When you drift off to sleep, your mind begins to move with absolute freedom. Shapes transform, emotions are expressed unfiltered, and your body allows your imagination to flourish. This sensory experience, however, is not the same for everyone. Approximately 12% of dreamers report experiencing their dreams without any color, as if their mind were projecting a black and white film.
A minority of dreamers with monochrome nights
Studies on the subject show that a small percentage of the population reports dreaming exclusively in shades of gray. For everyone else surveyed, dreams at least sometimes contain color, whether it's a bright sky, a striking garment, or a familiar face. This doesn't mean that these colors are always accurately remembered upon waking. Your brain, benevolent but selective, filters out what it deems important to retain.
It's important to remember that this characteristic has nothing to do with the frequency of dreams. Everyone dreams every night, even if not everyone remembers them. When waking occurs during REM sleep, a time when the brain is very active, most people actually describe a rich and colorful world. Your mind is therefore fully functioning, whether or not you retain a conscious record of its nocturnal creations.
When the screen influences the imagination
One historical fact particularly intrigues researchers. In the 1940s, the situation was almost reversed: nearly three-quarters of Americans reported rarely, if ever, dreaming in color. At that time, films and television programs were mostly broadcast in black and white. Scientists then proposed the idea that the daily visual environment could influence how the brain composes images during sleep.
Another study, published in 2008 , reinforces this hypothesis. People under 25, having grown up in a world saturated with digital colors, almost always report colorful dreams. Conversely, among those over 55, about a quarter still describe black and white dreams. This correlation isn't absolute proof, but it suggests that your brain, flexible and adaptable, draws on what it knows best to fuel its nocturnal scenarios.
The persistent mystery of dreams
Despite these fascinating observations, dreaming remains largely unexplored territory. Researchers agree on its complexity, but still disagree on its exact function. For some, dreaming serves to sort through memories and reinforce learning. For others, it is a safe space where your mind can manage emotions, test social situations, or simply allow spontaneous brain activity to unfold.
In any case, your dreams are a testament to the vitality of your mind. Whether they're in black and white or technicolor, they contribute to your inner balance. They remind us that your brain, like your body, deserves respect, attention, and kindness. Accepting the uniqueness of your nights is also celebrating the diversity of human experiences.
Ultimately, whether you're in the top 12% or the majority matters little. Your dreams, whatever they may be, are a shining—or subtly nuanced—proof of the richness of your inner world.
