When I first heard someone ask, “Is my baby having a nightmare?” I paused. It’s a question we rarely consider, yet it’s something every sleep-deprived new parent has probably wondered while watching their baby twitch, whimper, or suddenly jolt awake.
I’ve always been fascinated by sleep—the mysteries, the science, and especially the oddities that come with it.
When it comes to newborns and sleep, we often hear about adults and older children having nightmares or night terrors. But what about newborns? Can a baby, fresh into the world, experience bad dreams?
What are they dreaming about? Are they scared or in pain?
As a sleep enthusiast, I researched my way into the science of newborn sleep. If you’ve ever watched a baby sleep, you’ve probably noticed those tiny twitches, sudden movements, or even little cries in their sleep.
So—are they dreaming? And if they are, could they be having nightmares?
Newborns have a world of their own. Unlike adults, who cycle through different sleep stages, babies spend most of their sleep time in REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep. This is the phase where brain activity is high, similar to when we are awake.
Interestingly, newborns spend about 50% of their sleep cycle in REM sleep, compared to just 20-25% for adults. the stage where dreams (and potentially nightmares) happen.
Watching a newborn sleep can draw your attention—tiny fingers twitching, peaceful breathing, soft coos, and sometimes, even a sudden startled cry. Is that a bad dream? Or is their nervous system just developing?
So, does that mean newborns are dreaming? Possibly! But what exactly would a newborn dream about? Unlike adults, babies don’t have memories, fears, or experiences to shape their dreams, making the idea of newborn nightmares a bit questionable.
Here’s where it gets interesting. Most sleep scientists believe that newborns do not experience nightmares the way we do. Scientifically speaking, there’s no solid proof that newborns experience nightmares.
Nightmares, as we understand them, come from a combination of memories, emotions, and fears—all of which require a certain level of cognitive development. A newborn, fresh into the world, doesn’t yet have the cognitive ability to process fears or traumatic memories.
But what about those sudden wails or distressed expressions in sleep? Babies do display sudden jerks, whimpers, or even crying while asleep. It can make any parent wonder if their little one is having a bad dream.
Experts believe these are more likely due to reflexive movements, digestion issues, or sleep disturbances rather than actual nightmares.
But in most cases, these movements are just part of their developing nervous system, not a sign of an actual nightmare.
Newborns with an immature nervous system, so their bodies often react involuntarily. The infamous Moro reflex—when a baby suddenly throws out their arms and cries—might sometimes be mistaken for a nightmare when, in reality, it’s just their body adjusting to life outside the womb.
You may get worried when your baby cries during sleep, but in most cases, it’s normal and not a cause for concern.
If newborns don’t have nightmares, why do they sometimes cry or seem unsettled while asleep? Here are a few possible reasons.
Here are some other factors that you can heed.
Certain negative memories or lifestyle habits tailored to children, such as exposure to frightening content like scary movies, horror books, or violent video games, can significantly impact the content and intensity of nightmares. These influences may contribute to the development of vivid and distressing dream scenarios.
Medications prescribed for children, may impact their brain chemistry and contribute to nightmares. These can disrupt their sleep cycle and induce nightmares. So, be proactive and consult with your doctor on the medicines prescribed, if any.
Newborns and children may experience sleep disorders like restless legs syndrome, affecting the quality and quantity of their sleep and increasing the likelihood of nightmares. External factors such as noise, light, temperature, or disruptions can also influence their sleep environment and trigger nightmares.
The food children consume can also play a role in nightmares. Consuming fatty or sugary foods before bedtime can affect their metabolism and digestion, potentially leading to nightmares.
Parents often wonder whether their one-month-old newborn is having nightmares. This is especially when their babies cry or seem unsettled during sleep. Experts generally agree that infants at this age don’t experience nightmares like older children or adults.
It’s because the brain and thinking abilities needed for complex dreaming, including scary scenarios, are not fully developed in the early months. So, if your baby is crying in their sleep, it’s more likely due to other reasons than having nightmares.
While babies may exhibit signs of discomfort or distress during sleep, these are not reactions to a nightmare. Rather, they could be caused by:
Therefore, it is important to understand what is disrupting your baby’s sleep in the middle of the night, their sleep cycle, and how to react when their cries seem to be more intense.
Now to get the facts right, as newborns develop in age, their cognitive functions and body physiology also begins to mature. Thus, the reasons behind why they get nightmares differ in their successive periods of growth and development. This is addressed below for your guidance.
Around the age of 6 months, babies might begin to have more vivid dreams, mainly because they experience more REM sleep compared to adults. One theory suggests that as babies brains develop, they become capable of processing larger amounts of information, which could sometimes be confusing or overwhelming for them.
Nightmares might serve as a way for babies to make sense of the world and cope with things that scare them.
Some potential triggers for nightmares in babies at this stage include:
When babies reach 9 months, they may continue to experience nightmares or night terrors for similar reasons as before.
However, new factors come into play at this age, including
Object permanence is the ability to grasp that things exist even when not visible, leading babies to miss their parents or caregivers when apart and potentially causing nightmares about separation. Additionally, Stranger Anxiety, the fear of unfamiliar people or situations, may contribute to nightmares in babies encountering new faces or places.
Nightmares occur during the REM stage of sleep, unlike night terrors that happen when your baby is still asleep. They are unpleasant or scary dreams that may make your baby wake up feeling afraid or upset.
A few signs that your baby may have had a nightmare include,
If your baby exhibits any of these signs, they may have had a nightmare and require your reassurance and support.
Helping your baby cope with nightmares involves following some simple tips, which we will discuss in the underlying sections.
Now, to answer this question with more clarity we need to first answer the question – why adults get frequent nightmares.
You may be experiencing nightmares often. Let’s discuss some of the common causes,
Stress, anxiety, or traumatic experiences can evoke negative emotions and memories, manifesting as nightmares. Individuals with conditions like Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) may experience recurring nightmares related to their traumatic events.
Various sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, Restless Legs Syndrome, or narcolepsy can disturb both the quality and quantity of sleep, increasing the likelihood of nightmares. External factors like noise, light, temperature, or jet lag can also affect the sleep environment and trigger nightmares.
Engaging in activities like watching frightening movies, reading horror books, or playing violent video games can influence the content and intensity of nightmares. Moreover, consuming spicy, fatty, or sugary foods before bedtime can impact metabolism and digestion, potentially leading to nightmares.
Certain medications, including antidepressants, blood pressure drugs, or narcotics, can impact brain chemistry and contribute to nightmares. Additionally, substances like alcohol, nicotine, or caffeine can disrupt the sleep cycle and induce nightmares.
Regardless of that these factors are not so common in children; nightmares are more common in children than in adults.
Some people may have nightmares every night, while others may have them occasionally or rarely. The frequency and severity of nightmares may depend on the individual’s personality, coping skills, and life circumstances.
People can have different kinds of nightmares, and it depends on how often they happen, what they’re about, and how they affect a person.
Here are some common types,
These are bad dreams that happen only once in a while. They could happen because of random things, like watching a scary movie or eating spicy food. Usually, they’re not a big problem unless they’re really scary or disturbing.
These happen a lot, like several times a week or month. They might be a sign of deeper emotional or psychological issues, such as feeling stressed, anxious, sad, or having gone through something tough. Frequent nightmares can mess up sleep, leading to feeling tired, grumpy, or having trouble concentrating during the day.
These are dreams that repeat the same scary themes or situations over and over again. They might show fears or problems that a person is struggling with and can create a feeling of worry before sleeping and frustration after waking up.
They are intense episodes during sleep involving screaming, crying, or moving around a lot. Unlike nightmares, people don’t fully wake up during night terrors and don’t remember the dream. They’re more common in kids and can be triggered by things like stress, fever, lack of sleep, or medication.
This involves waking up feeling confused and not remembering what happened. People might do things like talk, walk, or perform tasks while still asleep. It’s more common in children and those with sleep disorders.
This parasomnia involves repetitive movements during sleep, like rocking or rolling. It’s more common in infants and toddlers and might be linked to developmental delays or autism spectrum disorder.
People might talk or make sounds during sleep, like mumbling or shouting. It’s more common in children and those with sleep disorders.
Sudden, painful muscle contractions in the legs during sleep. They might wake a person up, and possible causes include dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, overexertion, or medication.
Getting up and moving around while still asleep, often with no awareness or memory of the event. It can involve complex actions like eating or driving and is more common in children and people with sleep disorders.
These different types of bad dreams and sleep-related behaviors can happen for various reasons, and they might be more common in certain age groups or related to specific sleep disorders.
Now, let’s talk about night terrors. Many parents confuse night terrors with nightmares, but they’re quite different. The good news? Night terrors are extremely rare in newborns and typically begin after 18 months of age. They usually occur in older toddlers and preschoolers—not newborns.
Nightmares and night terrors, both falling under the category of parasomnias, represent distinctive sleep-related experiences with discernible differences.
Unlike nightmares, night terrors happen during deep sleep (non-REM sleep) and can cause sudden screaming, thrashing, or intense fear responses.
Key distinctions between the two include.
Nightmares predominantly occur during the final third of the night, aligning with the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep phase associated with vivid dreaming. Conversely, night terrors typically manifest during the initial third of the night, within the non-REM (NREM) sleep phase, particularly during slow-wave sleep, the deepest stage of sleep.
Nightmares are characterized by coherent and realistic dreams that escalate in disturbance, leading to waking from sleep. Recipients of nightmares can typically recall details and may experience emotions like fear, anxiety, or sadness. Night terrors, however, involve episodes of intense fear and agitation that commence while the person remains asleep.
Despite exhibiting physical actions like screaming or thrashing, individuals experiencing night terrors are not fully awake and have no recollection upon awakening.
Nightmares are prevalent across the lifespan, affecting 50-85% of adults intermittently and approximately 75% of children experiencing at least one nightmare. In contrast, night terrors are less common, impacting 1-6% of children and 1-2% of adults. Children with a family history of night terrors or other sleep disorders, such as obstructive sleep apnea or restless legs syndrome, are at a higher risk.
While nightmares are typically not a cause for concern unless they become frequent, recurrent, or significantly disrupt sleep quality, daytime functioning, or well-being, leading to a potential diagnosis of nightmare disorder. Treatment options may include psychotherapies like cognitive-behavioral therapy or medications such as prazosin, clonidine, or antidepressants. Similarly, night terrors are usually not concerning unless they pose a risk of harm, distress, or impairment.
Management strategies may involve improving sleep hygiene, identifying and avoiding triggers, and seeking professional assistance if necessary. We will come back to this in a short while.
If your little one wakes up crying but quickly settles down, it’s unlikely to be a true night terror. It’s more likely due to hunger, discomfort, or the need for soothing rather than true night terrors. However, if they seem inconsolable at night, snoring or other sleep disruptions could be at play.
Now, that we’ve covered sleep and nightmares in newborns, let’s find out if they have dreams too.
Bad dreams or nightmares are intense and scary dreams that can make your child feel really upset and scared.
They usually happen when your eyes are moving a lot during a special sleep called REM sleep.
Nightmares are okay and not too common for most people. But for some, there’s a thing called nightmare disorder, where they have scary dreams a lot, and it messes up their sleep, mood, or how they feel during the day. We will discuss about this shortly.
Nightmares can happen because of stuff like feeling stressed, going through something tough, taking certain medicines, or having sleep problems.
But guess what?
There are ways to deal with nightmares. You can try having a regular bedtime, do relaxing routines before sleep, talk about your dreams to someone close, or get help from a professional who knows a lot about it if you need to.
Dreams are like magical stories that happen when we sleep, but what about babies? Do they have dreams, and what could those dreams be about?
Well, it’s a bit tricky to say for sure because scientists haven’t studied this enough. But here’s what we do know.
Babies spend a lot of time in a special sleep called Rapid Eye Movement or REM sleep, where dreams usually occur.
Another cool thing is that babies’ brains are always growing and learning.
The question of whether babies dream is still a bit of a mystery and might stay that way until babies can talk to us about their dreams.
Even though we’re not sure exactly what happens in their dreams, we do know that sleep is super important for their growth and development. As parents, there are simple things we can do to help our babies sleep well.
In the later sections, we’ll discuss simple tips to help your baby have a better and more peaceful sleep.
In the previous sections we had mentioned this topic; now let’s discuss about it in detail.
Nightmare disorder is a special kind of sleep problem where a person has lots of scary and vivid dreams that occur a lot and mess up their sleep and how they feel during the day.
It’s also called dream anxiety disorder and is one of those things called parasomnias. These are weird dreams that impact what happens when you’re asleep or waking up.
People and children with nightmare disorder remember these scary nightmares when they wake up and might feel scared, worried, mad, sad, or gross because of them. These bad dreams can come from different things, like feeling really stressed, going through something tough, taking certain medicines, or having other sleep problems.
But here’s the take. This can be tackled with the right steps. Start by talking to your child about it. Use your imagination to alter your child’s idea on it and change the bad dreams. Consult your child’s therapist as some medicines can make it better.
Bad dreams can be scary and make people feel upset or worried. They usually happen when we’re in a special sleep phase called rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, where most dreaming takes place. Nightmares might make it hard to sleep well, causing someone to wake up and struggle to go back to sleep.
This can lead to feeling tired, grumpy, moody, or having trouble concentrating during the day.
But for newborns, having nightmares are pretty rare and don’t bother their sleep much.
If your newborn is having a hard time sleeping and shows lots of signs like crying a lot, struggling to fall or stay asleep, or doing strange things during sleep, you can talk to your practitioner. They can check if there’s anything medical or developmental causing sleep issues.
Nightmare disorder, typically characterized by frequent and distressing nightmares, may require treatment for those affected. While infrequent nightmares might not demand intervention, psychotherapy, and medications can be beneficial for individuals with persistent nightmare disorders.
We suggest you seek professional guidance to determine the most suitable approach based on the individual’s overall health and the underlying causes of their nightmares.
Prescription medications affecting the nervous system, such as anti-anxiety, antidepressant, or antipsychotic drugs, may be prescribed for nightmare disorder. Specific medications might be used for individuals with nightmares associated with PTSD.
While medications can benefit some, some may cause potential side effects. Discuss with your family healthcare practitioner or therapist to weigh the advantages and drawbacks of prescription drugs for your child.
Psychotherapy, also known as talk therapy, aims to understand and redirect negative thought patterns. Various types of talk therapy can aid in reducing nightmares.
Much types of psychotherapy involve behavior pattern modifications, often including recommendations for improved sleep hygiene through adjustments in daily routines and habits.
Coping skills, relaxation techniques, counseling your child, or therapy can be beneficial if nightmares are linked to stress or anxiety.
Bad dreams, or nightmares, are a normal part of sleep for both kids and grown-ups. Usually, they’re not a big deal, but sometimes they can become a serious issue, affecting how well you sleep, your mood, and how you function during the day.
If your child often has nightmares that make you wake up feeling scared, upset, or anxious, it might be a good idea to talk to a doctor.
Our sleep experts suggest seeing a doctor if your nightmares happen more than once a week, really bother you, get in the way of your daytime activities, or come with other sleep issues like sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome, or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
A doctor can help figure out why you’re having these nightmares, check if there are any other health issues, and suggest the right treatments, which could include medicine, talking therapy, or behavior strategies.
While newborn nightmares are unlikely, ensuring a calm and comfortable sleep environment is key. Here are a few sleep secrets to help.
Nightmares can be unsettling for both babies and parents, but implementing preventive measures can contribute to better sleep quality.
Here are 14 tips to stop nightmares in babies and promote restful sleep:
This reduces the startle reflex and promotes better sleep.
If your baby seems restless, check for hunger, gas, or a wet diaper.
Ensure your baby’s crib or bed is comfortable, clean, and devoid of potential hazards. Use night lights, soft toys, or soothing sound machines to enhance a sense of security.
Create a cozy and restful sleep environment by investing in organic, non-toxic mattresses.
Create a predictable bedtime routine to help your newborn associate nighttime with relaxation. Activities like bathing, changing into pajamas, reading, singing lullabies, nighttime feeding, and a goodnight kiss can contribute to a calming pre-sleep routine.
Turn off screens, loud noises, and bright lights an hour before bedtime. Opt for quiet and relaxing activities to help your child wind down, avoiding stimulating activities like playing or tickling.
A gentle hum mimics the sounds of the womb and soothes newborns.
Set a consistent bedtime and wake-up time daily, fostering a healthy circadian rhythm for more sound sleep.
While daytime naps are essential, excessive sleep during the day may disrupt nighttime sleep. Aim for no more than three hours of napping for babies older than 6 months, and avoid napping too close to bedtime.
Always place your baby on their back for safe sleep. Back sleeping is the most comfortable position for sleep.
Provide sufficient nutrition and hydration during the day, particularly for breastfed or formula-fed babies. A well-fed baby is likely to sleep longer and more peacefully at night.
Steer clear of caffeine and spicy foods, known to cause nightmares and disrupt sleep. If breastfeeding, avoid these substances, especially in the evening, and be cautious with your baby’s diet if they’re eating solids.
Check for medical conditions like sleep apnea, reflux, allergies, or ear infections, which can lead to nightmares or discomfort. Consult a doctor if any issues are suspected, and follow their guidance for treatment.
If the baby wakes up from a nightmare, offer reassurance through soothing words, hugs, and kisses. Avoid scolding or dismissing their feelings; instead, create a safe and loving environment to gently guide them back to sleep.
If you are a new parent, you need to first arrest sleep deprivation to be ready and available for your child.
If nightmares persist and significantly impact the baby’s sleep, mood, or daily functioning, consult a doctor or sleep specialist. Professional guidance can help identify causes, rule out medical conditions, and recommend appropriate treatments for a peaceful night’s sleep.
Should You Worry?
As much as we want to decode every baby sound and movement, the truth is, newborn sleep remains a mystery in many ways. While it’s unlikely that your baby is experiencing true nightmares, they are certainly navigating a world of new sensations.
So the next time your newborn makes a funny face, twitches, or lets out a tiny sigh in their sleep, just know—it’s all part of their journey to peaceful sleep.
And if you’re a sleep-deprived parent, maybe that’s your cue to grab a quick nap too.
When your baby experiences what may seem like a nightmare, it’s likely a confusion-based arousal. In this state, the baby cries or appears upset with closed eyes and unresponsiveness. We advise against waking them, as they are sound asleep and unharmed.
Newborns typically need to sleep 14–17 hours in a 24 hour period. Some may sleep 18–19 hours daily. However, they wake every few hours for feeding, as their tiny stomachs can’t hold much milk at once. Sleep patterns vary, but frequent naps are normal.
The 5-3-3 rule is a sleep training method where a baby sleeps for 5 hours, stays awake for 3 hours, then sleeps for another 3 hours. This approach helps establish a structured sleep routine, promoting better rest while gradually adapting to longer sleep stretches.
Information provided in this article is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as medical advice. If you have concerns about your newborn’s sleep patterns, excessive crying, or signs of discomfort, please consult a pediatrician or sleep specialist for professional guidance.