Dream-enacting behaviors in a normal population.
Sleep December 1, 2009 Tore Nielsen, Connie Svob, Don Kuiken
Dream-enacting behaviors—such as speaking, crying, smiling, and moving during sleep—are common in healthy young adults, with prevalence rising from 36% to 98% depending on how specifically questions are asked. Women report more speaking, crying, fear, and smiling or laughing during dreams, while men report more sexual arousal. These gender differences persist even after accounting for other sleep disorders and dream recall. The behaviors are largely independent of other parasomnias like sleepwalking or nightmares, except for dream-talking, which is linked to sleep-talking. They are not related to alexithymia but are moderately tied to absorption. Social desirability does not affect reporting.