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Daydreaming

Does everyone’s mind wander at some point during the day? And what happens to us, and our lives, when we daydream?

Freud thought daydreaming was not a useful activity, and many teachers across the world have been heard to say β€œstop daydreaming” to their pupils. But it seems to have redeeming purposes.

Opera singer Noah Stewart explains how he uses daydreaming as a way to prepare himself for the stage. And Peter Moore, an IT contractor who was held hostage in Iraq, describes how his mind began to fill the emptiness of his days with dreams of escape and comfort.

While daydreaming may be universal across cultures, there seem to be many differences in in how we do it - from playful vivid fantasies, to problem solving, to obsessing. And is daydreaming a taboo subject? We explore why it’s not discussed.

(Photo: A young girl lies on the grass daydreaming. Credit: George Marks/Retrofile/Getty Images)

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18 minutes

Last on

Mon 13 Apr 2015 12:32GMT

Broadcasts

  • Fri 10 Apr 2015 18:32GMT
  • Fri 10 Apr 2015 23:32GMT
  • Sun 12 Apr 2015 21:32GMT
  • Mon 13 Apr 2015 04:32GMT
  • Mon 13 Apr 2015 12:32GMT

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