• Is the pandemic getting you down? According to a new study, your dreams might be an indicator.
• Right now, more than ever, it’s important to pay attention to the signs.
• If you’re struggling with your mental health, try these 4 things that can.

If you’re finding yourself sleeping terribly these days, don’t worry. You’re not alone. While many people are suffering from insomnia due to the pandemic — a phenomenon that has come to be known as Coronasomnia — others are experiencing vivid, intense dreams when they are asleep.

But what’s causing such vivid dreams? According to a new study, if you’re experiencing these dreams, the pandemic may be getting the best of you.

Is the pandemic is getting the best of you? The answer might be in your dreams.

The new study, published in the Dreaming Journal, found that the people who experience these vivid and often negative dreams are also experiencing the most stress related to the pandemic.

To conduct the study, researchers asked participants about their dream patterns — beginning in May of 2020 — along with how the pandemic had affected their lives thus far. The study included 3,031 U.S. adults. The team wanted to examine how the pandemic was affecting people’s dreams as well as the overall mental health of individuals.

After an analysis of each participant, the researcher team found this: nearly 1 in 3 people reported an increase in dream recall due to the pandemic, and 15% reported having more negative dreams than usual.

“The people whose dream lives have been most negatively affected are also those who have been personally affected on a physical level (either they or a significant other caught the virus), on a social level (suffering from the social restrictions), and/or a mental level (depression, anxiety, etc.),” Michael Schredl, Ph.D., and Kelly Bulkeley, Ph.D., the researchers behind the study explain. “This shows that changes in dreaming can help to identify those persons who may be suffering the most due to the pandemic.”

Basically, the more negative or vivid your dreams are, the more likely it is that you’re struggling with fears surrounding the pandemic. And it’s not a surprise that you might be. People are experiencing the loss of loved ones, getting sick themselves, losing their jobs, combatting loneliness and isolation as well as a complete change in their routines.

“These findings support the notion that changes in the frequency, tone, and contents of dreaming can help identify specific people who may be most at risk for mental health problems during the pandemic,” the researchers explain.

How can you take care of your mental health right now during the pandemic?

Whether your dreams have been an indicator that you’re struggling right now, or you’ve already been aware that the pandemic is negatively affecting you, it’s important to prioritize caring for your emotional health.

If you’re struggling right now, take care of your mental health with these 4 tips:

1. Boost your immune system

Right now, perhaps more than ever, it’s important to do what you can to boost your immune system. This could mean eating immune-boosting foods to prevent cold, flu and other illnesses, or following Dr. Fauci’s recommendations of taking the necessary supplements to help strengthen your immune system.

At The Swell Score, we’re here to help you get back on track with taking care of yourself. We’re a team of doctors, nutritionists, and scientists dedicated to helping our community cut through the overwhelming noise and misinformation surrounding health and wellness online through knowledge, proven benefits and yes, exclusive deals. Right now, through our annual membership, we offer unlimited access to doctor-recommended supplements and courses in our wellness marketplace that could help boost your immune system.

2. Get your Sleep Fix

It goes without saying, but we’ll say it anyway: you need quality, consistent sleep to thrive. Without it, your body cannot function properly. Sleep is a very important factor in your mental health. Whether you’re experiencing Coronasomnia or vivid dreams due to the pandemic, let’s get you back on track.

If you’re struggling with getting quality sleep, try this solution: the Sleep Fix Cognitive Therapy Course. This powerful, 8-session course — brought to life by SelfHelpWorks — is aimed at getting you back to the pleasure of sleeping soundly in just a few short weeks. Dr. Michael Grandnew Ph.D., the Professor of Psychiatry and Director of Sleep and Health Research at the University of Arizona, guides you through the course to achieve better overall health, improved productivity and a better quality of life.

3. Detox from stress and learn to better manage it

Stress is also one of the biggest factors in your mental health. If you’re experiencing pandemic stress, you don’t have to go it alone or stay in the negative spot you’re in. Let yourself detox from stress, while learning to better manage it, for a more fulfilling and carefree life.

At The Swell score, we know alleviating stress and managing it well is important. We recommend this innovative and transformational cognitive therapy course aimed at busting the stress in your life. In this interactive, easy-to-use course, Dr. Diane Hambrick M.D. teaches how to live easy by changing the way you respond to stress through retraining our brain’s habitual, impulsive reactions to triggering life events and situations. Learn to take back your life by ridding yourself of unnecessary stressors.

4. Talk to someone about what you’re struggling with

Do you have someone you can talk to about your mental health? Whether a family member, close friend, colleague or even a medical professional — it’s important to take the time to talk it out. And you can always reach out to a mental health hotline. Remember: you’re not alone.

Are you ready to get back to a better place, mentally? We’re here to support you all the way.