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| Family watching television, c. 1958 (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
The arrival of television has undoubtedly played a role in affecting dreamers. From a personal standpoint, television has certainly influenced my dreams as an external stimulus to dreaming as well as a motif that inherently recurs in my subconscious stories of sleep. Since dreams reflect our waking life it only seems to make sense that television would often appear in dreams or be a part of them in some way. Likewise, television being an environmental factor that could stimulate our minds, its very presence might affect what we are dreaming.
Dreams that are like television shows
Dreams often have some semblance of a story line if not an intricacy of plot, characters, and setting. We might observe some dream action in the same way that we would watch a movie, stage production, or television show. Some of us might even understand our dream to be a television show for which in our dream life we have a comprehension of a history of watching or awareness of the show.
In other cases dreamers might be a part of the dream television show action. These dreamers might accept that they are actors in a dream television series or event, thinking in some cases of a life outside of the dream television role and perhaps knowing their fellow "actors" in real dream life roles such as their friends, family members, or people with whom they might have some familiarity. The latter group will sometimes include real waking life television actors or celebrities. In dream television shows the dreamer might take breaks from the show or even have a quitting time when they go home or engage in other activities either with members of the dream show cast or with other figures not associated with the dream television show.
What is the purpose of seeing or participating in a dream television show? There are most likely varying explanations that depend upon who is doing the dreaming and what the dream is trying to tell them. The scenario of a dream television show is likely a matter of familiarity and importance in the same way that dreams about work or school might be. If we watch a lot of television or the medium is playing an important role in our current life then it stands to reason that we could dream about television. The meaning is something that each dreamer must determine for themselves.
Dreams that have characters or other features that we have seen in TV shows
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| List of science fiction television programs by genre (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
When Television Acts As An External Stimulus to Affect Dreaming
We've all probably fallen asleep with the television on or slept while someone is watching TV in another room where we can still hear it. Just as other external stimuli can affect our dreams we might have dreams that are influenced while the television is on while we are sleeping. This might happen with people who leave the TV on while sleeping or fall asleep with the TV on. Or in the morning when others turn on the TV as we sleep and we are awakened by it, we might have been having television influenced dreams prior to waking.
I can recall when I was in high school and college, sometimes during the summer vacation when I would attempt to sleep in late my younger brother would turn on the television with the volume a bit high so that the sound of the television would wake me up. The awakening would usually be gradual as my mind tried to stay in dream stage and yet the dreams incorporated what my mind was hearing from the television. This would result in some interesting dream experiences.
More Research?
I haven't read any detailed studies concerning television and dreaming, but I know that this field has been researched and there are a number of articles available regarding the outcome and interpretation of these studies. Comparisons between pre-television era dreams and dreams that came after the advent of prevalent TV watching may or may not be out there, though truly conclusive evidence might be difficult to ascertain if no specific attention had been given to this field prior to the time when television became an accepted part of everyday life.
If you know of any research about the effect of television on dreaming, please let us know in the comment section.
How has television affected your dreams? Have you experienced any of the things I've described in this post? Do you think that frequent television watching makes the mind think and perceive differently than without the influence of television?
Oh I definitely have had TV show related dreams. The first 2 years that '24' was on, I was addicted to it. However, the show would have me so badly on edge that I would literally shake uncontrollably the whole time it was on. My teeth would chatter so bad I had to clench my jaw shut. Heart pounding, adrenaline surging. Nothing helped. Not stretching while the show was on, not being under a few blankets....I even resorted to taking a tranquilizer before the show started and that didn't even help!!! Then inevitably it'd take at least 2 hours afterwards to calm down enough to sleep and I'd be plunged into very long, involved dreams with Jack & Kim Bauer. After the 2nd season I decided it was affecting me way too badly and I stopped watching.
ReplyDeleteYes, I would say that's getting a little too much into a TV show. But I can understand. When we get so caught up into a story and invest part of ourselves in it, that story takes on a certain reality for us. Wow, that's quite an example that you give.
ReplyDeleteLee
Intense shows are off my list, before I go to bed. No 24/7, no Broadchurch, etc. Something inocuous like Hawaii 5-0.
ReplyDeleteUsually the "innocuous" shows are the ones that give me the oddest dreams.
DeleteLee
I always have the TV on to sleep when I travel on business and I have had some of the most bizarre and frightening dreams. Even from CNN. I do not have a TV in my bedroom at home and I do not watch "scary" stuff when the husband is out of town. I have never had a comedy type show in my dreams, now that would be fun.
ReplyDeleteI cannot sleep normally with the TV on or lights on in the room. I've known people though who have to have the TV on all through the night, my sister being one of them.
DeleteActually I have dreamed of comedy shows though oddly when I look back on the dreams, the things that seemed funny while I was in the the dream did not seem at all funny after I was awake and thought about it.
Lee
I don't watch much TV and am not in favor of programing designed for short-attention span, especially in children. Scary movies have affected my dreams many times. :) Great to have chatted with you today. Look forward to the challenge.
ReplyDeleteKids should be playing outside, doing creative activities, or going to bed rather than watch TV. I don't watch too much TV but certainly more now than before I was retired.
ReplyDeleteLee
Interesting post Arlee thanks. I don't watch much tv prior to bed because of the unnatural stimulation. But I reckon tv must influence in some way our dream world especially if we are especially invested in that show. Something in the show will provide the hook for the dreamer..
ReplyDeleteIf I'm sleepy the TV doesn't stimulate me to the point of not being able to sleep. Sometimes I'll drift into sleep thinking about something I've just watched and more than a few times the story has continued into or somehow influenced my dreams.
DeleteLee
Great read on the effects of TV watching has on one's dreams. When I was little I use to dream I was in a western all the time. I saw myself as John Wayne, but everyone else saw me as Cathy. I'd always be badly shot and near death, then it hit me mid-dream that I was dreaming. I wasn't going to die, so I relaxed enjoyed the dream. lol I still dream along the same line, different setting, but at some point I know my action-packed dream is just that ~ a dream. That's when I take control of things, changing how I want my dream to go instead of the dream controlling me. It's really quite fun & interesting. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Lee!
ReplyDeleteI used to have similar dream experiences. In fact I still do on occasion!
DeleteLee
I am beyond the scary tv dreams, I want to know why I now have strange dogs in my dreams. Sometimes one or two sometimes a boatload. Of all shapes and sizes and sometimes I recognize them, but they do not look that way in the real world.
ReplyDeleteCrazy, but this has been going on for a while.
Well, if you have a dog, want a dog, or think of dogs in your waking life then those dreams probably make sense. Those dreams do sound a bit strange though.
DeleteLee