Of course, it’s possible that fever dreams aren’t necessarily dreams—at least not in the way we know them.
According to Dr. Rodriguez, there is evidence that individuals suffering from encephalopathies—diseases that impact the structure or function of the brain—may experience hallucinations.
In such cases, hallucinations could be considered “awake dreaming.” If we were feverish, we could make the same case.
Sleep deprivation brought on by illness may also cause odd dream experiences.
According to Dr. Rodriguez, having a fever is an unstable condition that will disrupt our sleep.
We know that patients with severe sleep apnea or narcolepsy, both of which have a form of sleep fragmentation, tend to remember more of their dreams.
Dr. Rodriguez also said that we typically remember the more upsetting dreams, like nightmares, whether or not we have a fever.
You could experience strange dreams even if you don’t have a fever, particularly if you’re under stress.
Dreams are important for understanding unconscious thought, according to Gail Saltz, MD, an associate professor of psychiatry at NY Presbyterian Hospital Weill-Cornell School of Medicine and the host of the “Personology” podcast.