Frequently Asked Questions about Dreams and Dream Interpretation
There are many, many questions about dreams, dreamers and dream
interpretation, and just about everyone who has had a dream has
one or more questions about that dream. This article contains
some of the most frequently encountered questions about the
world of dreams and dream interpretation.
How many dreams do most people have in a night? The average
person has between four and seven dreams every night. Between
15% and 20% of the average night is spent sleeping, therefore an
eight hour night of sleep will contain up to two hours of dream
sleep.
Do I dream every night? Yes. Every human being dreams every
night, whether they can remember their dreams or not. The dreams
that are easiest to remember are those that take place closest
to waking.
Do people dream the entire night? No. The entire night is not
spent dreaming, and it usually takes a person anywhere from 30
to 90 minutes to reach a sleep state deep enough for dreams to
occur. During the final and deepest stage of sleep, the sleeper
will cycle in and out of REM sleep.
How long do dreams last? The average session of dream sleep
lasts from 10 to 20 minutes, after which the sleeper cycles back
into the deepest stage of sleep. After a time, the sleeper will
reenter dream sleep. Each session of dream sleep will contain
its own unique dream.
Do the dreams of children have the same meaning as adult dreams?
In many cases, dreams are reflections of the concerns and
experiences of the waking world. Since those concerns and
experiences are different in children than in adults, the
differences are reflected in dreams as well. Studies have shown
that the dreams of young children do not have either strong
emotional content or a real storyline. Children between the ages
of 3 to 7 are often troubled my nightmares as well. These
nightmares are often reflections of their own real world fears,
like noises, monsters, etc. The dreams of older children and
teenagers more closely match those experienced by adults.
Do young children dream about themselves? It is interesting to
note that children generally do not dream about themselves until
they reach the age of three. Children younger than three do not
usually dream about themselves, and are not characters in their
own dreams. This may reflect the fact that most children do not
develop a strong sense of self until the age of three.
Can dreams predict the future? While many people feel that their
dreams can predict the future, there is no scientific proof that
dreams are predictive. What many people mistake for prediction
may actually be the fact that the subconscious notices many
things that go totally unnoticed by the waking mind. When the
dreamer sleeps, the items noticed by the subconscious are
incorporated into the dream, and the dreamer may notice many
things the dreamer missed during the day. These unnoticed clues
may be misinterpreted as predictions of the future, when in fact
they were simply missed clues to present events.
Why do we dream? The exact function of dream sleep is still a
matter of contention among scientists and dream researchers. One
popular theory holds that dreams are a way for the subconscious
mind to cleanse itself and make sense of the sensory inputs
gathered during the waking hours. Another popular theory is that
dreams are a sort of release valve. For instance, many people
hold back or repress their feelings of anger and resentment
during the day. Dreams, the theory goes, are a handy and safe
outlet for those repressed feelings to express themselves.