Interested in the ways that sleep, dreams and religion intersect for American Dreamers? Below are some of the data charts from my book American Dreamers.
Religious Attendance x Sleep
More than once a week | Never | ||
Sleep | Less than 6 hours a night | 11 | 18 |
6-8.9 hours a night | 84 | 76 | |
More than 9 hours a night | 2 | 6 | |
Insomnia | Never | 70 | 51 |
1-2 nights a week | 13 | 19 | |
3 or more nights a week | 13 | 27 |
Religious Attendance x Dream Prototypes
More than once a week | Never | |
A person who’s now dead appearing alive | 29 | 41 |
Magically flying in the air | 25 | 29 |
Being chased or attacked | 33 | 45 |
Falling | 40 | 44 |
Sexual experiences | 34 | 50 |
Being in a situation exactly like your regular waking life | 53 | 63 |
Being aware you’re dreaming and able to control the dream | 37 | 47 |
Chapter 3 discusses these findings in relation to the religious and spiritual dimensions of the dreams of the journal keepers. For more on dreaming and religion generally, see Dreaming in the World’s Religions: A Comparative History.