Blog

What Do People Say When They Talk in Their Sleep?

Mostly 'no.' The largest study of sleep talking found it's grammatical, rude, and full of pauses for a reply nobody gives. What it isn't is a confession.

Jacob Lowe

Published on Aug 27th · 5 min read

Is Sleep Paralysis a Dream? What's Actually Happening When You Can't Move

You're awake, you can't move, and something is in the room. The paralysis is real and measurable. The figure standing over you is dream imagery that arrived in the wrong state.

Jacob Lowe

Published on Aug 20th · 7 min read

Do Animals Dream? What Rats, Birds, and Octopuses Reveal While They Sleep

Only humans can say 'I had a weird dream last night.' That's made dreaming feel like a uniquely human thing. The sleep research on other species says otherwise.

Jacob Lowe

Published on Aug 13th · 5 min read

Do Blind People Dream? What the Research Actually Found

Yes, and the studies on how are more interesting than the question. Blind dreamers report four times as many nightmares, and almost no taste or smell in a sighted person's journal.

Jacob Lowe

Published on Aug 6th · 5 min read

Do You Actually Dream in Black and White?

Most people report dreaming in color today, but that wasn't true 70 years ago. What changed is media, memory, or both, depending on who you ask.

Jacob Lowe

Published on Jul 30th · 5 min read

How the real world leaks into your dreams

Your brain doesn't fully shut out the world when you sleep. Research shows how sounds, smells, and touch end up in your dreams.

Jacob Lowe

Published on Jul 30th · 5 min read

What scrolling before bed does to your dreams

86% of Americans scroll in bed before sleep. Research shows it changes what you dream about, not just how well you sleep.

Jacob Lowe

Published on Jul 23rd · 6 min read

Why Is Being Chased the Most Common Dream in the World?

Across cultures, decades, and dream labs, being chased beats every other dream theme. Here's what the research says is actually going on.

Jacob Lowe

Published on Jul 23rd · 5 min read

The places your brain builds while you sleep

Nearly half of all dreams include a building or room. Research is starting to explain why your sleeping brain constructs entire locations from memory fragments, and why dream journalers keep visiting places that don't exist.

Jacob Lowe

Published on Jul 16th · 5 min read

Do your dreams actually mean anything? Here's what the research says

The 'dreams are random noise' camp and the 'dreams are coded messages' camp are both wrong. The real answer is stranger and more useful than either.

Jacob Lowe

Published on Jun 25th · 5 min read