Bad dreams: When a person is sick, they may experience strange dreams. Let us explain why these dreams occur and how they can be prevented.

Bad dreams occur during fever: Being sick isn't easy. It can cause various types of flu symptoms, such as a runny nose, persistent sneezing, body aches, and high fever. All these symptoms can complicate daily routines. The trouble doesn't end there; sometimes, when we go to sleep to rest, we face another challenge. What happens is that when we try to sleep or are asleep, we suddenly start having various dreams. These are commonly called fever dreams. These dreams often seem quite realistic, emotional, and sometimes frightening, leaving us feeling uneasy or confused upon waking. But the question is, why do dreams become so different during illness? Let us answer this question.

What are fever dreams?

The answer to why dreams become so different during illness lies in the changes taking place within our bodies. Fever increases body temperature and alters brain activity. This is why dreams during sleep become more bizarre than normal. Fever dreams occur when body temperature rises above normal. Dreams are generally most realistic during REM sleep, or the rapid eye movement stage. According to one study, 94 percent of people described their fever dreams as negative and disturbing. This means that during high fever, the brain processes emotions and memories differently, making dreams more strange, frightening, or emotional.

Why are these dreams so strange?

When you have a fever, it becomes difficult to regulate your body temperature. This condition is often explained by the overheated brain theory. When the brain heats up, its ability to think and process is affected. This impacts sleep, and dreams become bizarre and emotionally intense. During REM sleep, the body's temperature is already imbalanced, and fever exacerbates this imbalance. As a result, dreams can appear very strange and frightening. Some people experience moving walls, giant insects, darkness spreading, or strangely shaped creatures. These are all considered common symptoms of fever dreams.

How to deal with it?

It's not always possible to completely prevent fever dreams, but you can reduce them with some simple measures.

• Drink plenty of water and eat tasty food.
• Keep the sleeping environment comfortable and the room temperature balanced.
• Take fever-reducing medicines as per the doctor's advice.
• Try relaxation techniques like deep breathing, meditation or light stretching before bed.