COVID-19 nightmare response and stress: A new Mexico sample based survey.
Tim CampBell, Ariel Hurwitz, Robyn Bartel, Rachel Rose, Jeremy Dean, Tom Markle
Sleep Medicine July 20, 2022 DOI: 10.1016/j.sleep.2022.07.008 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational survey Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 197 |
| Population | Adults in the state of New Mexico who responded to a web-based survey during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| Topics | Dreaming |
| Keywords | Humans Dreams Stress disorders, post-traumatic New mexico Pandemics Covid-19 |
| Key findings | The authors report that survey respondents experienced an increase in the quantity of both bad dreams and nightmares during the COVID-19 pandemic, along with significant changes in nightmare themes compared with pre-pandemic rates. They conclude that increased stress from the pandemic altered dream and nightmare content and frequency. |
Abstract
Studies conducted during the COVID-19 Pandemic have reported increased rates of mental illnesses including depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) [1]. A common symptom of mental illness is change in Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep, the phase of sleep associated with dreaming and nightmares. The COVID-19 pandemic offers a unique opportunity to evaluate the effects of systemic stress on nightmares. In this study, we investigate whether the COVID-19 pandemic affects nightmare frequency and content using a web-based survey within the state of New Mexico. The survey returned 197 responses showing an increase in the quantity of both bad dreams and nightmares. Furthermore, significant changes in nightmare themes were reported compared to relative rates prior to the pandemic (RR 1,42, p < 0.01; RR 5, p < 0.001). This novel data supports that increased stress from the COVID-19 pandemic has altered dream and nightmare content and frequency.
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
Cites 8
- Dreaming during the Covid-19 pandemic: Computational assessment of dream reports reveals mental suffering related to fear of contagion PLoS One November 30, 2020
- Nightmare content during the COVID‐19 pandemic: Influence of COVID‐related stress and sleep disruption in the United States Journal of Sleep Research August 18, 2021
- Nightmares' Pattern and Predictors among a Saudi University Students during COVID-19 Pandemic. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health February 4, 2022
- Impact of Traumatic Stress on Sleep and Management Options in Women. Sleep Medicine Clinics September 2018
- Nightmare Themes: An Online Study of Most Recent Nightmares and Childhood Nightmares. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine March 15, 2018
and 3 more in the library