The association between dream activity and alexithymia during pregnancy: A cross-sectional study in a sample of pregnant women.

Pregnant women often experience heightened dream recall, which can serve as a mechanism for emotional regulation. In a study of 118 women in their first trimester, increased depressive symptoms correlated with more frequent nightmares and distress from those dreams. Notably, higher levels of alexithymia—difficulty identifying emotions—predicted greater nightmare frequency and distress. Additionally, unplanned pregnancies were linked to increased nightmare distress. These findings suggest that addressing emotional regulation could be crucial for supporting maternal mental health during pregnancy.

Study at a glance

Abstract

The gestational period is a sensitive time marked by significant changes that can affect women's sleep and dreaming processes, with an augmented frequency and recall of dreams suggesting that dreaming represents an adaptive mechanism of emotional regulation. This study investigates the relationship between pregnancy-related variables, alexithymia, and depressive symptoms in influencing dream characteristics in women during the first trimester of pregnancy. A total of 118 pregnant women were recruited at the Obstetric Outpatient Service of an Italian University Hospital and completed the Mannheim Dream Questionnaire, the Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20, and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Regression analysis, t-test, and moderation analysis were conducted through Jamovi. Dream recall frequency was predicted by age, parity, and depressive symptoms. Nightmare frequency and lucid dream frequency were significantly predicted by depressive symptoms, while nightmare distress was predicted by an unplanned pregnancy. Alexithymia was linked to higher nightmare frequency and nightmare distress. Moderation analysis revealed that the presence of depressive symptoms predicted increased nightmare frequency only in women with higher levels of alexithymia. These findings highlight the role of emotional regulation in dreaming during pregnancy, particularly among women exhibiting alexithymic traits and depressive symptoms. Nightmare frequency may serve as an indicator of impaired emotional regulation, emphasising the need for targeted interventions to enhance emotional coping strategies in this population. Future research should examine the content of nightmares to further understand their implications for maternal mental health.