If 2020 owes us anything, it is at the very least the guarantee of a peaceful 8-hour window while we sleep. But no, it seems many of us can’t get a little shut-eye without the worry of sabotaging our relationships and committing adultery as we snooze.
And it’s not just with anyone, oh no. Turns out many of us are experiencing dream trysts with our beloved ex-partners.
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According to a 1,000 person survey conducted by Sleep Standards, 42 per cent of the group said they’d had vivid sexual or romantic dreams, and 21 per cent(64 per cent of which were women), admitted to having vivid dreams about their exes while sleeping next to their current partner. Uh, awkward.
Now while it isn’t uncommon to have a cheating dream, they do typically play out a little differently…
Speaking to Well and Good, certified dream analyst, Lauri Loewenberg, revealed “cheating dreams are very common, but it is usually the dreamer that is getting cheated on in their dreams”. Yes, we know that feeling all too well. Waking up next to your unloyal, peace of work partner who had the audacity to…. Oh, nope, just a dream.
Fast forward to 2020, and it seems the tables have turned, “since COVID-19 began, I’ve been seeing more dreams where the dreamer is the cheater”. And the icing on the cake? “The most common person people have been cheating with in their dreams is their ex”. Bravo, COVID-19, you’ve officially hacked the little means of escape we had left.
BUT WHY?!
Don’t panic, you aren’t a horrible person, so quit feeling guilty for having a smooch with your ex while your partner unknowingly sleeps next to you (hey, for all we know, they are probably dreaming of hooking up with their ex too). According to Lauri, your cheat dream is most likely nothing more than missing the independence and freedom that 2020 has put on pause.
By losing our routine solo-time, such as going to work without our partner each day, Lauri revealed that “happier couples start to realise they miss the excitement of reuniting after a long day’s work”. And quarantine, which she refers to as the “third wheel in the relationship”, may be changing the dynamics as you transition from soulmate to roommate.
So why our exes of ALL people?
Again, this is not a telltale sign you are with the wrong person and need to go running back into the arms of an old flame, so try not to read into it too much.
Half the characters in your dreams are people you know, and your ex may have weaseled back into your mind as you’ve had time to reflect and get nostalgic about the past. Thinking back on old times has been a common theme as we adjust to a newer, unfamiliar world. And just remember, at the end of the day, it’s only a dream
Main image credit: Getty
Have you had a cheating dream ? Do you think it’s COVID related?
I admit a few have popped up in my dreams but I tend to think it is my unconscious telling me that I need to develop the personality traits of my Ex’s in myself. Analyse that!
This makes sense to me, dreaming of a better time with more freedom is dreaming of a past when you may have had a different partner. It’s not something I have experienced personally though.
I’ve had some pretty weird dreams, but I can’t say I’ve had any dreams like this! Hopefully it stays that way.
I usually can never remember what I dream.
Good to know
Things covid related: propaganda, conditioning, fear. Dreams, well not that people weren’t dreaming these kind of things before 2020 xD
I haven’t had this issue but I have been having a lot of weird and stressful dreams
My dreams are usually all over the place (when I can remember them). Things can trigger them but I don’t think they have any hidden meanings. Hope not anyway.
I’m single, but I haven’t had any dreams about exes. My usual dreams are pretty weird, but they haven’t gotten any weirder lately. I’m often attacked by ninjas, but that’s been going on for years & they haven’t got me yet.
I’m having a lot more dreams lately and some of them are very vivid but fortunately no exes, happy to leave them in the past.
Nothing like that here. My dreams are most often very sensible and 95% of them are me having conversations with loved ones that have passed away. I love my dreams 🙂
OMG…this actually happened to me last night!!
Its just a dream!
Wow! Interesting article – personally though I’ve not had any of those dreams – mustn’t be a desire of mine as I read somewhere that dreams are either driven by fears or desires. I’m happy to leave my ex’s in the past where they belong ; D
lol eskimo what a coincidence!
Exes don’t feature in my dreams fortunately. In my latest weird dream I was lost in a castle but then found myself walking through a field close to some medieval-dressed women dancing around a bon fire! It was strange, but fun.
I often have weird dreams,
If an Ex showed up in my dream, I would live out my fantasy of kicking them in the groin repeatedly.
Never a tryst or anything like it when my ex is in a dream. Luckily doesn’t happen much anymore. I took it as a sign that I was doing well in moving on.
I don’t even remember most of mine but if I do I think they’re about being on a tropical island somewhere and more than 5km from home hehehe
I havent had any dreams like this recently.
I often think about whether our dreams mean anything. I know the science says it doesn’t but it feels like it does!!
I use to have really weird dreams
I dream often, but very rarely about exes. And I’m single.
I’ve always had weird dreams that are all over the place, but I don’t remember any cheating dreams.
Interesting idea, but not convinced…
It’s hard to think about these nonsense dream.
No dreams about exs here
I use to dream someone was in the room
This isn’t exactly scientific – I bet people were having dreams like this before, they just weren’t being asked about them!
I think that far too much money is wasted on silly surveys such as this one.