According to psychologist Jennifer Martin, Ph.D., “We are wired to stay awake in the face of danger.” The Pandemic has caused some people nightmares, surreal dreams, and insomnia. Fluctuations in REM cycles have been linked to anxiety during the crisis. Normally, as an issue is resolved, stress is alleviated and sleep is improved. However, the ambiguity surrounding the virus has ignited restlessness for showing no signs of future relief. Thus, many are suffering from a lack of sleep because they are scared, hopeless and troubled.
Your past experiences can permeate your subconscious and find its way into your dreams. The concept of “dream incorporation” occurs when an event in one’s life is retold and reinterpreted in their sleep. With COVID-19 being the central issue on everyone’s minds, peoples’ dreams appear to have similar symbols in their narratives. The symbols that surface possesses unique meanings that shed insight into our human thought processes and fears.
Dreaming of an Opaque, Mysterious Figure
Subjects of sleep analyzation have identified seeing a mysterious figure in their dreams. One person reported to HuffingtonPost that she dozed off to visualize a “manifestation of the virus that’s currently lurking everywhere”;
“I was in an auditorium that had a deep red curtain. It was fairly dark there. A few people were in there, none of whom I noticed nor did I really recognize. What I noticed was, in the far corner, a slender human body with an ominous, giant black rabbit head was just silently watching in the back. “
Numerous other accounts described the same image of a dark, haunting figure in their dreams. The surreal reality of events has caused people to feel detached from the world. The pandemic seems unreal and our circumstances give us the idea that life is theatrical—a show. The dreamer, like most of us, wishes for the show to end. By envisioning an ominous figure, dreamers give COVID-19 a tangible form so that their minds can better comprehend it. The darkness of dreams is reflective of gloomy emotions. The rabbit head the subject envisions may be indicative of the rapid pace the virus is spreading, as bunnies are known to be extremely fertile and multiply.
Running Away, Being Chased
If you dreamt that you’re being chased, it could metaphorically mean that you are desperate to escape the virus. Often, instead of confronting stress we avoid dealing with it. The dream could convey that during such a tumultuous and scary time, you’ve neglected to effectively cope with your stress or emotions.
Death of a Loved One/Terrible Occurrence
If a monumental and horrendous event happened in your dream, don’t fret because it’s not predicting the future. Rather, dreams are a way for people to learn more about who they are. Dreams of death typically signal the ending of an aspect of one’s life. Yet this can also indicate a new beginning, as we resume our lives post-pandemic.
Disclaimer: The insights of this article are based on various sources and are in part the opinion of multiple author’s interpretations.
Sources:
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/04/03/why-youre-having-pandemic-related-nightmares-and- 1 how-to-sleep-better.html
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/04/03/why-youre-having-pandemic-related-nightmares-and- 2 how-to-sleep-better.html
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/vivid-coronavirus-dreams-pandemic-experts- 3 decode_l_5e987fefc5b6a92100e3d40b
