Can Blind People Dream? Interesting Facts

Unlocking the mystery of dreams has long fascinated the curious mind, but delving into the realm of blind individuals’ dreams adds an intriguing layer to this exploration. Questions like “Can blind people see in their dreams?” and “What do blind people see when they dream?” invite us to unravel the enigma of dreams. In this article, we try to understand the unique and intricate nature of blind people’s dreams. We will explore the various aspects that shape their dreamscapes.

How dreams are made?

To comprehend how dreams are crafted, it’s essential to recognize that our brain generates dreams during sleep. Advances in modern medicine have empowered scientists to approach the study of dreams more objectively. Innovative medical imaging techniques, like the electroencephalogram (EEG), enable the recording of brain activity during sleep, unveiling the electrical interactions among neurons in the brain.

Numerous studies, involving hundreds of patients, have explored the different phases of sleep, revealing two distinct phases in every sleep cycle for all individuals: slow-wave sleep (or deep sleep) and REM sleep.

The Sleep Cycle

A sleep cycle encompasses a deep sleep phase and a REM sleep phase, with each night featuring approximately 4 to 6 sleep cycles, each lasting around 90 minutes.

Slow-Wave Sleep or Deep Sleep

The slow-wave sleep phase, synonymous with deep sleep, involves a gradual reduction in brain activity. The brain emits long, low-frequency electrical waves, indicating a progressive slowing down of neuronal interactions. While the brain remains active, certain areas may be activated intermittently.

Researchers have demonstrated that deep sleep is the phase where memories are consolidated—a crucial learning period during which daily experiences are solidified into memory. The brain gradually slows down, as evidenced by ample and low-frequency waves on the electroencephalogram, reflecting reduced neural impulses and overall diminished brain activity.

REM Sleep

REM sleep, also known as rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, is characterized by the eyes undergoing rapid and jerky movements. Despite this ocular activity, the rest of the body remains motionless, akin to paralysis.

On the electroencephalogram, brain waves during REM sleep are significantly faster than those during slow-wave sleep—about 10 times faster. Interestingly, neuronal activity mirrors that of an awake brain.

During REM sleep, the brain engages in crafting intricate images and visual constructions without external stimuli. Primary senses are dormant, and the brain receives no external input. The prefrontal lobe, responsible for coherence and reality checks, is at rest, blurring the line between dream and reality.

Sleep Stages for Blind Individuals 

Dream sleep is linked to the sleep stage known as rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. During REM sleep, individuals undergo physiological changes, including profound muscle relaxation, increased respiration, rapid eye movements, and heightened brain activity.

In a typical night, REM sleep contributes to approximately two hours of dreaming, interspersed with other alternating sleep stages.

Regarding the nature of dreams, some researchers propose that they serve as the mind’s mechanism for consolidating memories. This consolidation may involve reviewing and reorganizing recent events or sensations, as well as connecting new experiences with older ones.

In this context, while vision plays a crucial role in memory, it is not the sole component available to both blind and sighted individuals.

What do blind people dream about?

In a 1999 study, researchers examined the dreams of 15 blind adults over two months, totaling 372 dreams. So, do blind people see in their dreams? The findings indicated that the dreams of blind individuals closely resemble those of sighted individuals, with a few distinctions:

• Blind people experienced fewer dreams related to personal success or failure.
• Dreams involving aggressive interactions were less frequent among blind individuals.
• Some blind individuals reported dreaming more frequently about animals, particularly their service dogs.
• Certain participants reported that dreams about food or eating were more common.

Another notable discovery from the study revealed that dreams featuring some form of misfortune occurred twice as often among blind participants compared to sighted individuals. This suggests that the dreams of blind individuals, like those of sighted, may mirror events and concerns from their lives.

Dreaming for Those Born Blind

Congenital blindness, present from birth, may result from inheritance, prenatal infections, or diseases. Do blind people have dreams? Whether experiencing total blindness or perceiving light and color, those born blind tend to emphasize sensory elements in their dreams, including smells, sounds, touch, and taste. Visual aspects, if present, often manifest as colors or light.

In contrast to individuals losing sight later, those born blind frequently encounter intensified sensory experiences in dreams, correlating with enhanced performance in tasks involving pitch, odor, or flavor evaluations. Describing dream contents using visual language, blind individuals navigate debates about drawing pictures, with some asserting visual representation and others highlighting the use of touch-based learning.

Dreaming for Individuals Who Lose Their Sight Later in Life

Some individuals experience blindness and visual impairments after birth due to injuries or health conditions.

How do blind people dream? Research indicates that individuals who become blind within the first 5 years of life often have a dream sensory experience similar to those congenitally blind. This means they are less likely to encounter visual elements in their dreams.

However, in certain cases, children who lose their sight around age 7 or later may retain visual memories, leading to the appearance of visual elements in their dreams throughout their lives.

Individuals who lose their sight later in life are less likely to incorporate taste and smell into their dreams compared to those born blind. Nevertheless, similar to congenitally blind individuals, they experience notably more tactile sensations than sighted individuals.

By examining differences in sleep patterns and dream content between those born blind and those who are not, researchers gain insights into specific aspects of sleep.

For instance, some believe that eye movements during sleep indicate visual exploration of dreams. A study revealed that all blind participants had fewer eye movements than sighted individuals. However, individuals who lost their sight later in life had some visual imagery in their dreams, contrary to those born blind, challenging the initial theory.

Can Blind Individuals Have Nightmares?

Certainly, blind individuals can encounter nightmares, and, interestingly, they may experience them more frequently than those without visual impairments. Similar to ordinary dreams, nightmares in blind individuals are influenced by sensory experiences other than sight.

An observational study compared the dreaming content of sighted individuals with those who had congenital and acquired blindness. The findings indicated that individuals with congenital blindness had a higher frequency of nightmares compared to the other groups.

The conclusion drawn was that congenitally blind individuals may be more prone to nightmares. This heightened occurrence is attributed to the vulnerabilities and potentially threatening situations they encounter in their waking lives.

The questions we asked, such as “Can blind people see dreams?” or “What do blind people see when they dream?”, don’t have one simple answer. Unlike the visual dreams that sighted people often have, blind individuals might dream using their other senses, such as hearing, touch, or smell. We’ve found that blind individuals experience dreams in various ways, each as unique as the person themselves. Recognizing that blind people do have dreams, even though they may be different from what sighted people imagine, helps us better understand and respect their individual experiences. Just like in stories, it’s the differences that make the adventure interesting!