What to do when the child keeps waking up during the night?

Around the age of 3, when new activities usually enter the child’s routine – especially school -, his imagination becomes more stimulated, which feeds dreams and nightmares. They usually occur after a busy day and show something that was in the little one’s unconscious. It could be insecurity (“What if I don’t like the teacher?”), anxiety (“Will I tie my sneakers by myself?”) or conflict (“My friend didn’t return my toy”). If nights have been frequently interrupted by nightmares, talk to your child. “Encourage him to talk about his own feelings and frustrations, encouraging him to deal with it”, guides pedagogue and psychologist Rita Maria Khater, from the Pontifical Catholic University of Campinas. If he tells you something he has experienced and has been tormenting him, share a similar case involving you or someone close and report the solution found. Knowing that this is normal and happens to other people helps reassure the child. If the nightmares persist and, above all, have repetitive content, it is worth seeking professional help. Sleep is important for health, because during this period the learning of the day is organized and the growth hormone is released. If it is too disturbed, it can harm development.

Also start preparing the environment. “Parents should create a routine to provide a peaceful sleep, calming the whole house for the child to understand that the time for sleep is coming”, says Quézia Bombonatto, director of the Brazilian Association of Psychopedagogy. Avoid heavy food at night, as well as hectic drawings or games. Set a time to turn off electronics and then dim the lights. Make sure the room and bed are comfortable. Telling a story helps to relax and form a positive memory linked to sleep.

Even so, some episodes are expected. In that case, she welcomes her son by going to his room and listening to him. She tells him it was just a bad dream and he’s safe. “But no letting the little one sleep in his bed. He can understand that he will only be fine there or start using that as an excuse”, warns psychologist and psychopedagogue Ana Cássia Maturano, from São Paulo. Stay with him until he falls asleep again. “But let him know you’re going to bed later, so he doesn’t wake up thinking he’s abandoned you.” Sweat, palpitations, even pee are fear and anxiety reactions – therefore normal. Do not confuse it with night terrors, when the child screams and shows panic, as if they were experiencing a real frightening situation. Even if she opens her eyes, she won’t recognize you and won’t calm down soon. But, once the crisis is over, she will just continue to sleep. The next day, she won’t remember anything. “This sleep disorder is not dangerous and tends to disappear in adolescence. As it comes, it goes away”, warns Ana Cássia.