Dreams

It is said that the average person has over 1,460 dreams a year, however many people do not always remember their dreams. Over three-quarters of lab participants claim to remember their dreams when they awake from sleep, at least some of the time. Although just under a fifth claim to always remember their dreams.

Dreams have been studied throughout history and dream interpretation is still popular. The majority of lab participants believe that their dreams reveal an important message. Interestingly most claim to have reoccurring dreams and enjoy analyzing their dreams. Most lab participants also believe that it is not a good idea to talk about bad dreams.

Below are some of our lab participant’s thoughts on whether dreams reveal an important message:

“They relate to your normal day thinking and desires” Mehr, UAE

“Our souls escape us to the lord, back home to the other world we are going one day permanently into, and from there our souls tries to alarm us about the upcoming things, nothing scientific but it’s just a belief!” Anon

“Once I was so worried about my exam result and I dreamt that I passed and then I really did pass. I think dreams can sometimes comfort us about issues that matter to us the most” Kareem, Egypt

“I believe they come from what I have been thinking about before sleeping” Ahmed, KSA

“Some of them became reality and some reveal what we have in our unconscious brain” Hind, Qatar

“I think they are just your brains way of dealing with something that is on your mind already. I have read various books on dream meanings and nothing I have ever dreamt related to the supposed meanings” Jay, KSA

“When you are obsessing trying to find a solution to a problem, when you are sleeping your brain continues to work on finding the solution and incorporates it into the dream. I've had that experience a couple of times, but this is not necessarily true in all cases. You have to be lucky enough for your brain to solve the problem and incorporate it into the dream, and you would have to remember the dream when you wake up” RH, Lebanon

“Never have I had a dream relating to a situation that happened in my life either before or after the dream” Alain, UAE

“It happens to me all the time and to my friend, our dreams translate into next day news or activities” Lamiaa, Egypt

“A lot of times what I see in my dreams becomes real” Anon

“It is the subconscious mind’s way of telling/ reminding/ warning us of things” Carla, UAE

“Some say that the dreams are our deepest thoughts. If that is true then it sometimes reveals an important message because it showed the things which are in our deepest thoughts” Haran, Sri Lanka

“Sometimes it reflects what our subconscious thinks about and sometimes it gives us solutions for problems that we are facing… like in the early days of college we used to solve equations in our dreams” Sam, Egypt

“Dreams are mostly about the things we want in real life, in dreams sometimes we find different ways to get the things done which we are not able to think in real life. So I believe it leads us to a different point of view” Jeet, UAE

Most lab participants stated that they usually have very imaginative dreams and half would describe their dreams as realistic. Very few state that they can control their dreams. Over half have had a dream that they were falling and a similar percentage have dreamt that they were being chased. Interestingly, a third claim to have had a dream in black and white.

One question posed to lab participants was to describe their best dream. Many could not recall a favourite dream or simply did not have one.

“I don't remember the best dream I ever had but I remember waking up happy and thinking I had an amazing dream but couldn't remember the details. It was couple years ago” Anon

“I can't think of any dream that was 'best' as they are all reflective of everyday life, nothing outstanding” Jay, KSA

Some lab participants specified their best dream was one where they had a lot of money or other material possessions.

“That I got my dream car... Mini Cooper and I was driving it” Nido, UAE

“I won the lottery” Carla, UAE

“I won a lucky draw prize for a BMW four wheel drive” Anon

“I was very rich in that dream” Abdul, KSA

“I dreamt I was winning the lottery for USD100 million!!” Mohammed, UAE

“One day, I dreamt that I was with my sister and my best friend in Dubai and we are riding a luxurious car and going to a plaza” Haran, Sri Lanka

Some other interesting dreams recalled by respondents included:

“It was an airplane and I was flying it over the sea. I almost saw the entire world. I actually got the dream after playing a game where I could use all the aircraft controls” Anon

“Me and the family gathered again at our big house and none of the non-sense things which happened to Syria are there. I smelt my mother, had proper food of our culture and the happiness!” Anon

“I returned back in time to high school. There was a girl there and she asked me to a dance. Originally I was scared to go but I decided to take her up on her offer the second time around. We began talking and went for a stroll down a tree-lined sidewalk. At some point I realized I was dreaming and told her so. We talked until I could no longer keep my eyes open and then we both rested. As soon as I put my head down next to hers I woke up” Farah, KSA

“Going diving with sharks” Ahmed, KSA

“I dreamt that my mother is having a boy baby and his name came as fireworks in the sky and my mother actually gave birth to my brother and he was named with the same name I saw in my dream” Anon

“Best dream I've ever had is living in the woods with people who do not know injustice and they are simple people who create happiness” Anon

“I dreamt one time I was in paradise under a big fountain with a sweet water” Hind, Qatar

“I dreamt that I was in this lake, the most beautiful lake that I have ever seen. Everything shines like gems and diamonds! It's a magical lake. Another one is when I dreamt that an old man wearing a brown garment like that of monks told me that I will be a great leader someday, I will give food, clothes etc. for the needy” Anon