Nighttime dreams during the coronavirus pandemic: shifts, causes, and explanations
Since coronavirus hit the scene in 2020, folks around the globe have been noticing shifts in their sleep patterns and dreams. More specifically, they're experiencing some weird and unsettling stuff while catching their z's. Here's the lowdown on why that might be and what the experts are saying.
First off, our dreams are strange and unsettling, man. Picture this: Hostage by a creep with a gun, with all your loved ones only worrying about dinner. Being stranded at sea with planes exploding above your head, and debris raining down. Or perhaps, wandering distant lands, discovering fascinating new people, but realizing you'll never see them again.
But that's not all, buddy. Medical News Today has been collecting stories from their readers on their nightmare-filled sleep escapades since the pandemic began. And let's just say, it's not pretty.
Why have our dreams taken a turn for the bizarre? To shed some light on this peculiar phenomenon, two dream experts, Deirdre Barrett, Ph.D., and Denholm Aspy, Ph.D., were interviewed.
Barrett, an assistant professor of psychology in the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, has authored numerous books on dreams, including her recent work, "Pandemic Dreams." Aspy is a visiting research fellow in the School of Psychology at the University of Adelaide in Australia, and a lucid dreaming scientist and trainer.
Strange dreams, straight up
Barrett conducted a survey worldwide with 3,700 people, collecting around 9,000 dream reports – all of them quarantine-inspired. She noticed common themes emerging, such as dreams surrounding:- fears and anxieties- trauma- solution-seeking- post-apocalyptic or post-pandemic scenarios
Aspy also wrote a dedicated article reflecting on the dreams people were having during the pandemic, noting a surge in direct references to COVID-19 in people's dreams – including face masks, grocery store fights, hospitals, and even fatalities.
The experts agree that the unsettling content of these dreams can be attributed to the traumatic and stressful experiences that people have gone through during the pandemic. Barrett believes that many dreams mirror fears and desires accentuated by the pandemic, explaining, "At the moment, our dreams seem to reflect a sense of isolation and longing."
The science behind the shift
Dreams are a mental process that consolidates memories, processes information, and simulates experiences. The pandemic has caused significant psychological distress and disrupted daily routines, leading to more frequent and vivid dreams. The scientific explanation for this shift rests on how dreaming reflects cognitive and emotional processing of experiences, stressors, and changes during wakefulness.
During the pandemic, elevated stress, anxiety, and uncertainty have been linked to intense and thematically relevant dreams as the mind copes with overwhelming emotional and cognitive load from the crisis. Dreams have been found to help prepare individuals for future threats and process complex emotions while awake. Researchers argue that dreams are influenced by unconscious desires, memory consolidation, cognitive simulation of real-life experiences, and psychological balancing of overwhelming notions.
Can we change our dreams?
Aspy is an expert on the science of lucid dreams and has extensively researched strategies that can help a person train to experience lucid dreams. According to Aspy, learning to lucid dream can help individuals gain control over their nighttime experiences, manage stressful dreams in real time, and change nightmares into more pleasant dreams. If you're curious about experiencing lucid dreams, check out Medically Necessary's previous Special Feature for tips and techniques.
Tips for better sleep
If you're having trouble sleeping, here are some tips to help you catch your z's:- Avoid exposure to stressful news before bedtime- Practice relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing or meditation- Keep a regular sleep schedule- Create a restful sleep environment- Limit your caffeine and alcohol consumption before bedtime.
In summary, the shift in people's dream landscapes during the pandemic can be attributed to cognitive and emotional processing of the stress, trauma, and disruption caused by the pandemic. Lucid dreaming techniques can help individuals control their nighttime experiences, and regular relaxation, sleep hygiene, and avoiding news before bed can help improve sleep quality. Stay safe and sleep tight!
a) Deirdre Barrett, a dream expert from Harvard Medical School, conducted a survey during the pandemic and found that people's dreams have common themes related to fears, anxieties, trauma, solution-seeking, and post-apocalyptic or post-pandemic scenarios.
b) Denholm Aspy, a lucid dreaming scientist and trainer from the University of Adelaide in Australia, has noted an increase in direct references to COVID-19, including face masks, grocery store fights, hospitals, and fatalities, in people's dreams during the pandemic.
c) The experts suggest that lucid dreaming techniques can help individuals gain control over their nighttime experiences, manage stressful dreams, and change nightmares into more pleasant dreams. To improve sleep quality, they also recommend avoiding stressful news before bedtime, practicing relaxation techniques, keeping a regular sleep schedule, creating a restful sleep environment, and limiting caffeine and alcohol consumption before bedtime.
