Women have wilder dreams than men

While riding on a steam train heading to boarding school last night, I simultaneously felt a growing sense of panic as I attempted to bake a loaf of bread. I was acutely aware that time was not on my side for the dough to rise, and the stress was escalating.

Upon waking from this recent dream, my heart was racing and I felt short of breath.

Such dreams are not unusual for me; I frequently have vivid, colorful dreams that induce panic. Some occur just once, while others repeat endlessly.

In contrast, my husband experiences dreams so mundane that he either forgets them, or shares thrilling tales like: ‘I was waiting to purchase a new printer cartridge, and the receptionist told me to take a seat.’ Exciting stuff indeed.

Yet, it seems our experiences are quite typical. ‘Women tend to have a broader range of dreams than men,’ states dream researcher Professor Kelly Bulkeley, co-author of Dreaming In The Classroom.

‘Women experience more nightmares, emotional dreams, surreal situations, and have greater difficulties with sleep.’

Interestingly, research indicates that hormones may play a significant role in women’s vivid night-time experiences. ‘Studies have shown that female hormonal cycles can influence dreams,’ reveals Davina Mackail, author of The Dream Whisperer. ‘We often have more emotional or nightmarish dreams right before our periods.’

It has been suggested that fluctuations in women’s body temperature, triggered by the monthly cycle, contribute to particularly vivid dreams. After ovulation, body temperature rises and then drops just prior to menstruation.

‘Additionally, in the later stages of pregnancy, women’s sleep is often disturbed, making them more likely to remember dreams, as they awaken during REM cycles.’

‘Dreaming is significantly influenced by pregnancy,’ Kelly Bulkeley states. ‘There’s an increase in dream recollection, more imagery featuring animals and water, as well as a rise in nightmares.’

However, it’s not only pregnant women who experience nightmares. ‘Our research indicated that all women had significantly more nightmares in comparison to men,’ Dr. Parker notes.

‘While only 19 percent of men reported experiencing recent nightmares, 30 percent of women did,’ he adds.

Women may also be better at remembering their dreams, as they tend to attach more importance to them than men do. Studies reveal that emphasizing significant thoughts activates an area of the brain linked to memory. The more striking your dream, the more it seems meaningful, increasing the likelihood of recalling it.

We might even have enhanced abilities to remember dreams. ‘This is largely because women discuss their dreams more afterward,’ comments Kelly Bulkeley.

‘Characteristics such as openness to new experiences, emotional expressiveness, and sensitivity are generally higher in women, all of which are related to dream recall,’ she explains. ‘Women are often encouraged to pay more attention to their emotional experiences than men and are more inclined to share their feelings with others.’

It all sounds rather pleasant — if only it were just about simply relaxing and enjoying our dream experiences. Yet, the frenzied nature of our subconscious seems to impact our energy levels throughout the day. According to a report from the Vitality Show, over half of women often report feeling fatigued, and 60 percent of those over 30 feel utterly exhausted.

While our vivid dreams can be intriguing at times, it would be beneficial if we had the option to select which dreams to have. However, it might not be as straightforward as eliminating cheese, the usual suspect linked to nightmares.

‘Consuming cheese late at night, along with alcohol, cigarettes, chocolate, and caffeine, has been cited as a cause of dreams — especially nightmares,’ Davina Mackail states. ‘Nonetheless, there’s nothing in these substances that specifically leads to increased dreaming. They are, however, stimulants or hard to digest, which disrupt our sleep patterns, thereby increasing the chance of waking during those crucial REM phases.’

Instead, refrain from eating two hours prior to bedtime, and establish a relaxing routine. ‘Taking a bath before bed can help increase your body temperature, which, as it decreases, will make you ready for sleep,’ suggests Victoria Dawson. ‘Steer clear of stimulating beverages like cola, coffee, and tea after 6 PM, and avoid TV or emails in the hour before sleep — you might find better relaxation with classical music or a soothing CD.’

If these methods fail to help, or if stress persists, many sleep specialists advise maintaining a ‘sleep diary’ to spot patterns and connections, such as a warm room or disrupted rest resulting in vivid dreams or nightmares.

Nonetheless, if you’ve exhausted all options and continue to be haunted by dreams of David Hasselhoff pursuing you or catastrophic plane crashes, take solace in the fact that dreaming holds significant importance — and can even be advantageous.

A study conducted in the U.S. found thatREM sleep significantly aids creative problem-solving. According to additional research from Harvard, volunteers who experienced REM-cycle dreams performed up to ten times better in learning a complex task compared to those who did not sleep.

Moreover, dream deprivation is linked to reduced coordination and learning, increased irritability, and a lack of focus—this has led dream researchers to believe there is a strong connection between dreaming and mental wellbeing.

Furthermore, there’s always the possibility that your vivid dreams might enable you to experience your waking fantasies more intensely.

‘I once had a dream about a very attractive, married colleague,’ my friend Sarah shares. ‘It was an incredibly wonderful and passionate dream. The only issue was that for weeks afterward, I couldn’t look him in the eye, and he remained completely oblivious to the problem.’

That’s the interesting part about vivid dreams. They can be terrifying, delightful, or absolutely incredible – yet, they rarely manifest in reality.

by Susan Floyd