What did she herself dream about last night? Brain researcher Maureen Minnema thinks out loud: "Oh no! I honestly don't remember!" She can't stand it: "Isn't that ridiculous? I spent eight hours with my eyes closed, and all sorts of things happened in my brain. Wild adventures! And yet I can't remember any of it!" Then she laughs:"I often give others advice that I apparently need myself. Start a dream journal. It can just be a simple notebook. If you still remember your dream when you wake up, write it down immediately. It's really fascinating!"
Dreams Connect People
Minnema analyzes dreams down to their very core. She loves dreams: "Anything is possible during a dream. Absolutely nothing is impossible. There are no limits. Dreams are very personal, yet people love sharing them—even with strangers. If I arrive alone at a party and mention that I research dreams, strangers will often immediately tell me about the dreams they had that very night. It creates a connection."
In her work, Minnema focuses on lucid dreams—dreams in which people are aware that they are dreaming while the dream is happening. "I try to induce lucid dreams in people," Minnema explains. She immediately clarifies: "We don't actually do that here in our Sleep & Memory Lab. Some studies require participants to sleep in the lab while researchers work overnight shifts. Fortunately, we now have portable equipment that participants can take home along with a laptop."
