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Age Differences in Dreams. II: Distortion and other Variables

Harold Zepelin

The International Journal of Aging and Human Development July 1, 1981 DOI: 10.2190/41gu-p50q-faqa-xuj1 (opens in new tab)

Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Observational study Peer reviewed
Sample size 58
Population Men aged twenty-seven to sixty-four
Citations 18
Key findings The authors report a small age-related decline in dream distortion (bizarreness) and in family-related content, with family-related content most prominent from ages thirty-five to fifty-five. Overall, the effect of increasing age on dream content is slight.

Abstract

Age-related change in manifest dream content was assessed in dreams recalled from REM sleep by fifty-eight men aged twenty-seven to sixty-four and in dreams recalled from sleep at home. There was evidence of a small-age-related decline in dream distortion (bizarreness) and family-related content, with family-related content most prominent from ages thirty-five to fifty-five. Overall the effect of increasing age on dream content is slight.