Latest / The Science Behind Dreams
Can We Feel Pain in Dreams?
Episode 70 explores whether pain can genuinely be experienced during dreams. The answer is yes: dreamers sometimes report burning, stabbing, pressure, aching, or injuries that feel intensely real, even when no actual physical damage has occurred.
The episode explains that pain is not simply a signal coming from injured tissue. It is an experience constructed by the brain from sensory input, memory, expectation, attention, and emotion. During dreams, the brain can simulate pain internally, but real bodily discomfort—such as a cramp, headache, pressure, or awkward sleeping position—can also be…
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