Falling in love tops UK’s list of most common dreams, new research reveals
Millions of UK adults are having the same dreams every night, research has found.
From having superpowers to winning the lottery – and teeth falling out, these common themes are shared by the nation.
But the new research, conducted by Premier Inn reveals Brits’ most common dream is falling in love (12%). as the hotel chain launches its brand-new Dream Catcher festive cocktail.
It seems we are a nation of romantics with falling in love being the most common recurring dream amongst all age groups.
Achieving life goals (9%) and losing teeth (9%) are the next most common dream, followed by superpowers and winning money tied joint fourth at 7%.
An amazing 95% of people revealed they dreamed their most common dream at least once a month, with the average person experiencing it twice a week.
With 61% of UK Adults say their dreams impact their mood or interactions the next morning, our desire for a good night’s sleep with peaceful dreams is clear, whilst an amazing 5% of people say they never dream.
The research also reveals a significant number of UK adults avoid certain foods and drinks before going to bed to prevent weird and funny dreams, with cheese (28%), coffee (27%), chocolate (10%) and garlic (10%) coming out on top.
The UK’s largest hotel chain has teamed up with renowned dream expert, Theresa Cheung, to decipher and myth bust the UK’s most common dreaming habits and explain what they actually mean.
Theresa said: “Eating anything, whether it is cheese-rich or not, right before you go to sleep is going to influence your dreams but contrary to popular belief, isn’t guaranteed to give you nightmares. Late night meals require your body to focus on digestion rather than winding down for a good night’s sleep, meaning your sleep may be lighter causing you to wake up more and have a less restful nights sleep.”
Theresa recommends avoiding eating at least two hours before bedtime and certain drinks such as a hot milky drink or herbal tea before sleeping can be comforting – a welcome green light to the 23% of Brits who believe hot milk is the perfect nightcap.
Premier Inn’s research also reveals that Brits are increasingly curious about their dreams, with a quarter of people aged 25 to 34 frequently searching for the meaning of them. Interestingly, nearly two-thirds (64%) of those aged 55 and older claim they never look up the meaning of their dreams, suggesting a generational difference in dream interpretation.
The trouble is, remembering them. Typically, Brits say they only dream once a night (43%), with just one in ten saying they have multiple, the same amount saying they only dream once a month and 5% revealing they never have a dream.
When asked about the findings Theresa said: “We have about 3-6 dreams per night, we just don’t remember them. Dreams of falling are often inspired by our subconscious desires for excitement or adventure and deeper emotional connections so it’s interesting to see these come out on top.
“Dreams about achieving a goal are typically driven by a desire for success or a longing for a deeper sense of purpose. They can be hugely motivating for the dreamer before they begin taking on life challenges.”
Providing some tips on how help remember your dreams, Theresa said: “To help, on waking, keep still in your comfy bed for at least two minutes, ideally with your eyes closed. Any movement, even blinking, will redirect your focus from your unconscious. When memories surface, immediately write them down in a dream journal. If you can’t recall anything, write down the words ‘I feel’, as how you feel when you wake up will have been inspired by a vision in a dream, and writing down these feelings may trigger a dream memory.
“Having comforting dreams and a good night’s sleep all comes down to ensuring you have a restful, cocooning sleeping environment. So, a comfortable bed and bedding and a black out blind to ensure total darkness are all hugely beneficial and encourage sweeter dreams.
“The more satisfying your sleeping experience is, the more likely you are to recall your dreams and for those dreams to be creative, cathartic and inspiring,” said Theresa. “The stress of an uncomfortable bed can trigger energy draining nightmares and accompanying fatigue and anxiety”
Sarah Simpson, who heads up room design and product development at Premier Inn comments: ‘Creating the ideal environment for a good night’s sleep whether at home or when staying away is vital for experiencing that ‘cocooned’ feeling. Investing in a supportive mattress, the right firmness of pillow and a comforting duvet all add up to helping ensure you can rest easy and slip off into dreamland!’
The research comes as Premier Inn announces the launch of its very own signature cocktail, the Dream Catcher, created by renowned mixologist Pritesh Mody.
The cocktail is a festive take on what is arguably one of the world’s most popular cocktails – the Pornstar Martini – bringing in an element of festivity with a warming ginger twist. Its enchanting purple hue captures the otherworldly realm of dreaming, topped off with vegan foam, reminiscent of fluffy clouds.
The Dream Catcher cocktail is a dreamy blend of Vodka, passion fruit, citrus and a hit of Ginger and is exclusively available in over 250 of Premier Inn’s hotel bars. Premier Inn bars are the perfect place to start your celebrations this festive season for those celebrating. You can also check out the new style bar and restaurant concept The Social now open at a number of locations across the UK including London Stratford, London Hampstead, Manchester Piccadilly and Durham City Centre.
You will also find the cocktail included as part of the Premier Inn cocktail deal with offers starting from 2 for £12* available evenings from 5pm.
Created and manufactured in the UK, the cocktail is created with sustainable principles at its heart. Using a citrus alternative to cut down on the carbon footprint associated with fruits being flown huge distances and a British vodka, the Dream Catcher is also part of World of Zing’s range that uses the Frugal Bottle, which is a sustainable alternative to traditional glass and plastic bottles. Made from 94% recycled paperboard with a food-grade pouch, it is five times lighter than glass, has six times lower carbon footprint, and uses 77% less plastic than traditional plastic bottles.