Teenagers And Dreaming Dream Interpretation: Insights from 1 Unique Sources

By the time a boy or girl reaches puberty, their sleep patterns and dreaming closely match those of an adult. Just like an adult, they spend about twenty-five per cent of the time in REM sleep and are biologically and intellectually able to dream the most fascinating dreams. There is a great deal going on in the life of a teenager; there are many challenges, self-doubts and new responsibilities. Just as a teenager’s body is undergoing huge physical changes, a teenager’s emotional world is also changing, the developmental task at this age being to form a solid identity.

All this is exciting and stimulating but most teenagers feel anxious and vulnerable too. Not surprisingly nightmares increase during adolescence, but often parents are not aware of them because teenagers do not talk about them. Adolescence is a time of introspection and self-assessment, so although your teenage child may be unwilling to discuss their dreams, they might enjoy keeping a dream journal that records significant dreams and explores possible meanings.