Our average body temperature is 97 to 99°F. If your temperature rises even by 2 degrees, you may have a fever. Symptoms of fever include shivers, aches, and even bizarre dreams. If you are wondering, “What is a fever dream?” It is the vivid dream that you have when you have a fever. Usually, people categorize it as a negative dream. So, did you ever have a bad dream while you had a fever? Now you know what it was.
Why Do We Have Fever Dreams?
You might be wondering, “What is the reason behind fever dreams?”. Truth be told, the fever dream is a mystery. The exact reasons behind them are unknown, although there are a few theories. The most widely accepted view is that fever affects our brain’s thinking abilities, which leads to low cognitive function—coupled with the fact that fever also affects our REM Sleep, hence causing unusual dreams. Ergo, we get a fever dream. And yes! people also go through negative emotions while experiencing fever dreams.
What Is Experienced in A Fever Dream?
Fever dream is troubling dreams similar to nightmares. But they have some recurring themes and aspects, and they are different from usual dreams because they are far more vivid. Some elements of fever dreams are:
- They feel more negative compared to our normal dreams. Also, there are only a few positive emotions.
- There are visuals of heat and fire. For instance, statues melting down, forest fires, sky on fire, and heatwaves. Our brain is aware of the raised body temperature, which can be a possible cause.
- Recurrent childhood nightmares.
- Visuals about phobias or fears, anxieties regarding death, and dreams about accidents.
- Dreamers may also dream about illnesses and scary health-related scenarios.
- Dreams about other species like aliens, giant insects, large monster-like creatures, etc.
- There may be moving spaces or spatial distortion in your dreams.
- In some cases, a fever dream ends in a feeling similar to the one experienced in claustrophobia or vertigo.
- Interestingly, a person remembers fever dreams more than regular dreams, and they have a high recall value where dreamers remember most, if not all, of the details.
What Is a Way to Stop Fever Dream?
Fever dreams can be challenging for some people to deal with as it triggers anxieties and fears. They stop on their own once your fever subsides. But some people might want to stop them sooner. There is no single method to putting a stop to fever dreams, so if you are looking for a way to stop them, you can try these:
- Keep yourself hydrated. Drink a lot of fluids to prevent dehydration.
- Get your sleep. Sleep is vital for our health, but it is also important to help recover our bodies. Fever dreams may disturb our sleeping patterns, but try to stay well-rested.
- Bathe using cool or lukewarm water.
- Ask your physician to suggest you a fever-reducing medicine.
Conclusion:
What is a fever dream? In simple words, fever dreams are bad dreams we have when we are sick.
Are you experiencing any sleep or headache-related problems? We can help you here at Sleep and Headache Solutions, dial 832-688-8886 or leave a mail at saguilar@sleepandheadache.com for consultations and appointments.