A lot of people think that only babies have trouble with night waking. However, many parents are in for a rude awakening (literally) when they realize that kids can have sleep troubles even in their teen years.
Needless to say, kids waking up in the middle of the night can be concerning and downright exhausting. It helps to know why they are waking up so that you can start to find solutions to help get them back to sleep and stay asleep. Take a look at some of the most likely reasons why your kids may be waking up at night.
They’re Thirsty
Some kids may be in such a deep sleep that when they’re thirsty, they are not sure what’s wrong. They wake up upset and perhaps even still asleep. You may hear your child start crying because of thirst and unfortunately, they’re unable to calm down once they start.
If thirst is in fact the case, encourage your children to have a few sips of water before sleep. Encourage them not to drink too much, but just enough if they wake up feeling thirsty in the middle of the night. Too much water-drinking at night can lead to an even more serious problem—bedwetting.
Bad Dreams
Sometimes nightmares are the culprits for your child’s night waking. While there’s no way to make nightmares completely go away; there are ways to help handle them. Reassure your children that they are safe and consider adding a night light to their room.
Sometimes, a scary dream may feel even scarier if they wake up in nothing but pitch black. A small night light that projects stars or plays music can be reassuring if they wake up from a scary dream. Additionally, sure that they’re not viewing any sort of television or video games that could be encouraging nightmares.
Wet Diaper
Kids who are still wearing diapers at night may be waking from a wet diaper. In many cases, parents assume that their child is having a bad dream or needs reassurance. Since they’re so young they may not know how to tell you that their wet diaper is making them uncomfortable. One of the first things you should do when a child is crying at night who wears a diaper is to change their diaper for a new one. You may find that it’s a simple of a solution as that!
They’re Still Asleep
Sometimes kids are still asleep when they cry. Instead of going in immediately, give them a few minutes to settle out of whatever is bothering them. You may realize that they stop crying after only a few short moments. However, sometimes if you go to comfort them, you end up waking them up and making matters worse.
