Dream State in a COVID-19 World
While trying to follow Covid-19 guidelines, it is easy to become frustrated with the uncertainty of when will things get back to normal. And what exactly does “normal” mean in the midst of a pandemic. If someone told me in January that we would see a blanket shut down of many industries and society, I would have had a hard time swallowing that. Let alone that the initial timeline of 14 days would have to be stretched into three months and possibly more-so unreal.
Not only in my conscious state have I felt the rippling effect of this situation, but also in my unconscious/subconscious. Anyone else?
I have been dreaming up a storm. When I wake up, I feel like I’ve already put in an 8-hour day. Some of these dreams have been anxiety driven, some ridiculously comical, and others just outright bizarre! In one dream I kept trying to get my very large, white dog into the hospital which had been closed off to visitors. We were trying to shake the security guards as we dodged in and out of the hallways. Another time I was in a clinic and was told that I was negative for the Coronavirus. Shortly afterward a very large muscle man came into the room with structured face bones and said let’s see if you can escape this – and his face began to become ravaged by “the virus” to where it was swirling around through his cheekbones and he was trying to reach for me. I have had lots of work-related dreams with deadlines missed or entering training rooms and no one was there. There was one where I was sitting in an empty restaurant trying to order food. I should have written them down, but I was just glad to be awake and out of those thoughts and dreams.
In an article from National Geographic they explore the connection of the pandemic and dreams “The pandemic is giving people vivid, unusual dreams. here’s why.”
The article states that after a number of research teams have investigated this connection “one of their findings so far is that pandemic dreams are being colored by stress, isolation, and changes in sleep patterns—a swirl of negative emotions that set them apart from typical dreaming.”
There is a process that occurs within the brain, thought to help sort out our long-term memories, that normally occurs during our REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, which is when dreams usually take place. However, due to increased anxiety, decreased activity and waking up intermittently throughout the night, it has made recalling these dreams more prevalent. Tack on emotions and memories of the day and it can create the perfect storm for your own starring roll in some pretty intense dream movies.
How about the people that you are supporting? Have you noticed any signs that they are having more restless nights of sleep such as, an increase in daytime sleepiness or the need for more naps throughout the day? Maybe you have noted visual signs such as bags around the eyes, withdrawn emotionally, physically, or verbally, more agitation, or maybe anxiety? Are you observing that they are up more through the night? Or have they actually reported an increase in vivid dreams?
One report from France initiated in March stated, “the coronavirus pandemic has caused a 35% increase in dream recall among participants, with respondents reporting 15% more negative dreams than usual.”
A sleep expert from an article in Psychology Today has also been experiencing bizarre dreams. Christina Pierpaoli Parker shares some tips on what may help and what she has done to try to diminish the effects of Covid-19 on her sleep cycle. Read the full article here: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/04/17/sleep-expert-who-had-weird-coronavirus-dreams-nightmares-what-i-do-to-sleep-better-now.html Below is a summary of these tips:
- Wake up everyday at the same time
“People who wake up at the same time experience more metabolic health, improved cognition and enhanced emotion regulation.“
- Stay active through the day
“Vigorous, moderate or even mild cardiovascular exercise (i.e., walking or doing household chores) stimulates adenosine, which helps build sleep pressure — or the body’s “hunger” for sleep, and increased sleep pressure means improved sleep.“
*she does state however that it is better to exercise within one hour before sleep so that it doesn’t interfere with the body’s ability to fall asleep and the quality of sleep received.
- Use the bed for sleep and rest
“Even on nights when I find myself unable to sleep, I’ll get out of bed and go to another room. Keeping a dim light on, I’ll do something relaxing, like guided meditation or fold the laundry. When I’m finally sleepy again, I’ll return to bed.“
*Reading, phone scrolling, and television should be left out of the bedroom when trying to get to sleep.
- Take a bath and shut down the devices before bed
“Darkness facilitates healthy production of melatonin, a hormone that promotes drowsiness; Most people think it’s easier to fall asleep after a bath because your body is nice and toasty. But the opposite happens: It actually brings the heat from the core of your body to the surface, thus naturally cooling the body and promoting a more peaceful sleep.“
It may take a conscious effort to get your subconscious under control. Click the link below to watch a video “Deepak Chopra 4 Tips on how to get a good nights sleep” https://www.cnbc.com/video/2019/04/01/deepak-chopras-4-tips-to-get-a-good-nights-sleep.html.
While there are many things that are out of our control, it is important that we stay focused on what we can control. If you or those you support are experiencing challenges with sleep and dreams, try using some of these tips above.
Maybe you need a little music therapy to help you on your way? Here is a link to a page that has songs related to Dreams. Trust me when you get Billy Ocean’s “Get out of My Dreams” stuck in your head, you will thank me. Or you may find that I am playing a small part as DJ Jazzy Jen in spinning all the classics that you can dream about.
https://spinditty.com/playlists/Songs-About-Dreams-and-Dreaming
