A new study published in The Journal of Psychology has found a strong connection between loneliness and the frequency and intensity of nightmares. The research, led by Dr. Colin Hesse from Oregon State University (OSU), suggests that the human need for social connections is crucial for our emotional well-being and deeply intertwined with our sleep quality. This discovery sheds light on how feelings of loneliness affect mental well-being and have profound implications for physical health.
Dr. Hesse, the director of the School of Communication in OSU’s College of Liberal Arts, teamed up with experts from the University of Arizona, the University of Tampa, and Whitworth University to investigate the link between loneliness and nightmares. To explore this connection, the researchers conducted two studies involving U.S. adults of various ages. Both studies examined how loneliness might lead to nightmares, focusing not only on how often they occur but also on their intensity.
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The Connection Between Loneliness and Nightmares
According to the study, stress, rumination, and hyperarousal are some of the psychological factors that affect the relationship between loneliness and nightmares. Stress, which is frequently a result of feeling alone, can cause sleep disturbances that increase the likelihood that people will have nightmares. Further aggravating sleep difficulties are hyperarousal, or an elevated state of awareness, and rumination, or prolonged concern and anxiety. These findings imply that loneliness induces a mental state that makes the mind more prone to unsettling and bad dreams. This shows that loneliness is a real condition with real consequences for mental and physical health and not merely an emotion.
The Evolutionary Theory of Loneliness
The lead author of the study, Dr. Kory Floyd, is a professor of psychology and communication at the University of Arizona. He believes that these results support the evolutionary theory of loneliness developed by John T. Cacioppo and Stephanie Cacioppo. According to this notion, a strong sense of belonging is necessary forhuman survival. This idea holds that feelings of loneliness are adaptive reactions that have developed to alert us to dangers to our social connections. Just like hunger drives us to eat, it motivates us to make new connections with people.
Floyd stated that loneliness makes us feel exposed to danger and hypervigilant to it, citing Cacioppo and Cacioppo’s evolutionary theory as support. “We used this reasoning, specifically, to identify the mechanisms of stress, hyperarousal, and rumination that we tested in these two studies.”
Findings from the Research
The first study involved 827 U.S. adults and found that loneliness, measured by the UCLA Loneliness Scale, significantly predicted the frequency of nightmares, even after accounting for age and gender. Stress was found to mediate this relationship, contributing to more frequent nightmares.
The second study, involving 782 U.S. adults, confirmed these findings and added that loneliness also increased the intensity of nightmares. Researchers identified hyperarousal (heightened alertness) and rumination (repetitive negative thinking) as key factors that worsened nightmares among lonely individuals, highlighting the profound impact of social disconnection on sleep quality.
Health Risks Associated with Loneliness
The issue of loneliness has become increasingly urgent, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Studies have connected loneliness to a higher risk of heart disease, stroke, dementia, and early mortality, establishing the long-standing recognition of loneliness as a public health concern. Loneliness and smoking both increase the likelihood of dying young, according to the U.S. Surgeon General’s office. According to the statistics, older persons who experience loneliness have a higher chance of dementia by 50%, heart disease by 29%, and stroke by 32%.
Apart from these dangers, people who experience loneliness have a greater chance of developing depression in comparison to those who don’t. This shows how crucial it is to treat loneliness as a vital aspect of general health and wellbeing.
Implications for Future Research
The researchers suggest that treating loneliness could help reduce the frequency and intensity of nightmares, but emphasize that more controlled clinical studies are needed to explore this possibility further.
“Quality restorative sleep is a linchpin for cognitive functioning, mood regulation, metabolism, and many other aspects of well-being,” Hesse noted. “That’s why it’s so critical to investigate the psychological states that disrupt sleep, loneliness being key among them.”
Conclusion
As researchers continue to explore this connection, there is hope that therapeutic interventions could be developed to address loneliness and its associated sleep disturbances, improving the quality of life for those who feel disconnected from others.
