Dreaming is an essential part of our lives. We all dream when we sleep, even if we don’t remember our dreams upon waking. But have you ever wondered just how much time we spend dreaming over the course of our lives? In this article, we’ll explore how many years on average humans spend dreaming over a lifetime.
How much do we dream each night?
Studies show that we dream for about 2 hours each night during REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. REM sleep is when our most vivid and memorable dreams occur. Adults spend approximately 20-25% of their sleep time in REM sleep. The first period of REM typically begins around 90 minutes after falling asleep and lasts around 5-10 minutes. As the night goes on, REM cycles get longer, with the final period lasting up to an hour right before waking.
Newborns, on the other hand, spend a much larger proportion of sleep time in REM – upwards of 50%. Babies seem to dream even more than adults, perhaps because their developing brains are making new connections as they sleep. REM sleep decreases with age, which is why older adults recall fewer dreams than younger people.
How many hours of sleep do we get?
The amount of sleep needed varies between individuals but the general recommendations are:
- Newborns (0-3 months): 14-17 hours
- Infants (4-11 months): 12-15 hours
- Toddlers (1-2 years): 11-14 hours
- Preschoolers (3-5 years): 10-13 hours
- School age (6-13 years): 9-11 hours
- Teenagers (14-17 years): 8-10 hours
- Adults (18-64 years): 7-9 hours
- Older adults (65+ years): 7-8 hours
However, many people get less sleep than recommended. According to surveys, adults average around 6.8 hours of sleep per night. Older adults tend to sleep even less, with many getting less than 6 hours a night.
How many years do we spend sleeping and dreaming over a lifetime?
Based on these sleep time recommendations, we can estimate how much time the average person spends sleeping and dreaming over the course of a lifetime from infancy to old age.
| Age Range | Sleep Needed per Day | REM Sleep per Night (25%) | Years in Age Range | Total REM Sleep |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0-3 months | 14-17 hours | 3.5-4.25 hours | 0.25 years | 315-383 hours |
| 4-11 months | 12-15 hours | 3-3.75 hours | 0.75 years | 819-1,005 hours |
| 1-2 years | 11-14 hours | 2.75-3.5 hours | 1 year | 1,001-1,277 hours |
| 3-5 years | 10-13 hours | 2.5-3.25 hours | 2 years | 1,825-2,369 hours |
| 6-13 years | 9-11 hours | 2.25-2.75 hours | 7 years | 5,574-6,819 hours |
| 14-17 years | 8-10 hours | 2-2.5 hours | 3 years | 2,190-2,737 hours |
| 18-64 years | 7-9 hours | 1.75-2.25 hours | 46 years | 29,577-36,792 hours |
| 65+ years | 7-8 hours | 1.75-2 hours | 20 years | 12,775-14,600 hours |
Based on these estimations, the average person spends between 24 and 25 years dreaming over the course of an 80-year lifetime! That’s nearly a third of our lives spent imagining, processing emotions, and exploring our unconscious minds while asleep.
Why do we dream?
Scientists still don’t completely understand why we dream or the precise purpose of dreams. However, there are a few key theories about the possible functions of dreaming:
- Information processing: Dreaming may help consolidate information and memories from the day. Dreams allow us to process our emotions and experiences so they can be stored in long-term memory.
- Neural housekeeping: Dreaming may “clean up” irrelevant information and stimuli in the brain accumulated during waking hours. This helps refresh the mind for the next day.
- Threat simulation: Dreams may evolve from a need to repeatedly simulate threatening scenarios and how to respond to dangers in our environment.
- Creativity: The unusual combinations of imagery, narratives, and emotions in dreams may foster creative problem-solving and imagination.
- Wish fulfillment: Dreams may act as a safe outlet for fulfilling unconscious desires, often represented symbolically or metaphorically.
Do dreams affect our waking lives?
Research suggests that dreams can influence our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors when awake. Here are some key ways dreams may impact our waking lives:
- Strengthen emotional memories
- Help us prepare for upcoming threats or tasks
- Influence our moods the following day
- Inspire creativity and spark new ideas
- Process fears and trauma
- Improve learning and problem-solving skills
Lucid dreaming, in which you’re aware you’re dreaming and can control the dream, may be especially beneficial. Studies show it can improve motor skills, creative thinking, and more. Keeping a dream journal can also help you better recall dreams and notice patterns over time.
Conclusion
Dreaming is clearly an important neurological process that supports various cognitive and emotional functions. Given that we spend an estimated 24-25 years dreaming over a typical 80-year life span, our dreams seem to play a major role in our mental health and well-being.
While dreams can occur in mysterious ways, they provide insight into our inner worlds and how our brains are working behind the scenes. Paying attention to your dreams can be a useful way to better understand yourself and enhance your waking life.