Did 9/11 Alter the Content of Our Dreams?

Dreams have often been seen as untouchable by the world around us, often providing us with an escape, from the real world. No doubt our nightmares affect us, but often they are a portrayal of an entirely made up event.

However according to a new study published in the February 1 issue of the journal SLEEP, the traumatic and devastating events of September 11, 2001, have made an indelible impact on the dreams of American’s.

The study was authored by Ernest Hartmann, MD, of Tufts University and Newton Newton-Wellesley Hospital in Boston, Mass., who sought out peoples who had been recording their dreams. By posting notices on the website of the Association of Professional Sleep Societies and the International Association for the Study of Dreams, they were contacted by 44 people.

The subjects sent in 20 dreams each, 10 from before 9/11 and 10 from after. Of the 44, 11 were men and 33 were women, and none lived in Manhattan, or were related to anyone who had died in the attacks.

The results were surprising, especially considering the afore mentioned perceived impenetrability of the dream state. The dreams did not show an increase in the appearance of tall buildings, towers, or airplanes, but there was an increase towards dreams in which the dreamer was attacked. However none of these showed any relation to the events of 9/11.

However the results that surprised the researchers the most was to do with the central imagery of the dream. The researchers defined central imagery as "an image that stands out by virtue of being especially powerful, vivid, bizarre, or detailed.”

The authors hedge their article by suggesting that the central image importance of the dreams could have nothing to do with 9/11 specifically, but rather the time of year or some other factor. But ignoring that, they stepped on to whether it was to do with increased awakenings at night – an occurrence that was reported soon after 9/11 in those living in New York. However this too appeared unlikely in light of another study that had produced no increase in intensity or frequency of a central image in light of awakenings.

This study adds to a wealth of information pertaining to psychological and mental changes as a result of the 9/11 attacks. Psychological studies were naturally undertaken immediately after the event, and in at least one study a measure of one’s teamwork, leadership and spirituality were seen to increase – at least according to the subject’s own opinion of their character traits.

Posted by Josh Hill.

Related Galaxy posts:

The Ultimate Mystery: What Do Our Brains Do While Sleeping?
What do Robots Dream Of?
Speak Memory: Sleep May Erase Memories