Scary Pandemic Nightmares Can Be Changed Into Sweet Dreams
Many people report having vivid, sometimes anxiety-ridden dreams during the current COVID-19 crisis. But an expert in dreams says those images can be softened even while someone is still sleeping.
The fictional super-spy Jason Bourne once paused during a stressful mission to take a nap, declaring that “rest is a weapon.”
“I’m going to change that threat, that monster, into some friend of mine who is chasing me.” — Patrick McNamara, Boston University
But experts say many real people in the age of the COVID-19 virus are going unarmed.
They’re experiencing restless sleep and often vivid, sometimes disturbing, dreams.
“I’m going to change that threat, that monster, into some friend of mine who is chasing me,” says Patrick McNamara, a sleep expert at Boston University. “And then we’ll have a dialogue, we’ll talk. And so you diffuse the intense emotions around that threat right there in the dream.”
McNamara is an Associate Professor of Neurology researching sleep and dreams. He tells WDET’s Quinn Klinefelter the current pandemic creates a formidable foe for the sub-conscious mind.
Click on the player above to hear how you can transform your anxiety-driven dreams into a pleasant experience.
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