A divisive topic has surfaced on social media, leading to a debate about whether phones appear in people’s dreams and to what extent they can influence the dream narrative.
A study published in Science Direct has suggested that the content of dreams varies between men and women, with women’s dreams tending to include more conversation, while men’s dreams often feature more physical activity.
While researchers believe that individuals experience multiple dreams each night, it’s estimated that up to 95 percent of dream content is forgotten upon waking. This phenomenon has led to questions about whether smartphones, such as iPhones, ever make appearances in people’s dreams.
A recent tweet from the account @zephyr_on_call has gained viral attention on social media as it poses the question of why phones are rarely featured in our dreams despite the extensive daily use of these devices.
The tweet reads: “How is it 2023 and nobody’s come up with a satisfying explanation as to why cell phones never show up in our dreams if we’re using them for 12 hours a day?”
According to the Times of India, research indicates that a mere 3.5 percent of adult women dream about mobile phones, while the rate is even lower for men at just 2.6 percent.
Despite these statistics suggesting that some people do dream about and interact with their iPhones or Android devices while sleeping, social media is currently engaged in a debate over whether this is a universally experienced phenomenon or merely a subjective perception.
One user, who claims to have debunked the theory, stated: “I have dreamed that I texted to cancel plans and then woke up and thought it was real so I didn’t actually cancel them in time, cell phones definitely show up in dreams.”
Another user inquired: “Are you all getting your phones out in dreams?? Am I the only one blundering about trying to rescue my old math teacher from the ocean phone-free???”
Some users expressed doubt about the premise, asking whether people truly don’t see their phones in dreams or if they simply don’t remember. They shared their own experiences of using phones in dreams to communicate, access information, or advance the dream’s plot.
One user speculated that younger generations might dream of phones more frequently, suggesting that older individuals didn’t have smartphones during their youth to include in their imaginative dreamscapes.
Another user humorously remarked: “Why don’t we see phones in dreams? Obviously y’all aren’t as chronically online as me it seems. All my brain can imagine is an iPhone. I close my eyes and see iPhone.”
For some, dreams remain untouched by electronic devices, with one user commenting, “Interesting… I literally never dreamed of anything electronic: phones, TVs, laptops, etc. Never.”
The debate continues on social media as individuals share their varied experiences and perceptions regarding the presence of phones in their dreams.
