More than half of Americans are losing sleep due to the COVID-19 news cycle

By Sarah Kocher // SWNS

NEWS COPY w/ VIDEO + INFOGRAPHIC

Half of Americans have cheated on their partner – in a dream, according to new research.

The survey asked 2,000 Americans about their dreams and found 51% have had a sex dream about someone other than their partner.

And funnily enough, 42% of those surveyed say they’ve woken up annoyed with a person in their lives because of something they did in a dream.

Conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Mattress Advisor, the survey found that 66% of respondents are desperate for a good night’s rest – and 63% point the finger at the COVID-19 news cycle.

Respondents reported that it takes them on average 25 minutes to fall asleep, and then they only get six hours of sleep.

Half of those surveyed also said nightmares cause them to have a hard time falling asleep, and another one in two respondents said they have recurring nightmares.

The top influences for a bad dream was found to stem from relationship issues, closely followed by family worries and health concerns.

The survey found the top nightmares respondents have experienced included being chased, falling and being attacked.

Other nightmares included having a partner leave them, having to go back to high school and being naked in public.

Respondents were also asked to share the strangest dreams they’ve had, which led to some interesting responses.

One respondent described a dream in which they were being chased by a giant frog while another shared they had quite the strange dream that they gave birth to a baked potato and no one seemed to notice the bundle of joy was the starchy treat.

With all of these unique dreams, it’s no wonder 40% of respondents reported that they can’t remember the last time they got a good night’s sleep. 

"In today's current climate, a good night's sleep can be especially hard to come by,” said Ashley Little, a Certified Sleep Science Coach at Mattress Advisor. “It's important to remember how critical our sleep is to the rest of our health and well-being. If you prioritize your sleep health, you can feel the beneficial effects on other areas of your life." 

And once they’re asleep, the struggles don’t end; respondents shared they wake up in the middle of the night an average of seven times throughout the week. 

Respondents reported that they wake up at least twice a week from finicky kids, their pets, noisy neighbors and street noise.

It’s no wonder that eight in 10 respondents agreed that they get frustrated when they have difficulty falling asleep.

"No matter if you're overwhelmed with stress, disrupted by environmental factors, or experiencing restless nights in the midst of bad dreams, rest assured that there is a way to solve your sleep problems,” added Little. “Taking a personalized approach can help you overcome your challenges and sleep better at night. Whether you need to find ways to manage a stressful life or upgrade your bedroom furniture and sleep environment, there are resources available to help you."

AMERICA’S TOP 20 NIGHTMARES

1. Being chased - 40%
2. Falling - 36%
3. Being attacked - 31%
4. Running late for something - 29%
5. Lost/trapped somewhere - 29%
6. Waking up late - 27%
7. Someone you love is dying - 27%
8. Visited by a deceased loved one - 26%
9. Dying - 24%
10. Partner leaving you - 24%
11. Have to go back to high school - 23%
12. Unprepared for a test/exam - 22%
13. Forgot to prepare for an important meeting - 22%
14. Naked in public - 22%
15. Teeth are falling out - 21%
16. Sustaining an injury - 20%
17. Being paralyzed - 20%
18. Drowning - 20%
19. House is burning down - 17%
20. Being buried alive - 15%

TOP 15 THINGS KEEPING AMERICANS UP AT NIGHT

1. COVID-19 news - 63%
2. Stress about their personal lives - 62%
3. General aches and pains - 61%
4. Financial stress - 59%
5. Stress about work - 46%
6. Outside noise - 54%
7. Stayed up too late - 52%
8. Poor mattress quality - 52%
9. Nightmares - 50%
10. Partner snores - 47%
11. The news (general) - 46%
12. Kids wouldn't fall asleep - 46%
13. Pets were making noise - 44%
14. Politics - 40%
15. Squeaky bed frame - 37%

TOP 5 FEARS THAT INFLUENCE DREAMS

1. Relationship issues - 53%
2. Family worries - 50%
3. Health concerns - 50%
4. Work/career worries - 43%
5. General well-being - 35%

AMERICA’S STRANGEST DREAMS 

(response have been edited for length/clarity)

1. Being chased by a giant frog.
2. I gave birth to a baked potato. She had a cute little face with blue eyeshadow and big red lips. Everyone thought she was adorable and no one seemed to notice that she was a potato.
3. Being chased by a skunk and it chuckling at me. 
4. Eating from the gutter.
5. Having to travel to Switzerland by plane by myself and not wanting to go.
6. One in which I went to a melon farm and ate them all.
7. That I traveled to a different planet and lived there by myself.
8. Being abducted by aliens.
9. Being chased by a dragon.
10. Walking into a room filled with snakes.