Dreaming 101: The Psychology and Biology of Dreams

Since the beginning of time, humans have been intrigued and fascinated by dreams. As far back as 5000 years ago, Mesopotamians recorded their dreams on clay tablets, believing these nightly thoughts and images were messages from the gods, and prophecies of the future.

Despite scientific advancements, dreaming remains an elusive phenomenon. To better understand why we dream and what our dreams signify, scientists and psychologists have studied brain function during dream states and developed theories that may unlock the secrets behind the mysterious world of dreams.

What are dreams biologically speaking?

If you asked a biologist to explain dreams, she would say that a dream is a vivid hallucination that happens in certain stages of sleep. Though our experience of sleep may feel like one constant state, we actually go through several stages of sleep during the night—three stages of non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREM) and one stage of rapid eye movement sleep (REM).

While NREM stages are characterized by slowed brain activity, the REM stage is distinct in that our brain activity resembles our awake state. Scientists believe it is this increase in brain activity that causes the (sometimes wacky) hallucinations we call dreams.

Biologists aren’t sure why the brain leaps into action during REM sleep and what purpose our dreams serve. Some theories are that dreams:

• Help us store memories – Research suggests that during REM sleep, the neural pathways responsible for storing long-term memories are strengthened, allowing the brain to consolidate and store information we’ve learned during the day.

• Help us process emotions – Because the emotional centers of our brains are active during REM sleep, some scientists believe that dreaming allows us to analyze and process our emotions.

• Serve no purpose – Despite the fantastical and thought-provoking nature of dreams, some researchers believe they serve no purpose at all and are simply the result of random brain activity.

What are dreams psychologically speaking?

For psychologists, dreams are a treasure trove of hidden emotions, thoughts, and desires. Rather than studying the physical brain activity that occurs while we dream like biologists, psychologists focus instead on exploring the metaphorical dream meaning.

Psychological theories of why we dream include:

• Working through trauma – When we experience grief, fear, loss, or even physical pain, we often relive the experience and emotions within the world of our dreams. Studies have found that people grieving the loss of a loved one report increased dreams of that person, and in fact, 60% of bereaved dreamers believe these dreams played a role in the grieving process.

• Revealing repressed fears and desires – In the late 19th century, psychologist and dream analyst Sigmund Freud developed the theory that dreams are expressions of our unconscious thoughts and desires, generally driven by repressed sexual instincts. While many of today’s psychologists have debunked Freud’s dream interpretations, the dream rebound theory suggests he may have been onto something, as research has found that the suppression of a thought tends to lead us to have recurring dreams about it.

What does it mean if you’re dreaming of a baby boy?

As you’re growing your baby, you may find your dreams are filled with more, well, babies. Studies show that during pregnancy, baby dreams are more likely to include imagery related to pregnancy, childbirth, and children. In fact, in one study of 88 pregnant women, 67% reported experiencing dreams of their pregnancy and baby.

What does it mean if your baby dream is filled with little gentlemen rather than little ladies?

Like other aspects of dreams, there are varying theories on what it means to have a newborn baby boy dream while being a pregnant woman.

4 Common Beliefs and Myths Behind Baby Boy Dreams

While scientists haven’t found a link between dreaming of giving birth to a male child and actually giving birth to a boy, baby boy dreams may not be completely void of meaning. Throughout history, scientists, psychologists, and dream researchers alike have posited interesting theories on what it means to dream of baby boys while pregnant.

According to these theories, dreaming of an angelic baby boy may symbolize:

1. Desire for a male child – If you’re dreaming of a little lad, you might be hoping to give birth to one, particularly if the dream involves you holding or nursing the baby. In fact, in cultures where sons are preferred, dreams of newborn baby boys are believed to represent the mother’s desire to have a little boy to carry on the family lineage.
2. Desire for a female child – Dreaming of a fussy or crying baby boy may represent an anxiety about raising a boy rather than raising a girl.
3. Birth of a girl – According to old wives’ tales, having a dream about giving birth to a little boy actually means you’re carrying a little girl (and that your uterus and brain are teaming up to surprise you).
4. Good luck and abundance – In the Bible, baby boys are considered harbingers of a divine spirit who bring pride, glory, and riches. With this interpretation, dreams of baby boys symbolize luck and abundance coming your way. Lucky you!

What Pregnancy & Dreaming May Suggest About Your Reality

Though your uterus isn’t necessarily working with your brain to tell you Hey, there’s a little man in here, the physical changes you experience during pregnancy can nonetheless have an impact on the imaginary world of your dreams, and often shed light on things going on in your life.

In fact, during pregnancy, the quality and prevalence of your dreams are affected by:

• Elevated hormones – Some researchers believe that higher levels of progesterone increase the frequency of vivid dreams because hormone elevations impact the way your brain processes emotions. This means when emotional centers of the brain activate during your REM stage of sleep, they may create more fantastical or bizarre scenarios, such as giving birth to a two-headed dragon baby (especially if you’ve been binging the Harry Potter movies).

• Increased sleep – When you sleep more, you experience more cycles of REM which means you have more dreams. This is especially true for pregnant women who are, well, tired. After all, building a cute baby is no easy feat, which is why pregnant women experience more daytime fatigue along with morning sickness and thus, take more naps. By increasing the amount of time they spend sleeping, a pregnant woman also increases the time spent in dreamland.
• More frequent sleep disturbances – When sleep is interrupted during the REM stage, we transition directly from our dream world to the real world, rather than making a pit stop in NREM. This nonstop, direct flight means we remember our dreams better when we wake, which can make us feel as though we’re having more vivid dreams, when in reality, we’re simply able to recall them with greater accuracy.

This may explain why pregnant women often report dreaming more vividly than usual, as frequent sleep disturbances occur with an increased need to pee, indigestion or heartburn, and general discomfort sleeping with a baby bump.

With any vivid dream about a baby boy comes a great opportunity to look into your real life and do a bit of dream interpretation of your own. For example, if you dream of your baby boy growing up, and you have a new project starting at work, perhaps your subconscious mind is telling you that it’s time to embrace the near future change. Each dream is unique to you and your life circumstances; treat your dreams like a metaphor for your waking life and see what you can learn.

Common Pregnancy Dreams (And What They Mean for Mom)

As your baby and belly continue to grow, so does the world of your dreams. But it isn’t just the frequency of dreams that increases with pregnancy. According to dream expert Dr. Patricia Garfield, the content of your dreams may also fluctuate as you progress through each pregnancy trimester.

First Trimester Dreams

Common dreams women experience during their first trimester include:

• Giving birth to a full-grown child – Dr. Garfield believes this startling dream may indicate an unconscious desire for an easy childbirth.

• Carrying a bag or having trouble walking – This dream imagery may be linked to increased recognition of body changes and pregnancy weight gain.

• Swimming or dreaming of water – Dreams of swimming, water, and small aquatic animals may represent your body’s awareness of your baby growing in amniotic fluid.

Second Trimester Dreams

Once you’ve entered your second trimester, you may notice dreams involving:

• Baby animals – Dreaming of giving birth to puppies, baby chicks, or kittens isn’t cause for alarm. In fact, psychologist Alan Siegel claims that this dream exhibits your brain’s preparation for the responsibilities of pregnancy.

• Your mother – Dreaming of your mother or a mother-like figure may represent your hope and excitement of being a nurturing mother yourself.

• Your current partner or a former partner – If your nights are filled with steamy sex dreams, it’s likely due to your elevated hormone levels. However, these dreams may also indicate your desire to feel sexy in your new body. (And what’s sexier than being a glowy, life-giving goddess?)

Third Trimester Dreams

Many expectant mothers find their pregnancy dreams peak during the third trimester. This may be due to more frequent sleep disruptions causing increased memory of dreams, and increased anticipation surrounding the upcoming birth.

Common third trimester dreams can include:

• A long or difficult birth – Don’t worry—like your gender dreams, this dream isn’t a prophecy of the future. It likely means you’re tired of waiting to meet your baby.

• A conversation with your baby – Dreaming of this Look Who’s Talking situation is thought to represent your desire to meet and bond with your newborn.
• Large bodies of water – In your third trimester, you may experience a resurgence of water-related dreams, which may symbolize the anticipation of your water breaking and little one finally arriving.

Dreaming to Learn Your Baby’s Gender Sooner? Say Hello to SneakPeek

Although a vivid and detailed pregnancy related dream can’t provide a crystal ball-like glimpse into your future, they can give you a peek into your subconscious feelings surrounding the greatest dream of all—becoming a mom to your little miracle.

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Don’t just dream of your baby’s gender. Discover it with SneakPeek.