What Do Newborns Dream About: Do They Have Nightmares?

Many people say that when they are smiling in their sleep, they are dreaming. But what do newborns dream about? Thinking about the topic itself seems intriguing.

Dreaming is itself an interesting concept and it is natural that as a parent you would want to know what your baby is dreaming about.

There are times I have heard parents wondering whether their child is having a nightmare because their baby often cries out loud in their sleep.

To be precise, there is a lot of research needed on the topic because your baby will not be able to clarify what they are dreaming of, or whether they are dreaming at all in the first place.

So, do newborns dream? Well, even if they do, it is not like the ones we dream of as adults. Let’s dig deep and find out if there is anything interesting, they are dreaming of.

Do Newborns Dream? What Is Science Saying?

In the first few months of their life, babies spend most of their time sleeping. This is why it is kind of logical to think that they might dream. However, there is no such evidence that says babies have vivid and illustrative dreams like older kids and adults.

People often say sarcastically that babies would mostly dream about their next feeding, or ways they can avoid tummy time. However, according to most scientists, babies do not even dream.

This is because they are not developed to the extent where they can have abstract thinking. Moreover, they believe that babies are not self-aware, and they cannot imagine visually.

What do newborns dream about?

Adults dream during the REM phase of sleep, and infants mostly have REM sleep. This is why it is logical to think that babies dream a lot. You will notice your baby crying in sleep, smiling in sleep, or sucking their tows.

There is no way you can tell what do newborns dream about. They cannot tell, and there is not enough research to give an accurate answer to what they are dreaming about.

Do they have nightmares?

A baby’s brain is not fully developed at this stage, where they can dream. So, it is safe to think that they do not have nightmares as well. Nightmares appear when a person is exposed to trauma, when they stress about something, or when they are overthinking.

There is no way a baby can go through these at their age. So, if you are thinking of what do babies dream about, well they do not. They are not even aware of their very being, so there is no way they can dream, let alone have nightmares.

When Do Babies Start to Dream?

When do babies start having dreams? Doctors say that babies start to dream when they reach the age of two. Babies have small dreams. Their dreams start getting elaborate as they grow.

Toddler dreams are like snapshots, they are more like a slideshow and not a movie, like we adults see. Their dreams mostly feature animals and familiar sights.

Kids aged 5 to 9 start seeing moving images and some characters in some action. They can tie different events together at this point. However, around 25% of kids do not remember what they dreamt of.                                                                                                                                      

Impact of Sleep on Newborn Development

Newborn sleep is needed for brain development, their overall health, and physical growth. Sleep helps their neural maturation, helps in releasing growth hormones, and memory consolidation. Let’s take a look at how sleep impacts newborn development.

Brain Development and Maturation

Sleep has a deep impact on a child’s brain development and maturation. Here is how it impacts:

• Neural connections: Sleep is necessary for forming and strengthening the neural connections. These are the building blocks of brain function.
• Brain growth: Sleep is necessary for brain development and maturation. If a baby is sleep-deprived, there are chances that they will face long-term effects on cognitive function.
• Memory consolidation: When a baby is sleeping, they are storing and processing the information they learned while they are awake and consolidating memories.
• Myelin formation: Myelin is a layer of fat around the nerve fibers that forms during sleep. This helps the brain function and helps develop critical abilities like impulse control, language, and attention.

Physical Growth & Development

Sleep helps with the physical growth and development of the baby in the following ways:

• Releases growth hormones: Somatotropin, the growth hormone, is released fast when the baby is sleeping. Mostly, during the non-REM sleep stage. It is important for their physical growth.
• Energy restoration & muscle repair: When a baby is sleeping, the blood supply increases, and their energy is restored. It helps with tissue growth and repairs damaged ones.

Overall Health & Well-being

Sleep is also necessary for the overall well-being of the baby. Here is how sleep impacts:

• Immune function: It takes care of a healthy immune system and helps the little ones fight illness and infections.
• Cognitive function: Moreover, sleep helps with the affective and cognitive functioning, as it affects the brain development of the baby.
• Emotional regulation: Sleep is an important factor in regulating emotions. Some studies suggest a relation between sleep and emotional development.

Do Older Babies and Toddlers Dream?

The nature of dreams in babies and toddlers is not clear. However, it is mostly believed that do dream, but it is not as vivid as it is for older children and adults.

Toddlers

Toddlers aged 2-3 start having complex dreams. They see dreams in bits and pieces and do not have a solid plot. However, it includes images, heroes, and animals.

Around age 4-5, they even start getting nightmares. Some even get episodes of night terrors. Your baby fighting sleep in this stage is a common thing.

Older Children

As your baby grows, their dreams get more structured and complex. They often see themselves as the primary character. During the ages of 7 to 9, their dreams get more frequent and complex.

Frequently Asked Questions

When discussing what do babies dream about, there are certain questions that pop up frequently. Here are the questions mentioned.

Wrapping Up!

Now that you have the answer to what do newborns dream about, and when they start dreaming, you can clearly say, there is nothing much interesting about their dreams. The topic is still a mystery and there is still a lot of research that needs to be done.

However, you have to make sure your baby sleeps peacefully and needs to have a good bedtime routine to ensure they are comfortable and relaxed when they are sleeping.