Millions of people around the world are suffering from the dreaded Coronasueños. And you?

Did you know that the words " insomnia " and " I can't sleep " reached an all-time high in Google searches last April? People's sleep is undoubtedly being disrupted more than ever. And there seems to be a cause: COVID-19.

The coronavirus pandemic may be affecting the quality and sleep patterns of some people, to the point of being unable to sleep or even experiencing certain nightmares, something that has become known as "coronasleeps."

What are crowndreams?

It refers to dreams related to being confined at home and having fatalistic ideas about the future.

This includes, for example, dreaming about the sudden deaths of loved ones or even clashes between people over basic services such as food.

How much is known about this? Little. What can be done? Probably a lot.

The dream and the quarantine

“I dream that I go out into the street and there are no people around because of social distancing rules. It feels like a ghost town . But then I realize I'm really hungry and I'm about to try to get something with a gun in my hand.” This is the recurring dream of Natalia Jaimes , a Colombian woman living in Virginia, United States.

Several examples of so-called coronadreams have also emerged on social media.

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In May 2020, a study conducted by Harvard University warned that the pandemic could affect a person's sleep routine, which would also have consequences for their emotional well-being.

The possible reason for coronasleeps is that the brain remains alert to an invisible threat, such as the current coronavirus pandemic.

“ Too many sleepless nights can aggravate physical and mental health problems ,” the University said.

Why do we have more intense dreams?

“The dream begins with a thief entering my house armed, but without a mask. I was much more worried about the possibility of getting infected than about being attacked or stealing everything. Then an unprecedented tsunami occurred, wiping out most of the country's population; although I was saved, I don't know why.”

This is the story of Gillian Williams , a young university student in Idaho (United States), whose school year was interrupted by the emergency, which has affected her academic life... and her sleep.

Since the announcement of the COVID-19 crisis, cases of acute insomnia have increased among those who had never suffered from the disease.

Where is the problem?

“ People are feeling the need to go to bed later , and as a result, they are delaying their waking time, which is reducing their hours of productivity at work, home, and social levels.”

This is the opinion of Dr. Celia García-Malo , a neurologist specializing in sleep at the Spanish Sleep Institute. She adds:

“During the day, these people don't feel like doing things, lose interest in activities they used to enjoy, and lack energy . They may become irritable due to lack of sleep, and all of this, in the context of quarantine, can complicate family life.”

It is known that some of the most recurrent corona dreams would be related to family members who contract this disease or die from it.

For her part, Lisa Medalie , a doctor at the University of Chicago Hospital, comments:

"It's a difficult situation because people aren't getting as much sleep as they need at a time when it's really important for health reasons."

But the problem doesn't just affect ordinary citizens, Medalie said.

“Healthcare professionals on the front lines are at great risk for post-traumatic stress disorder as a response to this. They're experiencing trauma, for sure.”

What is being done to solve it?

Following the pandemic's impact on people's sleep around the world, medical science has begun to take action.

Dr. Medalie, for example, created Doctor Lullaby, a free app with routines and tips on how to breathe, what to do before going to sleep, and even what to listen to to help you get a restful sleep.

Insomnia can damage the immune system, change mood, and decrease productivity.

Psychology has also begun to study the phenomenon from its own perspective. “Nightmares are a very current phenomenon in this context of social isolation and constant alert. Freud called them 'anxiety dreams,' ” commented Agustina Fernández, a member of the Argentine Psychoanalytic Association.

He added: "They often produce a very vivid sensation in the dreamer, where the dream seems real. And the subjects wake up feeling very anxious , and may experience palpitations, shortness of breath, screaming, or crying."

Therefore, some of the recommendations are:

1. Try to maintain a reasonable bedtime . That is, don't go to bed too late or stay in bed too long.
2. Maintain a healthy and balanced diet.
3. Exercise every day .
4. Do not drink coffee at least 10 hours before going to sleep.
5. Differentiate spaces at home according to each activity (work areas, rest areas, play areas, homework areas, etc.).
6. Reduce or eliminate alcohol (metabolizing alcohol is known to affect sleep).
7. Reduce consumption of social networks and news .
8. Half an hour before bed, do a relaxing activity (such as reading, practicing yoga, looking at photos).
9. If the person can't sleep, it's best not to stay in bed . You can try doing something active at home, drinking a hot drink, or doing some relaxing exercise until you start to feel sleepy.
10. Manage fatalistic thoughts . When faced with latent fears such as a lack of food or employment, you need to appeal to objective and real data (cognitive restructuring) and focus on the here and now.

Sleep and rest during pandemic times

The current lockdown has put humanity to the test. For many people, staying home has represented a significant change in their daily routines , with its attendant consequences.

Sleep has been one of the main victims. And in an attempt to counteract this, science has drawn on its knowledge of human beings.

Perhaps only when the world returns to its routine will we truly know the extent to which the pandemic has affected people. For now, considering recommendations for quality sleep is our responsibility .

Crown dreams can also be due to the stress caused by the uncertainty of not knowing when the pandemic will end. Therefore, here are some tips to relieve stress this coming year.

Have you had crown dreams? Tell us!