It’s no secret that our bodies need sleep to function. Though science is still in the process of discovering exactly why that is, the simplest explanation is that we need rest. Through sleep, our bodies recover the energy and health we expend on our daily activities. Typically, a good night’s sleep consists of 7–8 solid hours of shut-eye.
With just 24 hours each day, and only a finite amount of time to live, it would definitely be nice to use that chunk of time for more productive activities instead. If it could be done without consequences, someone would have probably done it already.
Though we can’t do the physical, maybe we can do the mental stuff through dreaming instead? Like reading and writing, for example.
Can You Read in Dreams?
The simple answer is no, you can’t read in dreams. Think about the times you remember reading while dreaming– were there actually words? Or were you looking at a blank piece of paper or an incomprehensible jumble? Chances are, it was the latter. A lot of people aren’t even sure if they’re verbally speaking in their dreams, or telepathically projecting their thoughts.
When you go to sleep, some parts of your brain run significantly slower than when you’re awake. Two areas of the brain are of particular interest: the Broca’s area, which deals with speech and articulation; and the Wernicke’s area, responsible for comprehension, grammar, structure and syntax.
Despite scientists’ best efforts, these two areas remain largely a mystery. These parts normally work together to create coherent speech and language, but it seems that the Wernicke’s area actually shuts down during sleep, affecting the Broca’s area’s performance in turn. We effectively develop temporary aphasia, as activities like reading, writing, arithmetic, and speaking become almost impossible tasks. In fact, we rarely even dream about such things.
Reading itself is an activity that heavily relies on the optic nerve to process written words, so it’s quite impossible to actually “read” in a dream. The words you see while dreaming may just be projections of your subconsciousness. They make sense in the dream, but may not actually resemble any language, and may not follow coherent thought.
Everything found in dreams is information you’ve passively absorbed while awake, and is only brought to the fore by your subconscious mind when you’re asleep. There’s even a theory that says that all the people we see in our dreams are people we’ve seen before, or a mixture of physical features that create a “new” person.
There are a few people who can read in dreams, and these people are typically those who frequently use language in a meaningful way. Writers, especially poets, spend a lot more time thinking about words and language compared with other people, and this can influence how they experience their dreams. One possible reason for poets is that poetry doesn’t need to have much logical sense, so it isn’t hugely affected by the Wernicke’s area shutting down.
What Are Dreams?
Dreams are thoughts, feelings, and images that you experience during sleep. It wouldn’t be too far off to say it’s like hallucinating while you sleep, really. Though visual dreams are the most common, dreams involving the other senses are also possible. Some people dream in color, while others dream in black and white. Sensory impairments can also affect how people experience their dreams. For example, blind people have been found to experience dreams that touch on their senses of smell, taste, and sound.
Typically, dreams are involuntary and viewed from a first-person perspective. Their content is usually incoherent and illogical, but still provokes strong emotions from the dreamer. In that aspect, nightmares are considered to be dreams that are more frightening or upsetting than usual.
Another reason dreams are often bizarre is that the parts of the brain dealing with logic and reason are not active. Our minds don’t realize that some activities, like flying and walking on water, are impossible, and the relationship between time and space becomes blurry.
Much like sleeping, the exact reason why we dream is still up for fierce debate. A few theories propose that dreams are a way of sorting through information, building long-term memory, and processing emotions, while others argue that they’re simply being a byproduct of sleep.
How Do Dreams Happen?
Dreaming often occurs when we enter the Rapid Eye Movement (R.E.M) state while sleeping. It begins about an hour and a half after falling asleep, when your eyes move rapidly from side to side behind your closed eyelids. Brain activity increases to that seen when awake. Your breathing becomes shallow and irregular, and your heart rate and blood pressure increase. Major muscles like the arms and legs become paralyzed in order to stop you from acting out what you dream.
Lucid Dreaming
Lucid dreaming is basically being aware that you are currently experiencing a dream, and thus, able to control it. Opinions are polarized about whether lucid dreaming can make it possible for people to read in their dreams.
Believers insist that, theoretically, if a person can control their dreams, then they can turn on the parts of their brain necessary for reading. But sleep science coach Chris Norris maintains that though lucid dreamers become aware of their situations, they are still effectively sleeping, and thus cannot force parts of their brains to suddenly work.
The Bottom Line
There’s still a lot to discover about sleep and dreams in general. It’s possible that there’s no exact answer to why we sleep and dream, but rather many reasons instead. Unless scientific advancement makes it possible, reading while dreaming will not be a reality for most people.
It’s definitely a bummer that we can’t actively use our dreams to continue learning and experiencing new things, but existing theories do have a positive outlook on how dreams can benefit us. Though we can’t learn new things, we can strive to learn as much as possible while awake, and let our subconscious process those insights while we sleep, converting short-term memories into long-term ones.
The best thing to do about it is just treat your sleep and dreams as a kind of vacation. You’re already doing so much when awake, so it’s good to take full advantage of sleep to rest and recover.
Have you ever experienced reading while in a dream? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Cole is a blog writer and aspiring novelist. He has a degree in Communications and is an advocate of media and information literacy and responsible media practices. Aside from his interest in technology, crafts, and food, he’s also your typical science fiction and fantasy junkie, spending most of his free time reading through an ever-growing to-be-read list. It’s either that or procrastinating over actually writing his book. Wish him luck!
I find this confusing. I’ve had two dreams where there was clear text.
A man opened his hand to reveal two names tattooed on it. I was able to read the names. Last night there was a blanket with a word that I examined and was able to read. These dreams are always very vivid.
I am a shy person in real life. In my dream, I had a group project with my friend. It was in online class, so my friend turned on the video call camera. I was really annoyed by it because I didn’t want my face to be shown and turned it back off. My friend didn’t say anything and kept turning the video call camera on. I was about to tell them something, but before I could say it, I saw in my screen an empty google docs. On the title of the google docs, I saw “InS Nasty Bastard”. As I was about to tell my friend you nasty bastard and make an excuse that I just read it from the docs title, I woke up.
I often read comics online (Webtoon) and that “Nasty Bastard” reminds me how some people talk in some comics I read. The font of the “Nasty Bastard” was black and it looked like Arial font, like this font right now. By the way, when the camera turned on in my dream, I did see my friend and my face through the video call, but when I try to remember it, I can’t recognise these faces.
I slept really late yesterday (almost 3 am) and woke up at 9 am. I was really tired and went to bed at 6-7 pm. I woke up later at about 12 am.
I have had dreams where I was able to taste, translate a language to a different one and calculate in maths (its separate dreams). But one thing all of them have in common is that I wake up shortly after that.
When I try to recall dreams when I was with my friends or family, all their faces just seem blurry but I can recall the size of their body looks and the colour of their skin. I think thats how we actually describe it in real life. Like if I were to try to recall my friend’s face right now, I could say I know how they look, but I can’t picture it in my head in detail.
Hi Lei, thanks for sharing! I’ve had similar experiences (where it seems that I’m reading something, tasting something, etc.) but I think it’s more just a projection :)
These definitely were not ”Dreams” but visions from God, but I shall post them regardless. In my vision, an Angel appeared in front of me, I could not see the face, as its back was to me, however I did see the large white wings, and white gown attire, with golden lush hair. This Angel opened a scroll for me, and let me decree that it was the brighest object I have ever laid my eyes upon. The Angel proceeded to point directly at the scroll, and then vanished. I approached the scroll as instructed and it read quite clearly ” Thou shalt have no other Gods before me”. I nodded my head acknowledging this truth and could not turn around, however I knew the Angel was behind me. My arm extended, and this being reciprocated and locked hands. Such a soft touch, shortly after I awoke in my room with the purest most powerful aura of peace I could have never imagined. Jesus Christ truly is Lord! God was speaking to me directly, and my life did a 180 turn!
The second vision I had was far more expedient. An Angel was flying in my direction, I faced it in a state of wonder, and soon noticed it had a sword in its hand. I asked if God had sent him, the Angel nodded in upward and downward fashion. I then proceeded to ask if it was my time, if I could go with him, and the Angel replied by shaking his head left to right indicating no. And that concludes the encounter.
The Third Vision was quite unique, I remember being in a room that resembled a castle style quarter. I knew something was in the room with me, I stated ” If you do not come In the name of Jesus Christ, Son of the most High God, begone”. I was then grabbed by an Angel with glowing hands, this Angel embraced me, holding my arms, comforting me as if to let me know God is with me and everything will be alright. The most daring aspect of the entire vision was when the Angel embraced me, He/She stared directly into my face, into my eyes for true reassurance. Jesus Christ is beyond remarkable. I somehow knew I had been given wings, and tested them out as such, jumping off the ground, looking down at my legs/feet while I hovered in the air. Noticing an outlooking window/doorway, I gazed outward and viewed countless hovering Angels below me, as I exited the castle room I floated down and woke up.
Many will call this the delusions of a mad man, but I tell you fact is far stranger than fiction. Deny my truths if you will, all of this truly happened, I seek not fame, nor glory, for the God of Israel sets men free. All praise and glory to Jesus Christ and his Eternal Kingdom. My mind is nowhere powerful enough to create such beautiful encounters.
Thank you for sharing your dreams, Harry. It sounds like it was a very powerful experience!
Hmm I’m a very lucid dreamer an last night I had a very crazy experience, I am an online icon an I do A LOT of messaging people sometimes I’m talking to over 200 people at a time. What happened last night was odd tho, I was dreaming of reading full out messages with others an typing back the same thing, I could tell you my keyboard layout like the back of my hand, so all this an these things I type an read where not fake things an the replays did not change.
I’ve always had some the craziest dreams ones that I lived many worlds an life’s, I could always ready but last night I had some dreaming it was way to real
Hi Sunny, thanks for sharing your experience! That’s super interesting!
I’ve tried to buy books by my favorite writers in my dreams, so yes, I can read about a paragraph. I wake up really annoyed that the book doesn’t exist. I wonder if my ability is tied to my being somewhat ambidextrous. And when I read, I visualize the story as if I’m watching a movie.
Thanks for sharing your experiences, Karina! Dreams are really interesting.
It sounds to me like maybe you should be authoting some of tthese books, or perhaps pitching the beginnings to your favorite author an coauthoring them. It may be a long shot, but surely they would find it interesting and flattering enough to just know that their writing inspires you so to the point that you dream that way? Maybe it would compel them to come out with a new story they have been dragging their feet on. <3
I often read and write while I’m asleep.
But I am surprised that I saw some dreams, reading unknown writings that do not exist alphabetically.
They are extremely complicated and at first glance seem incomprehensible to me.
Continuing the reading I do aloud, I notice that the sentences are correctly constructed and the words have a real meaning.
While reading I notice that I am not sleeping or rather I notice that I am losing sleep.
After a while I fill awake completely and realize that I was reading aloud in my sleep.
When I think about it I fail to list what I read.
thanks for sharing your experience, very interesting! I don’t often “read” in my dreams but I do dream about what I read :)
This is the most ridiculous article I’ve ever read.
“it’s quite impossible to actually “read” in a dream. The words you see while dreaming may just be projections of your subconsciousness.”
Um, it’s a DREAM. Everything that happens in it is a projection of the subconscious! Your eyes are closed, so you’re not “seeing” *any* of what happens in a dream.
Buffoon.
Hi Smarf. We do a lot of research before choosing article topics and writing them. Our research shows us that many people have this question and want to know whether it’s possible to read in their dreams. Yes, dreams are projections, but I don’t see the problem in clarifying that words in dreams are simply another projection if it helps explain the concept to people.
Yes, you can read in dreams and speak and hear. I read books, signs, etc in my dreams. I can also write in my dreams. I also speak and listen to others. If scientists don’t think this is possible then they are using the wrong research subjects.
I read in my sleep pretty often, usually in a newspaper type form. I’d prefer to talk about it with someone than write about it. I don’t use a computer . I Am best reached between 10am and 10pm CST at 314 7249422. Hope to hear from you soon.
Just a few nights ago I came home from a vacation and found my community newsletter had arrived. I am a writer and a poet and I had just written quite a bit for the newsletter so I opened it with interest and read it cover-to-cover. One thing I read was a little article by my neighbor Steve saying that the trash pick up dates had changed which really annoyed him because all his life they’ve been monday-friday and now they were Tuesday Thursday with something else on Wednesday and something else on Friday. I was quite upset about the change in a couple of days later I called the neighbor to ask what had happened and she did not know what I was talking about. I then called Steve and asked him and he said he never wrote any such thing. I went back to the newsletter and the article I thought I had read was not there and I realized I had dreamed it. Subsequently I read that people don’t really read in their dreams so I thought this might be of interest to someone
Thanks for sharing your experience, Valerie! I just had a dream the other night where I read a note and vividly remembered what is said in the morning. I think what the research referenced in this article argues, though, is that you think you’re “reading,” but it’s actually just a projection. It also notes that writers and people who frequently work with words may experience reading in dreams more often.
I read in dreams all the time and not just a glance but look at the paper then away and back again and it is the same as it was before, and I remember these thing quite vividly. I think a lot is left to discover about the human brain before one can say it is impossible to do something.
Thanks for your comment, Lauren! The post actually explains that there are some people who can read in dreams, though it is rare, but I agree with you that there’s probably much more to be discovered.
I did not know this what thought of as “impossible”. Recently I was telling my best friend about a book I read, and it was about this small rebellion was growing and they called themselves The Owl. So she said What was it called, so I couldn’t remember, so I googled The Owl, tried it with rebellion, then really thought about it, and thought Wait, when did I read this? It feels like it was yesterday, but I was super busy yesterday, when did I read this? So I thought hard about it, realized I had been reading it in a library I’ve never been in in real life. So I started laughing and said omg I dreamed it, that’s why I can’t find it yet. I can read, I can draw, I can write, but I can’t text or put numbers in my phone to make a call. I usually have to yell at someone else to call 911. I am able to receive texts, like I dreamed a friend of mine sent me pictures and I was looking through the pictures. I don’t usually lucid dream, if I realize it’s a dream I wake up. Sometimes things will happen that usually only happen in dreams, so I’ll say Wow, I usually only dream about this happening, but this time it’s actually happening! And to be sure, I look at everything around me, I see every detail, I touch things so I know they’re real, I will read anything that’s around, one time it was a Betty Crocker cookbook. And that’s how I reassure myself that it’s not a dream this time. I have had several dreams come true, and I usually know when I wake up I had that kind of a dream. Most recently, I found out my sister in law was pregnant. She was kinda pissed that I knew before she had a chance to tell me. They had just found out. Anyway, I love my dream vacations, and all the things I get to do :)
Thanks for sharing your dream experiences, Angela! Sounds like you’ve had some really cool ones!
I have had many dreams of reading a book. Not watching myself read but actually visualizing the pages in a book. I have in these dreams realized on several occasions that i was reading words that were complete gobbledygook. On fewer occasions i realized in my dream that i was repeating a thought of a small fictional plot over and over. I think on most occasions that i dream of reading a book i read nonsensical words without realizing it. I read daily between 150 to 300 pages. The times i dream of reading books are when I’ve spent 8 or more hours a day reading for more than 3 days straight.
Thanks for sharing your experience! I think that’s what happens to me and most people too. We think we’re reading real words, but what we’re actually “seeing” probably aren’t.