Why am i still sleep-deprived ?
Sophia is turning 3 next month. I am so looking forward to that. But at the same time i really don’t understand why i still don’t get a good night rest without Sophia crying, wait i meant screaming 3-4 times in the middle of the night. I know is night terror and not nightmare. There isn’t much i could do about her night terror. It comes and goes. It was getting better but lately it’s been coming back pretty strong. I hardly gotten any sleep last night because she kept waking up screaming. She doesn’t want to be touch nor talk to. Night terror usually means let the kid scream and they will go back to sleep. The thing is…..she doesn’t just scream for one or two minutes. She could scream and kick for 5-10 minutes. I’m pulling out my hair thinking what i could do to help her. I’m really running out of ideas and i’m getting tired.
Found this information on babycenter.com just in case anyone is in the same situation as i am.
Deborah Lin-Dyken, pediatric sleep disorders expert
It’s very common for even the best of sleepers to suddenly start having sleep problems, whether that means having a hard time falling asleep at bedtime or abruptly waking up during the night. Your toddler may be having night terrors, which are similar to sleepwalking but are more dramatic. Night terrors are often related to being sleep-deprived.
When your child “wakes up” with a night terror, go in and check on him but don’t speak to him or try to soothe him. Your child will resist being comforted and will appear confused and disoriented. Trying to soothe your child will only extend and intensify the sleep terror — even saying his name can make him more upset. Likewise, don’t try to vigorously awaken him. He may think you are attacking him. Instead, just let the night terror run its course, and stand nearby to make sure your toddler doesn’t hurt himself.
Your little one may also be having bad dreams. Your child’s imagination is developing, and that can’t help but carry over into his sleeping world. When he wakes up after a nightmare, go in and reassure him. A few moments spent soothing him should do the trick. Stay with him until he falls back to sleep if he asks you to. Don’t worry if he doesn’t want to talk about the dream. Sometimes nightmares aren’t about anything definitive, just a scary feeling.
Other common causes of night-waking in previously good sleepers include illness, separation anxiety or a looming developmental leap. In those cases, there are a couple of things to try, aside from treating the fever or throat or ear pain that’s making a sick toddler uncomfortable. First, make sure that your child is getting enough sleep in general. It may seem counterintuitive, but the less sleep your child gets, the more likely he is to have trouble settling down at bedtime and staying asleep through the night. So be consistent about putting him to bed for naps during the day and getting him to bed at a reasonable time in the evening.
When your toddler wakes up during the night, be soothing and calming, but boring. Let him know that everything is okay, but that it’s time to sleep. Keep the conversation to a minimum and the lights dim. It may take a few nights or even a few weeks to get back on track, but the closer you stick to his regular sleep routine, the sooner the problem will be resolved.
So you would think that Sophia is almost 3 and as the parent. I should be sleeping through the night without being disturb.