Peaceful Night's Sleep
As with all sleep problems, parents should ensure their children are getting adequate sleep. The child should be gently woken and reassured that they are safe. Experts suggest that parents should concentrate on any anxieties in the child's conscious mind rather than trying to interpret any dreams or nightmares. Dream interpretation is subjective and much content is universal and hard to relate or explain. Recurring nightmares may suggest connections with daytime worries and concerns. By trying to encourage and help the child to express and solve problems in the 'conscious' mind, they may improve their ability to have a peaceful night.
Cognitive behavioural therapy and breathing and relaxation techniques help adults cope with anxiety and panic attacks. They may also have some benefit in preventing sleep paralysis. Sleep paralysis is frightening to the sufferer and although it causes no physical harm, adults may find the event traumatic enough that the rest of their sleep is disrupted. Sleep debt is to be avoided, and by learning how to relax and go back to sleep, sufferers may be encouraged to find ways to cope with the disruption and improve the quality of their sleep.