Using Lucid Dreaming During Self-Isolation This Pandemic
Being on lockdown for an extended period because of the COVID-19 pandemic feels like one big fever dream. People live in the confines of their own homes and are restricted from freely moving to other places to decrease the risk of infection. In addition, the mundane things that people used to do are now all done with extra precaution by wearing masks. With this, there is no doubt that the pandemic has altered the way we live our lives and our whole worldview on how the world works in general.
In a sense, the pandemic has affected people's dream world too. The way people dream, how often they can dream, and how vivid these dreams can be were all affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. In the early stages of countries putting themselves on lockdown, there was a heightened collective sense of fear and anxiety, which led to a probable increase in weird and bizarre dreams that could all be attributed to society's adjustments because of the pandemic.
The Science Behind the Change in the Nature of Dreams
Dream research has been going on for quite some time now, but it is through social media wherein it has become more accessible. Since the pandemic started, a Twitter account with the handle @CovidDreams began functioning. It allowed people to answer surveys regarding the nature of their dreams during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In this survey, it was revealed that 37% of the respondents experienced pandemic-related dreams. In particular, these dreams had themes of unsatisfactorily completing tasks or even depicting social isolation because of fear.
Another study shows that adults who were undergoing social isolation had dreams described in words such as anger, sadness, contamination, and cleanliness. In a Finland-based study, people often felt anxious and had increased stress during the day because of their unusual dreams in the evening.
The common trend amongst these studies is that both the biological and social adjustments people had to make in the COVID-19 pandemic have affected their dream state. The latter can be explained through multiple factors, yet the apparent reason would be the change in sleeping patterns that augmented the REM sleep, which holds a conducive environment for dreaming.
The Prevalence of REM Sleep
Stay-at-home orders and work-from-home adjustments have prompted people not to wake up as early as they did before. During the face-to-face era, people had to wake up early to get ready for their 8 A.M. job because they had to catch public transportation, but during the COVID-19 period, they didn't have to because they could wake up a minute before their class or meeting starts and they'd still be on time.
In a recent study on Chinese respondents, an average 46-minute increase of people stayed in their bed, and an extra 34 minutes was added to their regular sleeping schedule.
Note this because a longer sleeping time means that it is more likely for a person to form a cohesive dream. In many laboratory studies, the respondents who were able to sleep longer had experienced more vivid dreams. Also, relaxed sleeping schedules have fostered a better environment for REM sleep. Thus, dreams are more vivid and seem more real.
Utilizing Lucid Dreaming to Cope
With this, the concept of lucid dreaming is introduced. This concept was first identified as part of astrology, wherein the astrological meaning of dreams was associated with dream interpretation, but now it is considered a legitimate field of study in psychology.
Simply put, lucid dreaming refers to a situation wherein a person is asleep and dreaming but is very aware of what's happening. So, this entails that the person desiring can control their dream. For lucid dreaming to happen, you must be in REM sleep. It usually happens unintentionally, but you can also practice doing this by following these methods.
Despite the anti-COVID-19 pandemic protocols being done (i.e., mass vaccinations and stricter lockdown protocols), people are still unsure when this pandemic will end. Hence, since the surge of bizarre dreams was triggered by uncertainty, the phenomenon is likely to continue.
For people who are mentally bothered by their dreams, it is recommended that they see a therapist. But if you can't afford them or want to have less freaky dreams, then lucid dreaming might help you. By utilizing targeted memory reactivation, or other methods, then you might be able to recalibrate those weird dreams that you're having about the pandemic into more pleasant ones.
The Verdict
Coping is different for everyone, but lucid dreaming could help you quell those dreams you have been trying to shake off. In addition, lucid dreaming is proven to have therapeutic effects that may help with the nightmares you are having or even the PTSD that you are experiencing.
In circumstances of self-isolation and lockdowns brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, daily habits are restricted, and the stress that a person feels is likely high. So, the purpose of lucid dreaming can also be extended to not only controlling the nightmares that you have but also create your escapist reality, away from the uncertainty and doubt caused by this never-ending pandemic.
