https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104710

Dreaming during the COVID-19 pandemic: A narrative review

A growing body of evidence highlights that the COVID-19 pandemic affected oneiric activity. However, only a few studies have assessed the longitudinal changes in dream phenomenology during different phases of the pandemic, often focused on a limited number of dream variables. The aim of the present study was to provide an exhaustive assessment of dream features during total lockdown (TL) and a post-lockdown (PL) period characterized by eased restrictive measures in Italy. We performed a longitudinal study using a web-based survey to collect demographic, COVID-19 related, clinical, sleep, and dream data at TL and PL. Our final sample included 108 participants. The high frequency of poor sleep quality, anxiety, and depressive symptoms observed during TL remained stable at PL, while sleep latency (t = −4.09; p < 0.001) and PTSD-related disruptive nocturnal behaviors (t = −5.68; p < 0.001) exhibited a reduction at PL. A PL decrease in time spent with digital media was observed (t = −2.77; p = 0.007). We found a strong PL reduction in dream frequency (t = −5.49; p < 0.001), emotional load (t = −2.71; p = 0.008), vividness (t = −4.90; p < 0.001), bizarreness (t = −4.05; p < 0.001), length (t = −4.67; p < 0.001), and lucid dream frequency (t = −2.40; p = 0.018). Fear was the most frequently reported emotion in dreams at TL (26.9%) and PL (22.2%). Only the frequency of specific lockdown-related dream contents exhibited a reduction at PL. These findings highlight that the end of the home confinement had a strong impact on the oneiric activity, in the direction of reduced dream frequency, intensity, and lockdown-related contents. The co-occurrence of such changes with a decline in nocturnal PTSD-related symptoms, sleep latency, and time with digital media suggests an influence of post-traumatic stress levels, lifestyle modifications, and sleep pattern on dream changes during different phases of the pandemic. The stable prevalence of fear in dreams and the large frequency of poor sleep quality, depressive symptoms, and anxiety are probably related to the persistence of many negative consequences of the pandemic. Overall, these results are consistent with the continuity hypothesis of dreams.

/pdf/the-oneiric-activity-during-and-after-the-covid-19-total-3if38j0b.pdf

The Oneiric Activity during and after the COVID-19 Total Lockdown in Italy: A Longitudinal Study

Nightmare distress, nightmare frequency and anxiety are related to suicidal risk. Ruminations are a factor maximizing the risk of suicide. Research has identified two types of ruminations: constructive ruminations and non-constructive ruminations. As per our knowledge, no study has verified the links between non-constructive ruminations and sleep disorders and their role in the development of suicidal risk. We aimed to highlight the impact of non-constructive ruminations on nightmares, anxiety and insomnia in the development of suicidal risk.A total of 429 French participants responded to an anonymous online survey using the Qualtrics® software. To assess variables, we used the Mini Cambridge-Exeter Repetitive Thought Scale, the Suicide Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised, the Nightmare Distress Questionnaire, the Beck Anxiety Inventory, and the Sleep Condition Indicator. Nightmare frequency was assessed by subjective evaluation through a question. We tested the possible effects of confounding variables such as age, gender, marital status and depression (Beck Depression Inventory-II).Nightmare frequency was found to mediate the link between anxiety and suicidal risk (32.9%). Nightmare distress (37%) and non-constructive thoughts (48%) were also seen to mediate this link. Additionally, we found a moderating effect of insomnia on the link between non-constructive ruminations and suicidal risk (Z = 7.42, p < 0.001).Our results showed that the frequency of nightmares, distress and non-constructive ruminations are closely related to suicidal risk. The interoperability between these elements and insomnia has thus been newly explored. The processes related to nightmares and suicidal risk as well as the underlying cognitive processes between sleep disorders and suicidal risk have been shed light upon. 

Non-Constructive Ruminations, Insomnia and Nightmares: Trio of Vulnerabilities to Suicide Risk

A ‘new’ way of dreaming has emerged during the pandemic, enhancing the interest of psychological literature. Indeed, during the years of the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19), many studies have investigated dream‐related phenomena and dreaming functions. Considering the constant and rapid emergence of new results on this topic, the main aim of this study was to create an ‘observatory’ on the short‐ and long‐term consequences of the COVID‐19 pandemic on dreaming, by means of a living systematic review. The baseline results are presented, in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses statement guidelines, to identify and discuss existing studies about dreams and dreaming during the COVID‐19 pandemic published until February 2022. Web of Science, Embase, EBSCO, and PubMed were used for the search strategy, yielding 71 eligible papers included in the review. Our results show: (a) a more intense oneiric activity during lockdown; (b) changes in dreaming components (especially dream‐recall and nightmare frequency); (c) a particular dreaming scenario (‘pandemic dreams’); (d) an alteration of the dreaming–waking‐life continuum and a specific function of dreaming as emotional regulator. Findings suggest that monitoring changes in dreaming provides important information about psychological health and could also contribute to the debate on the difficulties of dreaming, as well as sleeping, in particular during and after a period of ‘collective trauma’.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdfdirect/10.1111/jsr.13742

An observatory on changes in dreaming during a pandemic: a living systematic review (part 1)

Dreaming and insomnia are important markers of distress in times of crisis. Here, we present a longitudinal, mixed‐methods study examining changes in dreaming between individuals with and without insomnia symptoms and their relationship to mental health during the COVID‐19 pandemic. A global survey examining insomnia symptoms, dreams and mental health was launched in April 2020 and followed participants over 12 months. Of 2240 participants, 1009 (45%) reported dream changes at baseline. A higher proportion of participants with new‐onset insomnia reported dream changes (55%) than those with pre‐existing insomnia (45%) or good sleepers (36%). Overall, thematic analysis identified key dream change themes of increased dream activity, with participants dreaming vividly, in high‐definition, and with a strong negative charge. Themes around survival, adjusting to pandemic life, meaning‐making and poor sleep quality were also noted. Linguistic Inquiry Word Count showed that individuals with insomnia used more negative words to describe their dream changes than good sleepers. Specifically, the new‐onset insomnia group used more anxious and death‐related words than those who slept well. Notably, all groups experienced a significant reduction in dream activity by 3‐month follow‐up. Lastly, dream changes were associated with worse mental health symptoms over time, and this effect was more pronounced in individuals with insomnia. Our results highlight that insomnia symptoms, especially new‐onset insomnia, are associated with more negative dream changes during collective stressful events, potentially compounding daytime distress and mental health symptoms over time. During times of crisis, dreaming and insomnia may reveal an important target for mental health interventions.

Strange themes in pandemic dreams: Insomnia was associated with more negative, anxious and death‐related dreams during the COVID‐19 pandemic

Background An upsurge in dream and nightmare frequency has been noted since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and research shows increases in levels of stress, depression and anxiety during this time Growing evidence suggests that dream content has a bi-directional relationship with psychopathology, and that dreams react to new, personally significant and emotional experiences The first lockdown experience was an acute event, characterized by a combination of several unprecedent factors (new pandemic, threat of disease, global uncertainty, the experience of social isolation and exposure to stressful information) that resulted in a large-scale disruption of life routines This study aimed at investigating changes in dream, bad dream and nightmare recall; most prevalent dream themes; and the relationship between dreams, bad dreams, nightmares and symptoms of stress, depression and anxiety during the first COVID-19 lockdown (April-May 2020) through a national online survey Methods 968 participants completed an online survey Dream themes were measured using the Typical Dreams Questionnaire; stress levels were measured by the Cohen's Perceived Stress Scale; symptoms of anxiety were assessed by Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) scale; and symptoms of depression were assessed using the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology Results 34% (328) of participants reported increased dream recall during the lockdown The most common dream themes were centered around the topics of 1) inefficacy (eg, trying again and again, arriving late), 2) human threat (eg, being chased, attacked); 3) death; and 4) pandemic imagery (eg, being separated from loved ones, being sick) Dream, bad dream and nightmare frequency was highest in individuals with moderate to severe stress levels Frequency of bad dreams, nightmares, and dreams about the pandemic, inefficacy, and death were associated with higher levels of stress, as well as with greater symptoms of depression and anxiety Conclusions Results support theories of dream formation, environmental susceptibility and stress reactivity Dream content during the lockdown broadly reflected existential concerns and was associated with increased symptoms of mental health indices

/pdf/stuck-in-a-lockdown-dreams-bad-dreams-nightmares-and-their-1whccjy4q0.pdf

Iris L Rapoport

Papers

Stuck in a lockdown: Dreams, bad dreams, nightmares, and their relationship to stress, depression and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic.