Dreams may feel random, but new research suggests they are shaped by a combination of personal traits, sleep patterns, mental habits, and events in the outside world, according to ScienceDaily.
The study, led by researchers at the IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca and published in Communications Psychology, analyzed more than 3,700 dream and waking-life descriptions from 287 people ages 18 to 70. Over two weeks, participants logged both their dreams and daily experiences, along with details about sleep, personality, cognitive ability, and psychological traits.
To study the large collection of written reports, the team used natural language processing, a type of artificial intelligence that looks for patterns and meaning in language. The researchers found that dreams were not simply a replay of daily life. Instead, ordinary places and experiences were often mixed together in unusual ways, creating scenes that felt vivid, emotional, or surreal.
The findings also showed differences from person to person. People who tended to mind-wander while awake were more likely to report dreams that shifted quickly and felt fragmented, while those who placed more importance on dreams often described more detailed and immersive experiences. The study also found that dreams collected during the COVID-19 lockdown contained more references to confinement and restrictions, with those themes fading over time as people adjusted.
According to lead author Valentina Elce, the results show that dreams are a dynamic process shaped by who we are and what we experience. The researchers also said AI-based language analysis could help scientists study dreams, consciousness, memory, and mental health on a much larger scale.
