These 13 bizarre facts about dreams might keep you up at night
We all do it
Dreaming is a natural brain function, and all human beings do it. But some people never remember their dreams, according to experts. Your dreams have meanings as well.
You become sexually aroused
Psychologists say that both men and women become sexually aroused while dreaming (even if the dream has no sexual content).
Smoking can affect your dreams
People who have quit a longtime smoking habit report having very vivid dreams for several weeks after stopping.
Time spent dreaming
Average amount of time spent dreaming per night: 1.5 to 2 hours. Some people dream during the day as well.
Schizophrenics experience ‘waking dreams’
Scientists believe schizophrenics suffer from irregular REM sleep, and that the hallucinations and delusions they experience may actually be ‘waking dreams.’
Nightmares during pregnancy are good
Studies show that women who experience nightmares during pregnancy have easier births than women who don’t.
Dreams tend to be negative
Negative emotions, such as anxiety, are more commonly felt during dreams than positive ones.
Joy, mirth, music
The Old English word dream, which etymologists believe is the origin of our word dream, meant ‘joy,’ ‘mirth,’ or ‘music.’
The soul is awake
The Raramuri people of northern Mexico believe that dreams are the result of one’s soul ‘waking’ or ‘sobering,’ and seeing the world more clearly than usual. (Raramuri families often wake up and discuss their dreams during the night.)
The longest dreams happen in the am
The longest dreams – up to 45 minutes long – usually occur in the morning.
Birds also dream
Birds, like humans, experience rapid eye movement (REM) during sleep and show brain wave activity similar to that of humans. This suggests that birds dream.
Reptiles also dream
Reptiles also experience brain activity during sleep that suggests they too may dream. (Fish do not.)
One US president dreamed that he was paralysed
For most of his life, US President Lyndon Johnson had nightmares that he was paralysed. Maybe it was hinting at something?
Written by Bathroom Readers Institute. This article first appeared in Reader’s Digest. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, here’s our best subscription offer.
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