Stuck in a lockdown: Dreams, bad dreams, nightmares, and their relationship to stress, depression and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Anxiety
/ etiology
COVID-19
/ complications
Canada
/ epidemiology
Child
Depression
/ etiology
Dreams
/ psychology
Female
Humans
Male
Mental Health
/ trends
Mental Recall
/ physiology
Middle Aged
Quarantine
/ psychology
SARS-CoV-2
/ physiology
Surveys and Questionnaires
Young Adult
Journal
PloS one
ISSN: 1932-6203
Titre abrégé: PLoS One
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 101285081
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
2021
2021
Historique:
received:
19
05
2021
accepted:
12
10
2021
entrez:
24
11
2021
pubmed:
25
11
2021
medline:
15
12
2021
Statut:
epublish
Résumé
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. 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. 34% (328) of participants reported increased dream recall during the lockdown. The most common dream themes were centered around the topics of 1) inefficacy (e.g., trying again and again, arriving late), 2) human threat (e.g., being chased, attacked); 3) death; and 4) pandemic imagery (e.g., 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. 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.
Sections du résumé
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 (e.g., trying again and again, arriving late), 2) human threat (e.g., being chased, attacked); 3) death; and 4) pandemic imagery (e.g., 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.
Identifiants
pubmed: 34818346
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0259040
pii: PONE-D-21-16452
pmc: PMC8612516
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
e0259040Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts
The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
Références
Psychiatry Res. 1989 May;28(2):193-213
pubmed: 2748771
BMJ Open. 2019 Jun 18;9(6):e021895
pubmed: 31217313
J Health Soc Behav. 1983 Dec;24(4):385-96
pubmed: 6668417
Sleep. 2013 Jul 1;36(7):1059-1068
pubmed: 23814343
Int J Ment Health Addict. 2020 Mar 27;:1-9
pubmed: 32226353
Sleep. 2014 Aug 01;37(8):1295-304
pubmed: 25083009
Stress Health. 2021 Mar 21;:
pubmed: 33749112
Front Psychol. 2021 Mar 05;12:644636
pubmed: 33746860
Curr Biol. 2020 Jul 20;30(14):R822-R823
pubmed: 32693079
Arch Intern Med. 2006 May 22;166(10):1092-7
pubmed: 16717171
Sleep. 2020 Nov 12;43(11):
pubmed: 32886777
J Behav Ther Exp Psychiatry. 2020 Sep;68:101517
pubmed: 31884305
J Affect Disord. 2019 Jun 15;253:26-34
pubmed: 31009845
Can J Psychiatry. 2021 Sep;66(9):815-826
pubmed: 33464115
Sleep Med. 2020 Dec;76:16-25
pubmed: 33059247
J Cogn Neurosci. 2003 Jan 1;15(1):1-9
pubmed: 12590838
Curr Biol. 2020 Aug 17;30(16):R930-R931
pubmed: 32810450
Nature. 2005 Oct 27;437(7063):1286-9
pubmed: 16251954
J Sleep Res. 2020 Aug;29(4):e13074
pubmed: 32410272
J Clin Sleep Med. 2020 Aug 15;16(8):1419-1420
pubmed: 32394889
Curr Biol. 2020 Jul 20;30(14):R797-R798
pubmed: 32693068
J Sleep Res. 2019 Aug;28(4):e12820
pubmed: 30697860
J Sleep Res. 2021 Oct;30(5):e13300
pubmed: 33547703
Biol Psychiatry. 2003 Sep 1;54(5):573-83
pubmed: 12946886
Front Psychol. 2020 Oct 01;11:573961
pubmed: 33117240
Scand J Public Health. 2021 Nov;49(7):755-765
pubmed: 33645323
Behav Sleep Med. 2021 Mar 2;:1-16
pubmed: 33650896
Curr Biol. 2020 Jul 20;30(14):R795-R797
pubmed: 32693067
Global Health. 2020 Jul 6;16(1):57
pubmed: 32631403
Sleep. 2002 Mar 15;25(2):205-12
pubmed: 11902430
Front Psychol. 2015 Jul 02;6:874
pubmed: 26191010
J Sleep Res. 2019 Feb;28(1):e12697
pubmed: 29682834
Conscious Cogn. 2008 Dec;17(4):1248-56
pubmed: 18801664
J Sleep Res. 2014 Aug;23(4):441-7
pubmed: 24635722
Sleep Med. 2021 Jan;77:1-6
pubmed: 33285395
Front Psychol. 2015 Aug 18;6:1132
pubmed: 26347669
PLoS One. 2020 Nov 30;15(11):e0242903
pubmed: 33253274
Front Neurol. 2017 Jun 01;8:201
pubmed: 28620339
Sleep. 2013 Jul 1;36(7):1041-1050
pubmed: 23814341
Curr Biol. 2010 Dec 7;20(23):R1010-3
pubmed: 21145013
Behav Brain Sci. 2019 May 30;43:e90
pubmed: 31142395
Sleep Med. 2021 May;81:20-32
pubmed: 33631710
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Jul 02;17(13):
pubmed: 32630821
Medicine (Baltimore). 2020 Jun 26;99(26):e20769
pubmed: 32590755
Int J Ment Health Addict. 2020 Jul 9;:1-7
pubmed: 32837440
BMJ Open. 2020 Dec 12;10(12):e043805
pubmed: 33310814
Clin Psychol Rev. 2017 Dec;58:86-96
pubmed: 29074230
Conscious Cogn. 2021 Jan;87:103051
pubmed: 33248426
J Psychol. 2004 Nov;138(6):485-94
pubmed: 15612605
J Neurol. 2021 Jan;268(1):8-15
pubmed: 32654065
J Anxiety Disord. 2020 Aug;74:102268
pubmed: 32650221
BMJ Open. 2021 May 3;11(5):e045325
pubmed: 33941630
BMC Psychiatry. 2021 Apr 28;21(1):212
pubmed: 33910550
Behav Sleep Med. 2015;13(3):255-64
pubmed: 24617942
Psychiatry Res. 2020 Jul;289:113076
pubmed: 32434093
J Investig Med. 2020 Oct;68(7):1228-1234
pubmed: 32747387
J Biol Rhythms. 2010 Feb;25(1):53-62
pubmed: 20075301
PLoS One. 2020 Sep 24;15(9):e0239698
pubmed: 32970764
Sleep Med. 2020 Nov;75:12-20
pubmed: 32853913
Sleep Med Rev. 2007 Aug;11(4):295-310
pubmed: 17498981
Psychol Bull. 2009 Sep;135(5):731-48
pubmed: 19702380
Psychol Trauma. 2020 Aug;12(S1):S17-S21
pubmed: 32496100
Sleep. 2021 Jul 9;44(7):
pubmed: 33567067
Sleep Med Rev. 2006 Feb;10(1):19-31
pubmed: 16377217
J Anxiety Disord. 2020 Mar;70:102196
pubmed: 32078967
Psychiatry Res. 2020 Jun;288:112954
pubmed: 32325383
Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2017 Sep;52(9):1123-1133
pubmed: 28712041
Psychol Bull. 2007 May;133(3):482-528
pubmed: 17469988
Clin Psychol Rev. 2014 Nov;34(7):580-93
pubmed: 25306232
Sleep Med Clin. 2011 Mar 1;6(1):97-108
pubmed: 21516215
Sleep Med. 2020 Dec;76:36-42
pubmed: 33075612
Psychol Bull. 2009 Nov;135(6):885-908
pubmed: 19883141
Int J Psychol. 2021 May 3;:
pubmed: 33938580
Psychol Bull. 1991 Nov;110(3):406-25
pubmed: 1758917
Sleep Med. 2021 Feb 9;:
pubmed: 33618965
Sleep. 2008 Feb;31(2):213-8
pubmed: 18274268
Neurobiol Learn Mem. 2015 Jul;122:98-109
pubmed: 25683202
J Clin Sleep Med. 2019 Sep 15;15(9):1209-1215
pubmed: 31538591
Psychiatr Danub. 2014 Jun;26(2):159-64
pubmed: 24909253
J Sleep Res. 2021 Feb;30(1):e13231
pubmed: 33200477
Pharmacol Ther. 2011 Dec;132(3):242-67
pubmed: 21835197
Psychol Trauma. 2020 Jul;12(5):546-549
pubmed: 32538654