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Some people claim that they never dream, but research tells us that everyone dreams. People who
claim that they do not dream simply do not remember their dreams. Dreams are usually not stored
in long-term memory, and they are lost unless they are reviewed or recorded immediately on
waking, before other material replaces them in the short-term memory.
ARE WE MORE LIKELY TO HAVE GOOD DREAMS OR BAD DREAMS?
Investigators who have collected and studied dreams have found that bad dreams are more
commonly recalled than good dreams. Dreams are more likely to involve failure, misfortune, and
frustration than success and pleasant emotions.
WHAT DO PEOPLE DREAM ABOUT?
Falling or being chased are among the most common dream themes reported. The appearance of
celebrities in dreams is also common. Many dreams involve frustration: trying repeatedly but
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PSYCHOLOGY AND LIFE
unsuccessfully to do something, finding yourself nude in public places, arriving late to catch a
plane or to take an exam, and losing important papers or treasured objects. Sex is not among the
more common dream themes. The occurrence of penile and clitoral erections during dreams is a
concomitant of the REM state, and is apparently unrelated to the content of the dream.
CAN PEOPLE CONTROL THE CONTENTS OF THEIR DREAMS?
Research shows that people do have some control over their dreams, and that this ability to have
“lucid dreams” can be taught. Stephen LaBerge, the leading researcher on lucid dreams, relates the
experience of lucid dreaming to the “Holodeck” on Star Trek the New Generation. Once a person is
lucid in a dream, they can take control of it and direct its content and conclusion. LaBerge also
suggests that lucid dreaming may have more pragmatic uses than just entertainment. The
additional time of consciousness while dreaming can be used to work through personal problems,
planning, and reviewing past events. Such lucid reflection while in a relaxed sleep state may in the
future be shown to enhance psychological health. It has been reported that the Senoi people of
Malaysia teach children to control their dreams from an early age. Have you ever had a “lucid”
dream?
One simple technique used to teach lucid dreaming is to become more “mindful” of your state of
consciousness by repeatedly asking yourself, “Am I dreaming?” during the day. Once in the habit
of asking yourself this simple question while awake, you may ask the same question while
dreaming. Answering the question “yes” may lead to the onset of a lucid dream.
WHY DO PEOPLE DREAM?
Several explanations for dreaming have been offered. Freud thought dreams preserved our sanity
by allowing us to gratify forbidden or unrealistic wishes. Information-processing theorists suggest
that the function of dreams is to assimilate new data into memory and to jettison mental garbage.
The activation-synthesis theory says that dreams result when the brain tries to make sense of
random neural firing that occurs during sleep.
DO PEOPLE NEED TO DREAM?
A number of studies have been done on dream deprivation. Participants are awakened as soon as
rapid eye movements begin to occur. The results show that as dream deprivation continues, REM
periods occur more and more frequently, and participants become harder to arouse. In addition,
participants who have been dream deprived dream more than usual when they are allowed to sleep
normally. Although some participants have become irritable after a night or two of dream
deprivation, most seem to adjust to it. We do not know what effect it would have on a person if
dream deprivation were continued over an extended period.
WHAT SHOULD YOU DO IF YOU WANT TO REMEMBER YOUR DREAMS?