Cheating in your dreams is on the rise and apparently quarantine is to blame

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?