Exeter University’s Professor Adam Zeman said of the link: “If COVID-19 truly raises the rate of dream-enactment, there may be a variety of explanations, from anxiety to obstructive sleep apnoea.”
Furthermore, while the study shows the potential for a link between COVID-19 and Parkinson’s, it doesn’t provide conclusive evidence of a link.
Further research is required in this area in order to build up a stronger body of evidence.
Professor Liu agreed there could be other causes for the rise in DED: “Dream-enactment behaviours can also occur as a result of other sleep disorders such as sleep apnoea, and have also been reported by people with post-traumatic stress disorder, or who are experiencing nightmares.”
