Dreams and nightmares during the first and second wave of the COVID-19 infection: a longitudinal study

Recent literature shows that the Coronovirus‐19 (COVID‐19) pandemic has provokedsignificant changes in dreaming. The current study intends to provide an update about dreamvariable changes during the second wave of COVID‐19. A total of 611 participants completed a websurvey from December 2020 to January 2021. Statistical comparisons showed that subjects had lowerdream‐recall frequency, nightmare frequency, lucid‐dream frequency, emotional intensity, andnightmare distress during the second than the first wave of the pandemic. Dreams had a highernegative tone during the second than first wave. We revealed significant differences concerningpost‐traumatic growth, sleep‐related post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and sleepmeasures between groups obtained as a function of the changes in the oneiric frequency betweenthe first and second waves. We also found significant correlations between qualitative/emotionaldream features and COVID‐19‐related factors (job change, forced quarantine, having COVID‐19infected relatives/friends, or asking for mental health help). Overall, we found that the second waveaffected fewer quantitative features of dream activity and there was less emotional intensity.Moreover, we confirmed the relationship between nightmares and the high risk of PTSD whensubjects were grouped as a function of the increasing/decreasing frequency. Finally, our findingsare partly coherent with the continuity hypothesis between oneiric and waking experiences.