Dream Experiences During Intensive Care Unit Stay: Occurrence, Content, Vividness and Associated Factors
Nursing in Critical Care July 1, 2025 Adrienne Elisabeth van der Hoeven, Rolf Fronczek, Denise Bijlenga et al.
Vivid dream experiences are common among intensive care unit (ICU) patients and often carry a negative emotional impact. In a retrospective survey of 80 adults previously admitted to the ICU for at least four days or due to COVID-19, 79% reported dream experiences, with 73% describing them as life-like, 49% associating them with negative emotions, and 54% saying the dreams affected them even after waking. Dream content frequently related to the ICU admission. Younger age and longer ICU stay were linked to vivid dreams. Many participants also experienced delirium or perceptual disturbances, and some had difficulty distinguishing these from dreams. The findings suggest that providing anticipatory support may help patients process these experiences during recovery.