Ask AI: what do dreams look like

Dreams are unique for everyone, but generally, they tend to be vivid visual and sensory experiences that occur during Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep. Here are some common characteristics of how dreams may look or feel: 1. **Visual Nature**: Dreams often involve rich, sometimes surreal or fantastical imagery. They can include familiar places or people, but they may also combine elements in unexpected or bizarre ways. 2. **Color vs. Black and White**: Most people experience dreams in color, but it’s possible to dream in black and white. 3. **Fluidity**: The narrative and scenes in dreams can be fragmented and change rapidly. They may lack the logical progression typical of waking life. 4. **Symbolism**: Dreams often use symbolism, where certain objects, people, or scenarios represent something else, often related to the dreamer's emotions or experiences. 5. **Sensations and Emotions**: Dreams can include strong emotions and sensations, such as fear, joy, or even physical sensations like touch or pain, though the latter is less common. 6. **Distorted Time and Space**: Dreams can bend the rules of time and space, making events seem to occur much faster or slower than real life, and places may blend into one another. 7. **Characters and Figures**: Dreams may feature familiar people, strangers, or figures that are only partially recognizable. It's common for the identity of people in dreams to shift. 8. **Lucidity and Awareness**: In some dreams, known as lucid dreams, the dreamer may be aware they're dreaming and even control aspects of the dream. It's important to note that while these characteristics are common, each person's dream experience is highly individual and can vary significantly from one night to the next.

Dreams can take on many forms, depending on the dreamer's experience and perspective. They may appear as vivid images, abstract concepts, nonsensical scenarios, or a combination of these. They may be realistic, surreal, scary, exciting, calming, or any other emotion. Ultimately, dreams are unique to each individual and can look like anything the dreamer can imagine.