It's not clear at what age kids begin to dream. Almost every child has a frightening(令人害怕的,吓人的)dream and fear of the dark is common.
Nightmares(噩梦) like most dreams occur during the stage of sleep when the brain is very active and sorting through experiences and new information for learning and memory. This part of sleep is known as the rapid eye movement or REM stage.
No one knows exactly what causes nightmares. Dreams and nightmares seem to be one way kids process thoughts and feelings about situations they face, and work through worries and concerns.
Most times nightmares occur for no apparent reason. Other times they happen when a child is experiencing stressor change. Events or situations that might feel unsettling such as moving, attending a new school, or family tensions might also be reflected in unsettling dreams.
Sometimes nightmares occur as part of a child's reaction to a natural disaster, accident, or injury. For some kids, especially those with a good imagination, reading scary books or watching scary movies or TV shows just before bedtime can inspire nightmares.
When kids awaken from a nightmare, its images are still fresh and can seem real. So it's natural for them to feel afraid and upset and to call out to a parent for comfort. By about preschool age, kids begin to understand that a nightmare is only a dream and that what's happening isn't real and can't hurt them. But knowing that doesn't prevent them from feeling scared. Even older kids feel frightened when they awaken from a nightmare and may need your reassurance and comfort.
Parents can't prevent nightmares, but can help kids get a goodnight's sleep and that encourages sweet dreams.
