COVID-19 Causes Anxious and Upsetting Dreams

COVID-19 is negatively impacting dreams by infusing more anxiety and spurring dreams about the virus itself, particularly in women, according to a research study.

The research study is published in a special section in the journal Dreaming.

The study reported the results of four studies around the world about people's dreams during the pandemic.

‘The pandemic has resulted in more anxious and upsetting dreams. Women�s dreams are more affected when compared to men�s dreams.’

Our dreams often portray what's happening when we are awake. Crises such as war, natural attacks and terrorist attacks have led to an increase in anxious dreams.

The studies suggest that the pandemic has strongly affected women's dreams than men's dreams. The researchers believe that this difference is because women are bearing more of the burden of caregiving, job loss and other hardships.

"Dreams can help us understand our emotional reactions to the pandemic," Barrett said.

In the study, a mother had dreamt that people from her child's school contacted her to inform the child's whole class was being sent to her condominium to be home-schooled for the duration of the pandemic.

"When mothers of young children hear that dream, there is laughter but also usually a strong empathy at the overwhelmed feeling the dream dramatizes. Your dreams can make you more aware of just what about the pandemic is bothering you the most--and sharing them with trusted others is a good conversation-starter for talking about these shared feelings," Barrett said.



Source: Medindia