Fun Facts about Dreams

Almost everyone dreams, but they are often viewed as dangerous or mysterious.  Dreams can last from a mere few seconds or even as long as the standard TV show.   Most people go through three to five dreams each night. These dreams manifest during the REM stage of sleep.  During this stage, the brain is almost as active as it is when you are awake.  Even though dreaming is common, there are a few fun and interesting facts that you may not know:

• You only remember about 10% of your dreams. Some keep a journal at the ready to help record the dream, because once you have been awake for a few minutes, most of the dream is gone.  Sigmund Freud had a theory that because dreams are repressed feelings, our subconscious doesn’t want us to remember so they are forgotten.
• Men have fewer nightmares than women. Recent studies show that, generally speaking, women have more nightmares. Women also have more emotionally intense dreams.
• Those who stay up late have more nightmares. Studies show that those who generally stay up and wake up late have bad dreams. It is thought that this is due to a build up of stress related cortisol and fighting against circadian rhythms.
• Your dream may contain the next big invention. Many students have reported that if they are consciously focusing on a problem as they are
  going to sleep, they continue to dream about the problem, sometimes even finding a solution.
• You may be burning calories while you sleep. Another dream study showed that those who sleep deeply and dream more ate less. this leads to the possibility that rest is good for dieters.
• People with clinical depression may have more enjoyable dreams. A Rush University study showed that depressed subjects had short and pleasant dreams, but those who did not have this diagnosis had almost brutal dreams.
• Pregnant women may be aided by their nightmares. An Italian study shows that women who had unsettling dreams about birth actually had shorter labor when giving birth.
• Dreams of violence may be sent to warn you. Night terrors or other  disrupted dreaming may indicate a brain disorder.
• Dreams can relieve stress. During REM sleep, the brain has showed a decrease in the levels of stress chemicals.
• Recurring dreams are very common. There are over fifty regular themes that recur in dreams.
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• Dreams are about sex are very common. For everyone. An equal number of men and women have dreams about sex.
• Dreams aren’t always in color. By estimate , 10% of people dream in black and white.
• You can be paralyzed by your dreams. During the REM stage, the body is suppressing the neurotransmitters that help you move. Thus, you are essentially paralyzed when you re dreaming.
• Pets also dream Anyone who has watched a dog’s paws twitch while they are sleeping knows that animals also have REM sleep and do dream.
• There is a science to understanding dreams Oneirology, is the study of dreams.
• Blind people dream. Because dreams are largely symbolic, it is perfectly reasonable that blind people can dream. Their dreams focus on the other senses for input.
• People who have stopped smoking have more vivid dreams. One third of people who have quit smoking dream that they are in the act of enjoying a cigarette.
• Deja Vu is a real experience. Even those who are skeptical about psychic phenomena report having feelings of seeing or experiencing things as if they have felt them before. This feeling may be the result of a precognitive dream.
• It is likely that you know the cast of characters in your dreams. Even if you do not know everyone you see in your dreams, it is likely that you have seen their faces at one time or another in your lifetime.
• Dreams can blend into the real world. Your brain can take sensory input and incorporate them into your dream. It is not uncommon that sounds and smells can fold gently into an ongoing dream.

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