Voila! This phobia is also known as hypnophobia, clinophobia, sleep anxiety, or … It may not work the first night, but after a day or two, the routine is quite relaxing. Confronting Anxiety Identify daytime stressors. When you stay up late, you wake up tired, not feeling refreshed and, by the middle of the day, craving a nap. This article received 29 testimonials and 86% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. Touch all the fabrics. Thank you for your help so far! Focus on your breath. For example, if you live in an apartment, most of the sounds that scare you are probably just the sounds of other people in your building. If they have a few favorite toys, leave those with your pooch at night to give them some familiarity. For kids, feeling scared or worried at bedtime is one of the main reasons for having … % of people told us that this article helped them. What I do is I make up stories based off books I read, and I make myself a character. Here’s why your little one is suddenly afraid of the dark — and what you can do to help her conquer her fear. If your dog is still a puppy, this is a great chance to properly crate train him. Hi there, I am desperate for some good advice to help me with my seven year old daughter. If your dog doesn’t like his crate during the day, it’s probably one of the reasons listed above. You can also do your best to keep them from going through that ordeal. Skip the nap. Usually, a sudden change in behavior is a red flag for most dog owners. Letting your child into your bed will not alleviate the fear but instead will support it and your child will not learn to overcome the fear. Every night, for the last 10 years, Traci Coulter has struggled to sleep.Minutes tick by, then hours. To enhance the calming effects of a warm bath, try incorporating some essential oils or scents associated with relaxation. Try reading one of these to help your child realize they’re not the only one who gets scared at night. Never respond by calling your child's fear "ridiculous" or "stupid." Avoid eating food or drinking alcohol or caffeine near your bedtime. Since dogs can’t … Read a book to help calm anxiety at night. Improper Socialization. This will keep you focused on the plot and/or subject, and not on your fear. Keeping the door open will help alleviate any fear associated with the separation from parents during the night. Listing-making can also be a useful part of journaling, especially if you find worrying a reason you are unable to sleep. Read: The Common 2 Year Old Sleep Regression: How To Overcome. You might find the dark, or the sense of solitude, particularly frightening. Extreme or persistent nighttime fears can result from a disturbing or traumatic event in the home, at preschool or daycare, or in the larger world. ", "This really helped. 4. You know that's just the wind outside, and you know it always scares you.". What if I see a few shadows at night? Avoid the mid-day nap. You can put a night light in their room, just be sure it doesn’t cast shadows that make the problem worse. Take deep full breaths and relax your body. A night-light may also make your child feel more secure. It made me feel safe and secure. Secure all the doors and locks and if you have a pet, keep it in the house, preferably a dog, so it can alert you. Squeeze your pillows and pet your sheets. Blocking access for mice is extremely difficult, but not impossible! Any would-be robber will most likely be afraid of the dog, because nobody trusts any kind of dog. Listen to calming music. As long as the light does not interfere with your child's sleep onset, it is appropriate to have dim light at bedtime. If your child wanders into your bedroom, take him or her back to bed and reassure him or her that their bed is a safe and comfortable place. Having a pet bed side or on your bed at night can be very comforting. Commit to a regular, relaxing routine … You might say "Now, Jane, calm down. Try journaling for 10-20 minutes a day about whatever comes to your mind. Block Access. wikiHow's fear advice always helps me! The mouse has been scared into your room and is cornered. All is quiet, and suddenly, you are startled by the sound of broken glass. I liked the idea of building a safe place or something. Cancel Missaaaa. So I bought him a nightlight and put it in a prominent plug in the room. Do you avoid any particular places or activities at night? At this point in my life, a year and a half after losing my son and seven months after losing my daughter, I am scared to dream. ", them very helpful and different from what other people say. I always keep a teddy bear with me. Remember that you were once a child and likely had lots of silly fears too! If coming home to find that someone broke into your house is traumatizing, having it happen while you are home is everyone’s worst nightmare. ", "This article really helped me! She provides therapy to people who struggle with addictions, mental health, and trauma in community health settings and private practice. If you start feeling scared, breathe deeply in through your nose and out through your mouth, which will help you relax. Keep up the good work! Sometimes the worst thing about feeling afraid is that you don't know what to do. This advice helped me greatly in trying to dismiss these images. For example, if he's afraid of monsters under the bed because he watched the film Monsters, Inc., let your child know that movies are made-up and are not real. I am definitely printing this out to help me! Repeat for several cycles until you feel more calm. I find the suggestions very interesting and helpful. ", "I loved relaxing and saying and writing my fear so it's out of my head. If your child has a sibling or even a pet, letting them bunk together can make nighttime fears vanish as suddenly as they appeared. ", ashamed that I'm this chicken because I'm 13. I still have dreams — things I want to do with my life — but I don’t have the expectation that those things will actually take place one day. It isn’t uncommon for toddlers to be afraid of the dark or afraid of monsters. ", "Making your bed a comfy place helped me the most. ", "I absolutely love this website! Ensuring a Restful Environment Establish a bedtime ritual. If you need to stop, take a deep breath, and count to ten. Informational website from U.S. government focused on the understanding and treatment of mental illness. Infants and toddlers need roughly three hours of naptime during the day, but napping interferes with the sleep of adults, teenagers, and older kids. Try to do this and have your character have a cat, or maybe have a character that IS a cat! Give your child the power to tackle a fear of the dark. Then exhale, letting all the air out, for 5 counts. Night lights and monster sweeps. ", "I absolutely think this will help me a lot.". Read a book. น, التغلب على الخوف في الليل, consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Tell your child that if their fears bother them – they can squash their fears by looking under their bed. Light signals your body that it's time to be awake, so you want to avoid it at night. Instead, try reading a story to him (again, nothing scary!) Interesting to read, this is so common. This article was co-authored by Trudi Griffin, LPC, MS. Trudi Griffin is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Wisconsin specializing in Addictions and Mental Health. Constantly reassure your child that he is safe. A wikiHow on how young dancers deal with stress would be helpful. Tell your parents about it in the morning. Also, do self-defense training to bolster your confidence and to reduce your fear; conquering too much fear can help liberate you to do more in life. By distracting yourself at appropriate times, you can encourage your mind to focus on things which are less likely to trigger your anxiety. I no longer. References ", "It helped me because I'm a kid who is scared at night and has to sleep with mom. When trying to fall asleep, put peaceful music on and focus on your breathing. What do I do if I am a teenager, and I am scared? The most recent research suggests that watching TV or using technology before bed in fact hinders healthy sleep patterns. What feelings are coming up in the night or when you try to go to sleep? Count. Sleeping with a pet nearby may help you feel safe. However, napping for a long period of time in the middle of the day can make you less able to fall asleep with ease when you go to bed at night. Communicate the notion of safety repeatedly. She’s scared of being in her room on her own and wants an adult to be with her all night. Leaving the bedroom door ajar, playing an audio story or lullabies, and encouraging your child to sleep with a beloved toy or blanket may also help. Not all psychologists or other mental health professionals are knowledgeable about these techniques, though. Last Updated: November 24, 2019 Now this article has helped me with that. Creating a to-do … {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/3\/3f\/Be-Less-Scared-at-Night-Step-2-Version-3.jpg\/v4-460px-Be-Less-Scared-at-Night-Step-2-Version-3.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/3\/3f\/Be-Less-Scared-at-Night-Step-2-Version-3.jpg\/aid1676687-v4-728px-Be-Less-Scared-at-Night-Step-2-Version-3.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"