Dreaming and the COVID-19 pandemic: A survey in a U.S. sample.
Michael Schredl, Kelly Bulkeley
Dreaming September 1, 2020 DOI: 10.1037/drm0000146 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional survey Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 3,031 |
| Population | U.S. adults who completed an online survey in early May 2020 |
| Topics | Dreaming |
| Keywords | Pandemic 2019-20 coronavirus outbreak Sample material Virology |
| Citations | 66 |
| Key findings | People most affected by the pandemic reported stronger effects on dreaming, including heightened recall, more negative tone, and pandemic-related content. Women and more educated individuals were more likely to report pronounced negative dream effects, suggesting dream changes may flag those at risk for mental health issues. |
Abstract
This study analyzes the responses of 3,031 U S adults who, in early May of 2020, completed an online survey regarding their dreams and the COVID-19 outbreak The results indicate that those people most strongly affected by the pandemic also reported the strongest effects on their dream life (heightened dream recall, more negatively toned dreams, and pandemic-related dreams) Pronounced negative effects of the pandemic on dreaming were also found to be more likely among women and people with higher levels of education These findings support the notion that changes in the frequency, tone, and contents of dreaming can help identify specific people who may be most at risk for mental health problems during the COVID-19 outbreak
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on dreaming, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Insomnia Symptoms, Nightmares, and Suicidal Ideation in a College Student Sample Undergraduate students at a large, public university in the southeastern United States | 2011 | Observational cross-sectional survey | n = 583 |
| Prevalence and Correlates of Frequent Nightmares: A Community-Based 2-Phase Study Middle-aged Hong Kong Chinese adults from the community, mean age 40.9 years (SD 5.5,... | 2010 | Cross-sectional survey with subsequent clinical evaluation (two-phase design) | n = 8,558 |
| Factors of home dream recall: a structural equation model Adults (general population sample) | 2003 | Cross-sectional survey with structural equation modeling | n = 444 |
| The Phenomenology of Lucid Dreaming: An Online Survey Respondents to an online survey about lucid dreams | 2014 | Online survey | n = 684 |
| Frequency of Lucid Dreaming in a Representative German Sample Representative sample of German adults | 2011 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 919 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 37
- Pandemic Nightmares: COVID-19 Lockdown Associated With Increased Aggression in Female University Students' Dreams Frontiers in Psychology March 5, 2021
- The impact of the end of COVID confinement on pandemic dreams, as assessed by a weekly sleep diary: a longitudinal investigation in Italy. Journal of Sleep Research February 1, 2022
- Dream Activity in Narcoleptic Patients During the COVID-19 Lockdown in Italy. Frontiers in Psychology 2021
- Dreaming in Adolescents During the COVID-19 Health Crisis: Survey Among a Sample of European School Students Frontiers in Psychology April 20, 2021
- Strange themes in pandemic dreams: Insomnia was associated with more negative, anxious and death‐related dreams during the COVID‐19 pandemic Journal of Sleep Research June 14, 2022
and 32 more in the library
Cites 6
- Health dreams, health-related worries, and being ill: A questionnaire study University Library Heidelberg 2016
- The impact of September 11 on dreaming. Consciousness and Cognition December 2008
- Gender differences in dream recall: a meta‐analysis Journal of Sleep Research June 1, 2008
- Dream Recall, Dream Length, and Sleep Duration: State or Trait Factor Perceptual and Motor Skills April 1, 2008
- Dream Recall and Sleep Duration: State or Trait Factor Perceptual and Motor Skills October 1, 2005
and 1 more in the library