18 Interesting Facts About Dreams

Last updated on August 27th, 2019

When we sleep we dream, but did you know that dreams are unique. In fact, we spoke to the dream experts and here are a few unique, quirky and weird facts about dreams that you should know.

Interesting Medical Facts About Dreams

1. We spend roughly one third of our lives sleeping and dreaming. This means we spend roughly six years of our lives dreaming.

2. About 18-38% of people experience premonition dreams. It is said that Abraham Lincoln dream of his assassination and many of the victims of 9/11 had dreams warning them of the event.

3. More than 60% of us forget our dreams.

4. Surprisingly, almost 50% of all dreams are negative. The most common emotions experienced while dreaming are sadness, anger and fear.

5. Black and white dreams are very common. According to research, approximately 12% of people dream only in black in white.

Quirky Facts about Dreams

6. Even blind people dream. People who were born blind may not see images but they dream as well. Their dreams usually involve intense sensations other than sight.

7. Conscious dreams are also possible in which trained individuals can control their dreaming to achieve different spiritual states. We don’t know how true this is but there is a whole subculture that practices ‘lucid dreaming.’

8. Dream interpretations are possible and there are more than 5000 symbols that are used to interpret and understand dream symbology.

9. Dreams can occur during REM cycles and non-REM cycles as well. REM dreams are usually bizarre and weird but non-REM dreams can be repetitive and obsessive.

10. Dreams also have common themes. For example, the most common themes involve being naked, walking or running in place, falling suddenly, arriving too early or too late, flying, accidents, being chased, etc.

Dreams are Good for You

**18 Interesting facts about dreams:** Image Source

11. Dreaming can keep you sane! According to a recent study, students who were interrupted while dreaming showed lower concentration in class and increased irritability. In fact, they showed signs of psychosis in less than three days. When finally allowed to sleep and dream, these same students showed increased productivity and better personality.

12. Drug withdrawal, smokers who have stopped, recovering alcoholics, etc. tend to have vivid and intense dreams or nightmares.

13. People who suffer from personality disorders usually do not dream.

14. Lower temperatures seem to cause nightmares. The warmer your home, the better your sleep and fewer nightmares.

15. We are paralyzed when we dream. According to studies, the brain automatically disables body muscles to prevent us from acting out our dreams and injuring our bodies.

16. If you are snoring, you are not dreaming.

17. Most people have up to seven dreams in a single night.

18. Men and women have different dreams. Men usually have violent and aggressive dreams while women dream about a variety of subjects. Men usually dream about other men while women dream about men and women equally.

We don’t really know why we dream and most of us don’t even remember our dreams. Recently, scientists have pointed out a curious fact. According to them, dreams may have no purpose or reason. They might just be a byproduct of sleep and resting consciousness. Until the scientists hash it out, why can just enjoy our Technicolor dreams to the fullest?

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