Dreams have fascinated humans for centuries. Though the content of our dreams often feels so vivid and real, have you ever wondered about the literal colors that make up the scenery in your subconscious world? Surprisingly, there are some patterns and consistencies when it comes to dream color that researchers have uncovered over the years.
The predominance of black, white, and gray
Multiple studies have found that dreams are more likely to be devoid of color than our waking lives. In fact, a 1948 study published in The Journal of Mental Science found that only 4.4% of dreams contain color. A large-scale study on dream content done in the 1950s found that dreams were predominantly black and white, with lighter grays also being common.
There are a few possible reasons for this:
- Color perception may not be simulated in the brain during REM sleep.
- People may dream in color but not remember the color when waking up.
- Dreams may reflect older memories from childhood that were experienced without full color perception.
So while not all dreams are strictly black and white, muted and darker shades of gray tend to dominate the dreamscape.
Color patterns based on age
Younger people are more likely to dream in color than older adults. A study published in Imagination, Cognition and Personality asked people to record their dreams in a diary each morning. They found the following breakdown by age:
| Age Group | Percentage of Dreams Containing Color |
|---|---|
| 6-10 years old | 80% |
| 16-20 years old | 85% |
| 26-30 years old | 74% |
| Over 60 years old | 4% |
There are a couple theories as to why color perception decreases in dreams as people get older:
- As we age, our eyes and visual centers in the brain deteriorate, causing actual color perception to decrease in waking life.
- Longer exposure to black and white media like TV and films in childhood may manifest in more black and white dreams.
So if you find yourself dreaming of your childhood home or school in full, vivid color, it may be related to the enhanced color perception abilities children possess.
Most and least common dream colors
While black, white and gray tones are the most prevalent, certain hues do appear more frequently than others. A study that asked participants to record dream colors found the following colors to be most and least common:
Most common
- Red
- Blue
- Green
- Yellow
Least common
- Purple
- Orange
- Brown
- Pink
Brighter, primary colors tend to appear more than dim or mixed hues like purple or orange. Just why some colors prevail more than others is up for debate. Some believe it simply reflects how common they are in the natural and manmade world around us.
Color meanings and interpretation
Can the specific colors that show up in dreams carry any meaning or symbolism? Dream interpretation guides often attach significance to different colors.
Here are some of the most common dream color meanings:
- Red – Passion, intensity, lust, blood or danger
- Blue – Calmness, healing, relaxation, depression
- Green – Growth, hope, renewal, finances or envy
- Yellow – Joy, happiness, optimism or cowardice
- Purple – Luxury, royalty, sophistication or mysticism
- Orange – Energy, balance, warmth or pride
- Pink – Love, femininity, playfulness or innocence
- Brown – Earthiness, groundedness, materialism or excrement
- Black – Mystery, death, fear or the unknown
- White – Purity, cleansing, peace or surrender
However, professionals urge caution when assigning rigid meanings to dream colors. The context of the dream matters more than the colors themselves. The meaning you attribute to a color can also be very personal based on your own life experiences and cultural lens. Rather than seeking a dictionary definition, reflect on what each color means to you and how it makes you feel in the dream.
Strange and impossibly vivid colors
Sometimes in dreams, we may perceive colors not found in the normal spectrum. These hypothetical colors that only exist in our mind are called “chimerical colors.” People often describe them as being ultra vivid, saturated or brighter than anything we could see in real life.
Some examples include:
- Hyperbolic red – More red than red
- Xanthous – An impossible yellow, brighter than any yellow pigment
- Iridescent colors – Colors that rapidly change and shine
These imaginary colors reveal how, untethered from physical reality, the mind can visualize colors existing beyond the limits of our senses. Surrealist artists like Salvador Dali even aimed to depict these visions in paintings like “Dream Caused by the Flight of a Bee Around a Pomegranate a Second Before Awakening.” The hyper-real quality reminds us how colorful and unbound our dream worlds can be.
Lucid dreams and controlling color
Lucid dreaming is when you become aware that you’re dreaming and can control or manipulate the contents of the dream. Research has found that lucid dreamers are better able to access color during their self-directed dreams.
In one study published in Dreaming, participants were able to change black and white images to color with 67% success when lucid. This suggests that color perception is under the control of the dreamer. A person may normally dream in color, but the mind does not access or render it during ordinary non-lucid dreams.
If you become lucid during a dream, trying altering the colors around you as an exciting experiment. You may be able to conjure up colors never seen before.
Color choice in dreams and the waking life
Could the prevalence of certain colors in your dreams reflect your preferences or instincts in the waking world? Possibly.
One study by psychologist Barbara Rietveld found that people tended to wear their preferred dream colors more often when awake. Rietveld had participants name their favorite dream color and then observed the color of their clothing for several weeks. Most people ended up wearing their favorite dream color over 60% of the time.
For example, women who reported green as their most frequent dream color were more likely to wear green clothing when awake. This suggests a level of continuity between the inner and outer self.
Conclusion
Despite the kaleidoscopic possibilities, dreams have their own distinct palette and colors that differ from waking life. Shades of black, white and gray prevail, but bright hues like red, blue and green also make frequent appearances. While color meanings require careful interpretation, the presence of color often reflects how we see the world as children and tap into boundless realms of imagination. Pay attention to the colors that emerge during your nightly reveries for clues into your mind’s inner landscape.
