Those with an anxiety disorder or experiencing the trauma first-hand are highly likely also to experience changes to dreams.īut such changes are also reported by those witnessing events like the 9/11 attacks second-hand or via the media. Such experiences have been reported before at times associated with sudden change, anxiety or trauma, such as the aftermath of the terrorist attacks in the US in 2001, or natural disasters or war. Hence more reports of dreams containing fear, embarrassment, social taboos, occupational stress, grief and loss, unreachable family, as well as more literal dreams around contamination or disease are being recorded.Īn increase in unusual or vivid dreams and nightmares is not surprising. More stressful dream content is to be expected if we feel anxious or stressed in relation to the pandemic, or our working or family situations. In this time of heightened alert and changing social norms, our brains have much more to process during sleep and dreaming. The pandemic concernsĭreaming can help us to cope mentally with our waking situation as well as simply reflect realities and concerns. This has likely created a spike in dream recall and interest during this time. It might also prepare us to remember more on subsequent nights. The act of sharing dreams reinforces our memory of them. If you’re at home with other people you have a captive audience and time to exchange dream stories in the morning. Heightened dream recall has been associated with having a longer sleep as well as waking more naturally from a state of REM sleep. If you’re working and learning from home on flexible schedules without the usual commute it means you avoid the morning rush and don’t need to get up so early. Other studies indicate that people may be sleeping more and moving less during the pandemic. During this time dreams are reportedly more vivid and emotional than usual. When we are sleep deprived, the pressure for REM sleep increases and so at the next sleep opportunity a so-called rebound in REM sleep occurs. Ruminating about the pandemic, either directly or via the media, just before going to bed can work against our need to relax and get a good night’s sleep. Disrupted sleep and dreamsĭuring this pandemic, studies from China and the UK show many people are reporting a heightened state of anxiety and are having shorter or more disturbed sleep. Both situations can lead to heightened recollection of dreams. This has positive effects for some and negative effects for others. This global pandemic and associated restrictions may have impacts on how and when we sleep.
Some say dreams act like a defence mechanism for our mental health, by giving us a simulated opportunity to work through our fears and to rehearse for stressful real-life events.
Researchers have identified that REM sleep has unique properties that help us regulate our mood, performance and cognitive functioning.
We typically have several REM dream periods a night, yet we do not necessarily remember the experiences and content. As the name implies, during REM sleep the eyes move rapidly.ĭreams can occur within all sleep stages but REM sleep is considered responsible for highly emotive and visual dreams. This includes light and deep sleep and a period known as rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, which features more prominently in the second half of the night. When we sleep we go through different stages which cycle throughout the night.
All those extra, tiny decisions are taxing our brains
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