Introverts Tend To Dream About These Gross Things More Often Than Extroverts Do

There are a number of theories explaining why we dream the way we do. Some say it's merely our brains organizing the day's activities. Others say it's our subconscious sneaking through. Still others say our dream are influenced by the last thing we were thinking about before we dozed off. Now, there's a new theory: according to one study, our dreams depend on our personalities — more specifically, whether we're introverts or extroverts.

The study was conducted by Best Mattress Brand. They had over 1000 participants take the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator personality test, and also asked how frequently the participants dream of certain subjects — like their dads, flying, being naked, and more. Other questions helped determine how lucid their dreams are, how alert they feel once they're awake, whether or not they have interest in interpreting their own dreams, and how often they have nightmares.

The researchers came to a number of conclusions. More generally, they looked at the dreams of self-reported introverts versus extroverts. For instance, introverts dream about their teeth falling out and punching someone with no effect more often than extroverts, while extroverts dream about traveling more often than introverts. When it comes to dreaming about people, extroverts dream about their fathers, colleagues, and bosses more than introverts. Extroverts also remember their dreams more.

And when it comes to sleep quality, extroverts seem to be ahead of the game: they have more energy during the day, feel more alert, and sleep through the night better than introverts. This might also explain why they have more lucid dreams and don't have a hard time staying awake when they want to.

Then the study took it one step further. The researchers grouped the participants together based on the kinds of dreams different personality types have the most, claiming they had found 16 different personalities based on sleeping and dreaming patterns.

1. The Mediator

Mediators have nightmares the most frequently, and they're interested in interpreting their dreams.

2. The Commander

The commander, on the other hand, has very little interest in interpreting their dreams.

3. The Logician

If you're a logician, you dream about your crush or significant other the most.

4. The Campaigner

Campaigners have lucid dreams the most frequently.

5. The Executive

Most of all, the executive is satisfied with how energetic they feel when they're awake.

6. The Protagonist

Protagonists remember their dreams the most.

7. The Consul

The consul is most satisfied with how energetic they feel when they're awake, and they have the fewest nightmares.

8. The Debater

Debaters remember their dreams the least. The also dream about murdering someone the most frequently. In related news, stay away from debaters.

9. The Entertainer

Entertainers have a hard time staying awake, and they dream about their crushes or significant others the most.

10. The Adventurer

If you're an adventurer, you dream about your friends the least.

11. The Logistician

Logisticians dream about both their dads and murdering someone less.

12. The Advocate

Do you dream often about being unable to move? You might be an advocate.

13. The Architect

Least of all, architects dream about traveling.

14. The Virtuoso

Virtuosos dream about the future least of all.

15. The Defender

Defenders dream about three specific things notably less: traveling, flying, and being back at school.

16. The Entrepreneur

If you're an entrepreneur, you dream about being naked in public, talking to your crush, flying, and the future the most — but hopefully not all at the same time.

Some of these are fairly easy to understand. For instance, it makes sense that the entrepreneur dreams about the future a lot — they thrive on goals and the possibilities of what's to come. More curious, though, are personalities like the debater, and all their murderous dreams.

Which brings me to a final note, which is also something the researchers pointed out: no personality is better or worse than another. None should be cause for alarm, and they really shouldn't even be taken as fact. These are merely avenues that provide opportunities for further exploration.