It’s a common belief that we dream less as we get older. Some say that adults don’t dream at all or very rarely, while children and teenagers experience vivid and frequent dream activity. But is this really true? Do dreams decrease with age? Let’s examine what science tells us.
Do we dream less as adults?
Several studies have compared dream recall frequency in children, younger adults, and the elderly. The research shows some interesting trends:
- Children 5-8 years old recall dreams on 81-85% of mornings after being awoken during REM sleep stages.
- Teenagers 13-16 years old recall dreams on 76% of mornings.
- Younger adults 18-25 years old recall dreams on 74% of mornings.
- Middle-aged adults 35-50 years old recall dreams on 63% of mornings.
- Elderly people 55-80 years old recall dreams on 41-56% of mornings.
So there does seem to be a general decrease in dream recall frequency as we progress from childhood into late adulthood. Children remember their dreams most often, followed by teens, younger adults, middle-aged and finally the elderly.
However, the key word here is “recall.” This data is based solely on people’s ability to remember dreams upon awakening in the morning. As we age, there are changes in sleep quality and memory that affect dream recall.
Factors influencing dream recall
Several factors make us less likely to remember dreams in older age:
- Reduced time spent in REM sleep – REM duration decreases with age, giving less time for vivid dreaming.
- More fragmented sleep – Frequent nighttime awakenings impair dream continuity.
- Weaker memory and cognition – Makes it harder to recall dreams upon waking up.
- Less interest in dreams – Older adults may attach less significance to dreams.
So in reality, it may not be that older adults are dreaming less. They simply don’t remember as many of their dreams due to these changes.
Do the elderly have fewer dreams?
Studies using EEG recordings of the brain show that older adults do generally spend less time in REM sleep. REM sleep is when our most vivid and memorable dreams occur.
As we age, the following changes happen in REM:
- Onset of REM is delayed to later in the sleep cycle.
- Total minutes spent in REM decreases by up to 50% or more.
- REM sleep becomes more fragmented with age.
This reduction in REM could result in fewer dreams, shorter dreams or less intense dreams. However, researchers still debate whether diminished REM truly equals fewer dreams.
It’s possible that we continue to dream just as much in older age, despite reduced REM sleep. Dreams may still happen in non-REM sleep or briefly in micro-awakenings between REM cycles. Elderly people often continue to report vivid dreaming when directly asked about it.
So reduced REM may not always translate to an absolute reduction in dreams. But it likely contributes to the poorer dream recall frequently seen in seniors.
What do we dream about as we age?
The content of dreams also changes across the lifespan:
Dreams in childhood
Young children’s dreams are simple, fantastical and emotionally intense:
- More bizarre, illogical content like flying or magical powers.
- Playing with imaginary friends or animals.
- Chase or danger dreams, such as being chased by monsters.
- More black and white emotions like anger, excitement or joy.
As the thinking and reasoning parts of the brain develop, dream content becomes more coherent and realistic.
Adult dreams
Typical dreams in young and midlife adults include:
- Everyday life situations – social settings, work events, home environment.
- Relationships and social interactions.
- Anxieties, phobias, fears and nightmares.
- Sexual dreams.
- Physical movement like walking, running, flying.
- Complex emotions both positive and negative.
Dream content often reflects the person’s waking life and emotional state. Major life concerns are processed symbolically through dreams.
Elderly dreams
As we pass into older age, dream content may change again:
- More focus on the home setting and family members.
- Reflecting on life achievements, fulfillment and losses.
- Anxiety dreams about illness, falling or being chased.
- Less physical action and movement in dreams.
Emotions like sadness, anger and fear are still experienced in dreams. But violent or sexual dreams tend to decrease with age, perhaps reflecting declining testosterone.
Why do dreams change as we age?
Shifts in our dream patterns across life stages reflect changes in biological, cognitive and psychological development.
Biological changes
Aging brings changes in:
- Hormones – Estrogen, testosterone, melatonin and growth hormone levels decline.
- Brain structure – Certain areas of the brain shrink in size and neurons are lost.
- Sleep architecture – Less time is spent in deep slow-wave and REM sleep.
These biological shifts impact sleep quality, dream experiences and the ability to recall dreams on waking.
Cognitive changes
Mental abilities also transform with age, including:
- Weaker short-term memory makes recalling dreams more difficult.
- Declining attention and wakefulness results in less focus on dreams.
- Reduced analytical thinking means dreams are less questioned or interpreted.
Poorer memory and cognitive skills play a key role in reduced dream recall in the elderly.
Psychological changes
Dream content is also shaped by our psychological state and life situation:
- Worries, stresses and emotional conflicts are processed in dreams.
- Major life events such as career, relationships and family are incorporated.
- Life review and perspectives on aging feature in later life dreams.
So dreams reflect how we think, feel and spend our waking hours at different life stages.
Conclusion
While dream recall becomes less frequent with age, it’s unclear if dreaming itself diminishes. Contributing factors like poorer sleep, memory and focus certainly make older adults less likely to remember dreams.
Reduced time in REM sleep may result in fewer or shorter dreams. But the elderly still report dreams, suggesting we never lose the ability to dream entirely. Dreams also adapt their content to our biological, cognitive and psychological state as we pass through life.