Do Men and Women Dream Differently?
By Anna-Karin Bjorklund M.A
Can dreams really be generalized?
A recent dream study undertaken by the University of Montreal (published in the Journal of Sleep, Vol. 37, No. 2, 2014) analyzed the content of nightmares and bad dreams, and the study suggested that men and women dream differently. Nightmares among men were found to have more influences of disasters, such as floods, earthquakes and war, whereas the dream themes among women were more focused around interpersonal conflicts.
The study could indeed have some relevance, for some types of emotional processing dreams – on a broader level. However, it is important to raise a few words of caution when it comes to generalizing dream themes, because no matter how much we wish to simplify and make sense of our experiences, at the end of the day – dreams are, and will remain truly unique to each dreamer. Many dreams come with strong mythical forces, often influenced by archetypes from the collective unconscious, the field that according to Jungian psychology, we all share, and tap into in our dream journeys. In dream realms, the factors that impact our dream experiences are immensely powerful on many levels.
Dreams are multi-dimensional, and have layers of meanings, and interpretation possibilities. There are many different types of dreams, some are subjective, and are here to help us enhance our own awareness and self-knowledge, others are objective, and help us process interactions with others, and find new solutions to problems, some dreams are mythical, mystical and intuitive, and some dreams are astral, with sacred visits from deceased loves ones, or other traveling dream souls, and perhaps even real journeys to a special place to help us enhance our spiritual growth.
This being said, if we were to generalize, and simply look at the differences found in dream themes between men and women on a more societal dream level, and incorporating the general differences found in the psyche in daily life, women tend to be more affected by communication issues and have an easier ability to communicate feelings with their partners, friends and relatives, whereas men’s emotions often evolve around success and power, and the ability to protect their loved ones. Therefore, on some levels, it is not surprising that some differences would be found in some types of dreams.
Dreams that are subjective and objective in nature tend to have many influences from daily life, and are here to help us process and find better solutions to situations, so from this perspective, we can see how there could be some differences between dreams of men and women, with men dreaming of powerful disasters, and women dreaming of strong emotional issues. It needs to be remembered though, that even these types of dreams, are at the end of the day highly unique to each dreamer, and the dreamer’s personality, soul experiences and life situation will probably place a bigger impact on the dream. There are likely many other unknown factors beyond our current understanding that impact our dream journeys.
What is a Nightmare?
The study had a particular focus around nightmare themes. So how do we define a nightmare? A nightmare is immensely powerful and terrifying, and is so filled with strong emotions that it actually wakes you up, and upon awakening you feel terror all over, whereas an “ordinary bad dream” will just leave you with unpleasant feelings. Nightmares tend to highlight particular situations that are damaging in our lives. If you dream that you are being chased by a terrifying wolf – think about where in your life you may be experiencing a similar type of feeling. The wolf could represent anything, perhaps even an aspect of yourself!
A nightmare is a desperate cry for attention from your higher self! Most likely you have been having many others dreams that have all been trying to highlight a certain issue to you that you need to become aware of, or process more, and you may not have listened to those dreams. You have not got the message so the dream now has no choice, but to truly shake you up, and awaken you! It is time to listen! Nightmares evoke intense emotional reactions within us, helping us realize it is now high time to do some inner work. Even though it may not feel like it at the time, a nightmare comes as your friend, to help you listen and process.
Why do Some People Remember their Dreams Better than Others?
Everyone dreams, but not everyone recalls their dreams as well as others. Whether or not you remember your dreams, you can rest assured you dream a lot. So how come some people remember their dreams better than others? The absolute best way to remember your dreams more is to honor them, and show a true interest in them. Dreamers who go to bed with a clear intention to remember their dreams, with a dream journal and pen ready by their bed, and ready to listen, tend to have a much higher dream recall than people who show no interest in them.
If you wish to better remember your dreams, it truly helps if you set the intention to remember your dreams when you wake up, and then as you do – be prepared to listen to the dream! Write down anything you remember as soon as you open your eyes, try not to move around too much, and don’t start thinking about daily chores and issues before you leave the energy of the dream, or it will leave you! Write down anything you can recall, even if so just a glimpse of memory. Honor your dreams, and they will honor you!
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About the Author
Anna-Karin Bjorklund, M.A. is a Dream Expert and Author, and her approach to dreams uniquely combines psychology with intuitive sciences. With a background in both fields, she holds masters degrees in Counseling Psychology and Parapsychic Science.
She is the creator of the new unique Dream App: SweetDreams, and the author of Dream Guidance: Interpret Your Dreams and Create the Life You Desire! To learn more about Anna-Karin, please visit her website: www.DreamGuidanceShow.com
