I was well aware of the possible side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine, but no one told me about the crazy dreams that I'd experience.

I'm thrilled to have received my first COVID-19 shot. Two weeks in, my body is building immunity from coronavirus, and once the second shot is administered scientists estimate that I'll be 95% protected from this deadly virus.

That's incredible news, and well worth some of the side effects that come with the vaccine. Those who've received their shots have reported reactions that are either the same or more intense than the average flu shot. Soreness at the injection site, headaches, fatigue, muscle pains and fevers are the most common complaints, with most symptoms disappearing within a day or two.

But watch out for those wild dreams.

After receiving our shots, my wife and I have both been experiencing some pretty strange dreams, and it looks like we're not alone. Social media has been abuzz with others blaming some crazy dreams on their COVID-19 vaccine.

I couldn't find any scientific data listing "intense dreams" as a side-effect to receiving the shot but anecdotal evidence is starting to pile up. Besides my wife and I, coworkers and friends who've received the shot have all separately complained about the odd dreams. A search of some local Facebook groups also turned up people who say their dreams have become more intense since receiving the vaccine.

It does make some sense that those who have received the shot would experience some wacky dreams. Arm pain at the injection site will cause people to have a more restless night of sleep, resulting in waking and remembering those weird dreams. In the weeks following the vaccine, your body is hard at work pumping out antibodies and T cells. All of that behind-the-scenes work can also mess with your sleep patterns.

While I'll admit that some of my dreams have been pretty weird, it's not nearly as annoying as the living nightmare the pandemic has been for the past year. I'm more than happy to keep picnicking with Abraham Lincoln and my second-grade teacher on a rollercoaster every night if it means we'll eventually get back to living a normal life.

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