Do Babies Cry In Their Sleep?
Many mothers wonder if babies cry in their sleep because baby sleep is a matter of great concern. Children’s rest influences their mood swings and behavior. Furthermore, it has an irreversible impact on the mother’s well-being.
The first thing to keep in mind is that if your baby wants to communicate with you, he or she will do so by crying or grumbling. Therefore, they tend to cry to let you know something is up and they need your attention.
It’s possible that at some point the baby’s crying woke you up in the middle of the night and you thought he needed attention.
To her surprise, this was not the case, as her eyes remained closed and the baby continued to sleep. This situation is more common than you might think, but many mothers don’t know what to do in these cases.
Why do babies cry in their sleep?
In a baby’s early years, it is common for him to wake up frequently during the night. Babies have a different sleep cycle than adults.
Often babies have trouble falling asleep even if they feel exhausted, and this causes them to cry in their sleep. Some even try to go back to sleep, but they can’t because they don’t know how to do it. The reason? They need you.
Nightmares are also another reason babies cry in their sleep. Like adults, they dream, and most of their dreams are associated with the experiences they’ve had.
Sleep Disorders in Babies
The baby goes through several stages of sleep that are part of its development process, such as night awakening. It can be mild, such as when the baby gives a hiccup or a soft moan.
However, more distressing and longer-lasting crying may appear, which, as a consequence, causes more changes in the child. It is known as night terror.
In both circumstances, the same behavior is repeated: when the mother goes to take care of the baby, she confirms that, although she is crying, he is still sleeping. The reason for this disorder is when the baby is in the slow sleep phase, also called non-REM.
In the non-REM phase, the baby is submerged in the depths of sleep. Therefore, he is not able to fully wake up and he does not fully realize what is happening.
When babies cry in their sleep, they may feel restless, confused and frightened and are unable to react to external stimuli. Night terrors are short-lived. They last for a few minutes, after which the baby falls asleep again.
Meanwhile, when it comes to confusional arousals, it can take 5 to 15 minutes. If you try to comfort the baby, the situation gets worse and the episode gets longer.
What can you do to calm the crying baby if he is still sleeping?
If your baby is crying but has his eyes closed, it ‘s best to be patient, wait, and watch. Just because he’s crying or making a noise doesn’t mean he wants to wake up. As long as his eyes are closed, it’s a sign that he’s still sleeping.
It is essential to pay attention to the sound of crying when babies cry in their sleep, as it will determine what kind of need they have. They may be cold or hungry, and if their basic needs aren’t met, they won’t be able to fall asleep quickly. It is essential that you always attend on time for your baby to feel better.
When this awakening happens at dawn, you should be silent and remain calm so that you don’t wake the baby any further. Meet his needs in a dim light and avoid turning on bright lights so he understands that he should sleep at night.
Finally, keep in mind that if your baby makes any noise during sleep, this is absolutely normal. On the other hand, if the child cries or complains, you should look and see if he is awake or not.
tip for mom
The most important suggestion is that you don’t try to wake the child up during these nighttime incidents. A key strategy is to be silent with the baby and wait for him to calm down.
In summary, these awakenings can occur spontaneously, but they can also be caused by some external stimuli. For example, they can be caused by persistent noise or a change of position in bed. Therefore, it is recommended to avoid any type of alteration during rest hours.
