevers and certain medicines can also cause nightmares. Nightmares experienced after a trauma may indicate post-traumatic stress disorder.

What to do to eliminate and treat nightmares

Try to get between 6 to 8 hours of sleep a night. Since lack of sleep may cause nightmares in some people, getting enough rest can eliminate them.

Go to bed the same time every night. Irregular sleep schedules can bring on nightmares. It’s not as bad as you think; you don’t have to go to bed at exactly the same time each night. An hour either way won’t do any harm. So, if you go to bed at 10 one night it would be safe to go to bed at either 9 or 11 the following night.

Don’t go to bed stressed, angry or filled with anxiety. Sometimes it may sound like an impossible feat, but try to go to bed calm. Stress and worry can trigger nightmares. Before going to sleep, try doing a little meditation or think about the good things that happened during your day. It’s a good way to guarantee a peaceful night’s rest.

What to do if your child has nightmares

If you child wakes from a nightmare don’t give them the third degree about what their nightmare was. Be comforting and soothing after waking and save the questions for the next day if they are still distressed.

Do a quick room check to show your child that there are no monsters under the bed or in the closet. Explain where the shadows come from when you turn out the nights. Making the unfamiliar aspects of the dark more familiar gives children a sense of security.

Leave the door to your child’s room open. This also gives your child a sense of security, knowing that you are not closed off from them, even if you’re sleeping in a different room.

Use a nightlight to make the darkness a little more tolerable.

Magdalena

Do you have a nightmare home remedy to share? Comment and tell us about it.

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