Nightmares became more prevalent among adults during the pandemic, according to a study published Aug. 26 in Nature and Science of Sleep.
A global team of researchers surveyed more than 15,000 participants in the U.S. and 14 other countries between May and August 2020 as part of the International COVID-19 Sleep Study.
Before COVID-19, 13.24 percent of study participants reported having nightmares at least one or two nights a week. This figure jumped to 22.35 percent during the pandemic.
Participants who were younger, female, unemployed, students, had COVID-19, experienced a higher financial burden and were confined for longer periods of time had higher rates of nightmares.
"Our results display the pandemic influence on nightmare frequency, which in turn connects to multiple mental health and sleep factors," researchers said, adding that healthcare workers should consider nightmares in their screening routines.
View the full study here.