In 2008, Luis Alberto Spinetta uttered a line that still colors the region’s music: when the night warms, love rises to the bedroom and the sky becomes a place to dream until dawn. That lyric, a cornerstone of the Argentine rock canon, sits inside the album Un mañana. Yet the dream of better days often collides with harsh present realities. A study from the Faculty of Psychology at the University of Buenos Aires shows 75.95% of people surveyed report sleep problems, and 38.61% experience insomnia or disrupted sleep. The lack of hopeful horizons can feed the ache of restless nights. Even a well known line from Los Redonditos de Ricota echoes a similar sentiment: the future arrived long ago, and it is not rosy.
The President recently spoke with a hopeful tone, urging people not to dream alone and to dream together to change the world. At the same time, there is a political aim: re-election in the upcoming October elections. While current polls temper expectations, the coalition that has steered the nation since late 2019—an umbrella of Peronist factions—remains in the public eye. President Fernández expresses confidence that Todos por Frente will win, while Horacio Rodríguez Larreta, the mayor of Buenos Aires and a prominent opposing candidate, projects his own reassurance.
Making collective dreams a political routine is common, yet the eyelids refuse to close when the mind returns to anxiety. According to the psychology survey, 54.55% of participants feel caught in the middle of a crisis that unsettles any sense of calm. The atmosphere is fraying, and the night is not exactly peaceful.
Inflationary nightmare
Spinetta’s poetic image contrasts with the nightly reality of many Argentines who drift into sleep with worry rather than rest. The climate crisis of fear is heightened by heat approaching forty degrees, intermittent power outages, and water shortages that disrupt daily life. The National Institute of Statistics and Census confirms February inflation at 6.6%, contributing to a twelve-month inflation tally around 102.2%. Meat, other foods, and non-alcoholic beverages lead the price increases, while some items ease. To grasp the scale, one could look back thirty years for a similar trajectory. Persistent price hikes and limited income become a recurring part of daily life, even when eyes are closed.
School of Psychology researchers remind us that the pandemic opened doors to sleep disturbances, but today the economic anxiety is a stronger driver. Uncertainty about the political climate, unemployment, and job insecurity heighten stress, but the fear of a worsening economy intensifies sleep problems—especially in regions where poverty looms. A recent measure shows that a four-person family in Buenos Aires, the country’s wealthiest city, would need about 264 euros in February to avoid poverty, roughly 470 euros to remain above that line, and around 750 euros to maintain a stable middle-class lifestyle. For many households, those figures are out of reach.
Among those most affected, the study notes that people who perceive themselves as economically disadvantaged, who have lower education levels, and who are younger bear higher levels of psychological distress. The youngest respondents face elevated risk, underscoring a generational strain under mounting prices and economic pressure.
more protests
The heart of the capital echoed with dissent earlier in the week as a camp formed in front of the Ministry of Social Development. Even in the heat, thousands pressed on, protesting the government’s decision to cut subsidies for the most vulnerable. The encampment persisted for two days, with residents of the city blocking streets and gathering in the hope of drawing attention to their needs. The protestors, united under the Piquetera Unit, do more than demand ongoing subsidies. They seek delivery of promised vehicles for work, unemployment insurance, food aid, and community development initiatives, all essential elements for families struggling to survive. Their effort reflects a dream of stability that feels almost out of reach in the current climate, a dream that remains stubbornly difficult to realize.