Have you been experiencing bizarre and fearful dreams of late? Dreams are a reflection of our day-to-day actions, thoughts, and worries. With the COVID-19 pandemic impacting every aspect of our lives, it’s no surprise that our dreams have been affected too. Studies show that stress can increase our ability to remember dreams, but it can also fragment them.

The Pandemic and Dreams

Since the pandemic began, people worldwide have reported having unusual and fearful dreams. Fear of getting sick, bug attacks, invisible monsters, and natural disasters are just a few of the dreams people have reported. Deirdre Barrett, an author and assistant professor of psychology at Harvard University, directed a survey of dreams about the COVID-19 crisis. Her book, “Pandemic Dreams,” features more than 9,000 pandemic-era dreams from 3,800 people worldwide.

Barrett found that dreams progressed from fearful depictions to impatience with restrictions, and then to more fear as the world began to reopen. As the pandemic continued, people’s dreams revealed a need to adapt to the ‘new normal’ and figure out how to navigate life during a pandemic.

Sleep Patterns On the Line

People’s sleep patterns have also been affected with millions of people working from home, sleeping in more, and using alarms less. The pandemic has disrupted the routine of our daily lives, impacting the time we wake up, the time we go to sleep, and the amount of sleep we get, among other things. All of this has directly impacted our dreams.

Dealing with Pandemic-Era Dreams

If you’re someone who has experienced dreams about the pandemic era, there are ways to manage them. Barrett’s “Pandemic Dreams” not only shares the dreams people have had during the crisis, but also provides practical exercises for dream interpretation and simple exercises for managing anxieties over COVID-19.

Through journaling, meditation, and various breathing exercises, you can reduce the anxiety that may be contributing to these bizarre and often stressful dreams. By understanding and working through your anxieties, you can learn to navigate this challenging time and get the restful sleep you need for a more productive tomorrow.

In Summary

While the pandemic continues to affect our daily lives, it’s no surprise that it has impacted our dreams too. The fear of the unknown and the urgent need to adapt to the new normal has created stressful, often bizarre, and fearful dreams. Barrett’s “Pandemic Dreams” offers practical exercises for dream interpretation and simple exercises for managing anxieties over COVID-19. These can help reduce the anxiety that is contributing to the unsettling dreams you might have been experiencing.

With a little understanding and some practical exercises, you can learn to navigate this stressful time and give yourself the break you need to recover and get the restful sleep you deserve.