Sleep Problems and the Phenomenological Factors of Dreaming

Sleep problems, except sleep bruxism, sleepwalking, and snoring, can amplify various aspects of dreaming. Among these, sleep paralysis shows the most robust and extensive effects. Sleep onset insomnia and hypersomnia both increase overall dream intensity, but through different pathways: insomnia is linked to stronger dream distortion and paramnesia, while hypersomnia is associated with more vivid perceptual sensations during dreaming. These findings come from a sample of 186 upper secondary school students.

Study at a glance

Abstract

This study aims to provide a preliminary overview of how specific sleep problems might have differential impacts on the phenomenological properties of dreaming. The sample contained 186 upper secondary school students, whose subjective intensity of dream experiences, thematic dream content, and sleep disturbances were assessed using the Dream Intensity Scale, Dream Motif Scale, and Sleep Habits Questionnaire, respectively. The overall evidence suggests that most sleep problems, except sleep bruxism, sleepwalking, and snoring, can amplify various aspects of dreaming, with the effects of sleep paralysis being the most robust and extensive. Although both sleep onset insomnia and hypersomnia may increase the overall intensity of dreaming, the elevated dream intensity in sleep onset insomnia is primarily reflected by stronger dream distortion and paramnesia whereas that in hypersomnia is more contributed by vivid perceptual sensations during dreaming.