Dreams have made it back into the news lately with dozens of articles about how people seem to be dreaming more since Covid-19 entered our lives. Many people report remembering more of their dreams during the pandemic than ever before.
Psychologists speculate that daytime stress causes more intense dreams, making them more memorable. It is also possible that people working from home are enjoying a little more sleep and, therefore, experiencing a little more dream time.
Whether you find yourself walking curiously naked around the schoolyard or running desperately from bloodthirsty monsters, dreams do have a purpose, and it’s not (as some may believe) to forecast the future. One purpose is to help us to overcome the stresses of the day. Surprisingly many dream themes are universal. This infographic shares some interesting facts about how and when we dream.
Everybody dreams, regardless of whether they remember dreaming or not. It’s an essential part of staying sane and though we sleep for around a third of our lives only a quarter of that time is spent dreaming.
Researchers believe that dreams help us to store memories and to sort through our emotions, even though we forget most of our dreams. The only dream you’re likely to remember is the dream you’re having at the time of awakening.
If you want to remember your dreams, you’ll need a notebook and pen next to your bed so that you can write them down as soon as you open your eyes. Even the smallest distraction will format your mind and clear out your dream memories.