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Covid-19 is having a huge impact on children's sleep, according to a survey by The Sleep Charity, The Sleep Council and Sleepstation.

They found that as many as 70% of children under 16 are going to bed later and 57% are also waking later - showing a significant change in bedtimes. Experts think this will have a long-term negative impact when schools re-open.

It was also discovered that nearly three quarters (74%) of children are using electronic devices (TVs, tablets, game consoles and phones) a lot more during the coronavirus lockdown.

And the survey revealed that a third of children are sleeping longer than normal, indicating that it will be harder to go back to previous sleep routines once they return to school. Nearly two in 10 are sleeping less which could impact on physical, mental and emotional health and wellbeing.

But why do we dream? Have you been having stranger dreams than normal? And what can we do to stop nightmares from happening? Newsround spoke to sleep physiologist Stephanie Romiszewski to find out. And check out her tips for a better night's sleep below, we included some of your comments in the video too!

Why do we dream?

We all dream. Sometimes they can be exciting and fun stories and sometimes they can be scary and make us feel bad, these are called nightmares.

All of this is normal and we do it every night whether you remember or not! Experts think it's our brain's way of processing our days and organising our memories like a giant computer storing all the files in the right places.

We tend to dream in a type of sleep called REM sleep or Rapid Eye Movement sleep. Ever watched someone sleeping and it looks like their eyes are flickering and they are dreaming? They probably are in REM sleep.

How is lockdown impacting your sleep?

Have you been having more vivid dreams than normal? Well, it could be because of the impact lockdown is having on our lives.

You are spending more time at home, less time at school and your days are really different.

This change of routine affects everything, and people are having lots of different emotions - good and bad. That's a lot of new information for brains to deal with, and so it can affect dreams. It's normal, considering the circumstances.

All of these factors mean we're more likely to have more REM sleep, which is very sensitive and light. If you interrupt REM sleep you are more likely to remember your dreams, so they seem more vivid compared to normal.

Vicki Dawson, CEO of The Sleep Charity, said: "These are extraordinary times and we fully understand why bedtimes and wake up times have slipped. But we are worried about how children will transition back to a normal routine once schools do reopen, especially if that is as late as September."

She went on to say that "Covid-19 could lead to increased sleep problems in children and young people. Ultimately that has a knock-on effect and may influence their daytime behaviour - including hyperactivity, tearfulness and irritability - and family life."

How to control your nightmares

Sometimes when the nightmares are too scary and they happen too often, it's not very nice to go to sleep.

If this is how you feel write down your nightmare before bed, and then change the ending for something amazing that makes you feel good.

As you go to sleep, start thinking about this new story ending, imagine all the good things, and then start again and imagine it over and over until you fall asleep.

You may find that you can change your nightmares and start enjoying dreaming!

And remember...

Remember that it is ok to have nightmares and dreams. There isn't anything wrong with you and your brain is healthy. All of us have had them, and they are a natural process of your brain doing its job. Sometimes they can even give you cool ideas and answers to problems!

It's ok to have strange sleep at the moment and you don't need to worry about it.

Tips for a better night's sleep