For people older than 10, it is not unusual to experience four to six dreams in a given night. Children younger than that age generally dream less often. In preteens, teens and adults, longer dreams occur during rapid-eye movement (REM) sleep, but more fragmentary dreams might also occur during what is known as early stage non-REM sleep.
More facts about dreams:
- There is evidence that all mammals and birds do experience dreams. This is because birds and mammals are capable of achieving REM sleep. Reptiles and amphibians are not able to achieve REM sleep but might experience dreams similar to the fragmentary dream episodes that humans achieve during non-REM sleep.
- People who are blinded after the age of 7 are likely to experience the sensation of sight during dreams. In like manner, people who endure some other type of disability later in life might dream of being free from those disabilities. This means that someone who needs to use a wheelchair might experience a dream in which he or she is walking or running with ease.
- People who are younger than 30 are more likely to dream in color, and people who are 60 or older are more likely to dream in black and white.
By Malcolm Tatum
, Writer
Malcolm Tatum, a former teleconferencing industry professional, followed his passion for trivia, research, and writing to become a full-time freelance writer. He has contributed articles to a variety of print and online publications, including WiseGeek, and his work has also been featured in poetry collections, devotional anthologies, and newspapers. When not writing, Malcolm enjoys collecting vinyl records, following minor league baseball, and cycling.