If you have ever observed your little one sleeping, you might have seen him twitching or smiling broadly in his sleep. This is a source of great wonder and curiosity for every parent. Babies with their tiny bodies and round heads may not be able to conjure up visually vivid yet confusing dreams like an adult. But there must be something that is going on in their minds that makes them laugh out or coo in their sleep. If this has piqued your interest, then read on as we present you with some fascinating facts.
Does your baby dream?
- Some researchers believe that it is only natural that your babies will dream while having a REM (rapid eye movement) sleep.
- But since they have not had any vivid experiences apart from being fed and played with, their dreams may only have such disjoined images or happy feelings.
- If you find your baby smiling or laughing in his sleep, then probably happy memories involving the parent’s face or a satisfying meal might have turned up in their dreams and are making them smile.
- You might think that your baby is having a nightmare when he cries out in his sleep or his whole body twitches, but it isn’t so. This happens mainly due to the Moro reflex that sometimes startles them in their sleep.
- There is nothing to worry about if your baby does all these things while sleeping because these are very natural processes and are usually very common amongst infants. Your babies may not be able to recall or process their dreams until they are four or five years old.
All these small twitches, cries, and giggles are symbolic of a good brain development that is happening in your child and should not be a cause of concern for the parents. The occurrence of these activities reduces with age.