The 7 types of dreams

Dreams are an experience that accompanies all our nightly rest cycles. It is estimated that all people have between four and six dreams per night.although the amount varies according to age, personality, level of fatigue, experiences of the day and of course brain activity patterns.

Sleep phases are divided into two types: the rapid eye movement (REM) phase and the non-rapid eye movement (NREM) phase. We alternate several times between these phases and we can manifest dream experiences in any of them. We explain the main types of dreams according to scientists.

Main types of dreams

It was Revonsuo (2000) who first suggested an evolutionary function of sleep. According to the author, We dream to simulate threatening events that we can potentially experience in our reality..

This would explain why many types of dreams are organized, selective and even repetitive. We compile 7 types of dreams that you should know.

1. Recurring dreams

They are those types of dreams in which the dream experience manifests itself under a repetitive story or plot. Experts support Revonsuo’s thesis that these dreams are a simulation of threats that prepare us for when we have to face them in our daily lives.

This is why most experiences of this type revolve around being chased, love conflicts, being in danger, and so on. You can have these dreams several times a month, and can even last for years. The content can have unpleasant nuances to the point of becoming a nightmare.

2. Lucid dreams

Lucid dreams are those experiences in which you are aware that you are dreaming. The evidence indicates that it is a skill that can be learned, although of course it can be developed in isolation.

Experts classify these dreams as a hybrid state between wakefulness and conventional dreams, one that also produces changes in electrophysiology.

3. Premonitory dreams

Those experiences in which the person is able to see a situation in the future are known as premonitory dreams. They are also known as prophetic dreams and have aroused interest in almost all civilizations. According to researchers, these dreams are more vivid, clear and emotionally intense in contrast to conventional sleep.

The nature of these dreams is far from a paranormal manifestation. Keep in mind what we have already explained about why we dream, in addition to considering that there is a limited spectrum of plots that we can dream.

For example, and based on researchers, dreams of death are the most common premonitory experiences. Death, illness, infidelity, success or failure are common in these types of dreams.. They are not related to the paranormal or any type of ability of this type.

4. False awakenings

False awakenings are those types of dreams in which the person believes they have woken up, but in reality they are still dreaming. They are part of lucid dreaming, to the point that evidence suggests that up to 79% of dreamers of this type develop them frequently (monthly or annually).

Most of these experiences revolve around the habits that the subject performs after waking up. For example, going to the bathroom, making your bed, getting dressed, and eating. At some point in the dream, a gap or alteration of the dream reality occurs that suggests that the dream has not yet ended.

5. Vivid dreams

Vivid dreams are those that you remember right after waking up. As we have already explained, most people have between four and six dreams per night. You only remember the last experience, which is known as a vivid dream.

In general, You remember these experiences because you wake up during REM sleep.. If you wake up in the middle of the night, you can remember the content of the story and do it again in a completely different way when you wake up a couple of hours later.

Those that develop with greater intensity than normal are also considered vivid dreams.

6. Nightmares

Nightmares are one of the most well-known types of dreams. These are unpleasant, uncomfortable or disturbing experiences. Experts distinguish between nightmares and bad dreams, and they do so based on their nature, their intensity, and their degree of disturbance.

Following Revonsuo’s thesis, nightmares are another manifestation of a potentially dangerous simulation, only this time taken to the extreme. People with anxiety disorders, specific phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder, and problems in their daily lives are prone to developing these experiences.

7. Night terrors

Night terrors are considered a type of sleep disorder in which the person wakes up terrified, with anxiety and stress, whether or not he remembers the dream experience that made him wake up. It is more common in children than in adults and often requires treatment because they are repetitive, disrupting the rest of the subject and those who share with him.

Of course, there are other types of dreams, such as waking dreams, healing dreams, symbolic dreams, creative dreams, shared dreams, and visitation dreams. The detailed ones are the most frequent, to the point that most people experience them at least once in their lives.

Finally, keep in mind that the use of certain medications, psychological disorders and alterations in the circadian rhythm can affect the dreams you develop when resting.

If you think that the content of these or their nature is disturbing you more than necessary, Don’t hesitate to seek professional help..

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