ScienceDaily (June 15, 2007) — In detailed research conducted at the Universite de Montreal investigation of the actual nature and content of sexual dreams was undertaken. In a large sample of dream reports from both men and women, approximately eight percent of everyday dream reports from both genders contain some form of sexual-related activity.
In this study, authored by Antonio Zadra, PhD, over 3,500 home dream reports were collected from men and women. Sexual intercourse was the most common type of sexual dream content, followed by sexual propositions, kissing, fantasies and masturbation.
The study found that both men and women reported experiencing an orgasm in about four percent of their sexual dreams. Orgasms were described as being experienced
by another dream character in four percent of the women’s sexual dreams, but in none of the male dream reports. Current or past partners were identified in 20 percent of women’s sexual dreams, compared to 14 percent for men, and public figures were twice as likely to be the object of women’s sexual dream content.
“Observed gender differences may be indicative of different waking needs, experiences, desires and attitudes with respect to sexuality,” said Zadra. “This is consistent with the continuity hypothesis of dreaming which postulates that the content of everyday dreams reflects the dreamer’s waking states and concerns — that is, that dream and waking thought contents are continuous.”
An abstract of this research was presented June 14 at SLEEP 2007, the 21st Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies.