Patient's question:
The child is 3 years old and has attended kindergarten. Since birth, they have woken up several times during the night. In recent months, they have been talking in their sleep, mainly about daily life events such as "Don't move my toys." They have been tested for trace elements, which were normal, and have tried Chinese medicine, as well as avoiding stimulating activities before bed, but there has been no improvement. The child loves to play and insists on building with blocks or reading a book before going to sleep each night. What should I do?Doctor's answer:
Hello! From a physiological perspective, dreams and sleep are closely linked. Talking in dreams is caused by the activity of nerve cells in the brain that are responsible for language during sleep. Some movements during dreams are caused by the activity of nerve cells in the brain that control motor functions. Generally, some light movements and speech during sleep are normal for babies.Through extensive research and evidence, it has been shown that sleep and dreaming are closely related to the maturation of the brain, the development and functioning of psychological abilities, and are beneficial. Therefore, there is no need to worry about babies dreaming. However, it should be noted that some babies may experience screaming or sleepwalking during dreams. This is mainly due to the underdevelopment of their brain nerves, combined with fatigue, overeating at night, or exposure to frightening words, movies, etc. Although this is functional and will gradually disappear as the nerve cells mature, parents should pay attention to maintaining good sleep hygiene for their babies. For example, establishing a regular sleep schedule, avoiding scary stories before bed, paying special attention to not overeating at night, and not letting the baby become overly tired or stressed during the day. These measures can all help promote normal sleep for the baby.