A Harvard sleep expert reveals why you're having so many odd dreams right now — and how to get the rest you need as the world spins out of control

What are dreams anyway? And why are they often so strange?

Barrett said dreams are our brain's way of continuing to process information and emotion when we sleep. We still are thinking about the day's events, professional issues, our fears, our fantasies, except we're thinking about them in a different way.

"Our dreaming brain is even more active in areas of visual thinking and emotion, and it's significantly less active in areas associated with verbal reasoning and linear logic. So we think very differently, very intuitively, very visually," she said.

In the absence of much logical thinking, our dreams can twist and turn from one topic to another. And they can be somewhat frightening to think about once you wake up. That's because our life's stressors don't go away when we sleep. Often stressful dreams are our mind's way of processing anxiety or worry, she said.

Indeed leading theories right now say that dreams occur during the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) stage of sleep, and that dreams are an important part of processing emotion, said Lauren Asarnow, assistant professor at the University of California, San Francisco, and clinical psychologist and specialist in behavioral sleep medicine.

Scheduling a time to think about your busy day or having a friend or family member to process the day with can help improve your sleep.

"Take time to check in with yourself and your loved ones, connect and process all of the feelings that this strange time we are living in inevitably bring up," Asarnow said. "Remember your sleeping life is very much connected to your waking life."

Researchers at Michigan's Henry Ford Hospital's Sleep Disorders & Research Center and Wayne State College of Medicine analyzed the sleep-disruptive effects of caffeine consumption at different times before bedtime. They found that that caffeine consumed even six hours before bed significantly reduced a person's quality of sleep. So if you go to bed at 10 p.m., don't consume caffeine after 4 p.m.

While researchers aren't exactly sure why, a 2016 study in the journal Advances in Nutrition titled "Effects of Diet on Sleep Quality" found that diets higher in fruits and vegetables, as well as whole grains, promoted better quality of sleep. But it's not only what you eat, but when you eat.

A 2011 study of about 50 people in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found that eating at night kept people up longer. To be safe, avoid snacking before bed.

"Going to bed feeling safe and secure can decrease the frequency of nightmares," Asarnow said.

During a crisis, it's probably best to avoid the news or social media while you're in bed as it can cause stress and impact your dreams, said Patrick Porter, author of "Thrive in Overdrive" and creator of Brain Tap, a headset device and app to help with stress.

Instead, pick up a book. Reading for just a few minutes helps reduce stress, a 2009 study from the University of Sussex found. In addition, dimming the lights in the hour or two before bed has been shown to help people fall asleep faster.

President Barack Obama and Bill Gates are known to read for at least a half hour before bed.

Try not to get scared of your dreams or nightmares, but if you are concerned, seek professional help.

"These dreams, while they are often distressing and disruptive to your sleep, are no cause for alarm in and of themselves. This too, shall pass. And always remember to reach out to your doctor or mental health care provider if you have questions or concerns," Asarnow said.