Facts about Dreams

•  Most of our dreams last anywhere from five to 20 minutes.
• People don't only dream in black and white, as was once believed.
• Even though they may not remember them, everyone dreams several times a night. In fact, during a typical lifetime, we spend about six years dreaming.
• People who have been blind from birth have dreams that are formed from their other senses (e.g., touch, smell, sound).
• When people are snoring, they're not dreaming.

• Elephants (and some other animals) sleep standing up during non-REM sleep, but lie down for REM sleep.
• Kekule, the German chemist who discovered the structure of the benzene molecule, had worked endlessly to figure it out. Then, in a dream, he saw snakes forming circles with their tales in their mouths. When he awoke, he realized that the benzene molecule, unlike all other known organic compounds, had a circular structure rather than a linear one.
• The inventor of the sewing machine, Elias Howe, had struggled in 1884 to figure out how the needle could work in a machine for sewing. In a dream, he found himself surrounded by native tribesmen with spears that had a hole in the point. When he woke up, he realized that a needle with a hole in the point would solve his problem.
• Mary Shelly, author of "Frankenstein," got the idea for the story from a dream.
• Edgar Allen Poe got inspiration from a dream featuring large luminous eyes for his story, "Lady Ligea."
• Many musicians, including Paul McCartney, Billy Joel and Beethoven, have found inspiration for their music from their dreams. Some hear musical arrangements in their dreams, while others hear lyrics.
• Golfer Jack Nicklaus found a new way to hold his golf club in a dream, which he credits as significantly improving his game of golf.