Dreaming is good for memory

Dreams appear to help people remember facts they value better than those they do not, according to a new study which adds weight to the theory that the sometimes bizarre imagery has a deeper purpose.

The reasons why people dream are still controversial. According to some experts, they are just random noise as the brain takes a rest.

But others believe they are actually part of the process of filing newly acquired knowledge and memories and an important way of coping with traumatic events.

In a study at Swansea University Sleep Laboratory, participants were taught Welsh phrases and then tested on how much they could remember.

Those who got a good night’s sleep fared better than those who learned the words in the morning and were tested later that day.

But people who placed a particular value on the Welsh language got more of a benefit from sleeping on what they had been taught.