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Fever dreams are vivid, bizarre and often disturbing dreams experienced during a fever.

What are Fever Dreams?

Fever dreams are unusual dreams that occur when a person has a fever. These dreams are typically more intense and strange than usual dreams. They may involve bizarre scenarios, surreal landscapes, or unsettling situations. People often remember fever dreams more vividly because they tend to be more emotionally charged and detailed. The high temperature associated with a fever seems to amplify the brain's activity during sleep, leading to these extraordinary dream experiences.

What Causes Fever Dreams?

The occurrence of fever dreams is linked to the body's response to elevated temperatures. When a person has a fever, their body temperature rises, causing various physiological changes. These changes can affect the brain's functioning, particularly during sleep. One explanation is that when the body becomes overheated, the brain also heats up. This overheating can disrupt normal brain functions, resulting in the strange and intense nature of fever dreams.

Chelsie Rohrscheib, Ph.D., a neuroscientist and head sleep expert at Wesper, explains that increased body temperatures make it harder for the brain to regulate sleep. This disruption can lead to an early initiation of Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep, the stage where dreaming occurs, or an excessive amount of time spent in REM sleep. Elevated temperatures can also alter the neurochemistry of the brain, causing dreams to be more intense, weird, or disturbing.

Other Triggers

Carder Stout, Ph.D., a psychologist specializing in anxiety, depression and sleep disorders, notes that fever dreams can also be triggered by irritants such as allergies, infections, or viruses. These irritants cause the body temperature to rise, which in turn affects the brain and its ability to control sleep stages effectively.

Fever dreams often have a repetitive nature and can be highly emotional, frequently leaning toward negative, sad, or frightening themes. The brain's emotional centers are activated during a fever, potentially triggering the fight or flight response, which contributes to the intensity of these dreams. People with certain psychological conditions, such as depression or sleep disorders, may be more prone to experiencing fever dreams.