You’ve probably wished someone a good night and sweet dreams more times than you can count. But what exactly are sweet dreams? Are they just pleasant thoughts, or do they have a deeper meaning? Let’s explore the science behind sweet dreams and how they can influence your emotions, creativity, and even your waking life. Understanding Dreams Dreams are the imaginative experiences that our minds generate while we sleep. They’re thought to help the brain process information from the day. Dreams are most vivid during the REM stage of sleep, when your brain activity is almost as high as when you’re awake. While dreaming can also happen during other sleep stages, these dreams are less vivid and harder to remember. On average, you experience 4 to 6 dreams each night, although most slip away from memory quickly. Some people may have as many as 7 dreams in one night, with each...