Characteristics of REM and NREM Dreams
Cambridge University Press eBooks February 21, 2019 DOI: 10.1017/9781316817094.012 (opens in new tab) via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractDreams occurring in REM and NREM sleep differ in content and phenomenology, but these two categories do not cover the full range of dream experiences. Compared to REM dreams, NREM dreams are typically less story-like and bizarre, involve fewer aggressive social interactions, and include more friendly interactions, particularly those initiated by the dreamer.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Dream Phenomenology philosophy Psychoanalysis Developmental psychology Neuroscience |
| Key finding | NREM dreams tend to be less story-like and bizarre, contain fewer aggressive social interactions, and include more friendly interactions initiated by the dreamer compared to REM dreams. |
Abstract
REM dreams and NREM dreams differ in terms of content and phenomenologies, these two dream types do not exhaust dream phenomenology. Relative to REM dreams, NREM dreams tend to be less story-like, bizarre, and contain fewer aggressive social interactions and greater numbers of friendly interactions, at least where the dreamer-initiated interactions are concerned.