What do your sex dreams reveal?

So there I am, shopping for a tennis racket in Japan with Gordon Ramsay, when suddenly I am kissing a young Marlon Brando in a choppy sea - a fantastic turn of events by any girl's standards. We're both on bicycles so it's pretty tough trying to stay afloat but it will take a lot more than cycling in deep water to stop me kissing one of my favourite crushes. Just as I hope things will get a bit steamier, I wake up.

According to a recent study by psychologist Jennie Parker of the University of the West of England, my fantastical head trip is pretty standard. Women's sex dreams tend to include lots of kissing and fantasies about other dream characters, while men report more actual intercourse.

The University of Montreal in Canada found women's dreams include romantic storylines and celebrities, while men's include multiple partners (you can dream, boys). This research shows genders conform to their stereotypes even when they are deep in their own personal kaleidoscope of images and colours.

Although sex dreams are common - some people have them as often as once a week - it's an area relatively untouched by psychologists. But dream expert Lauri Loewenberg says they tell us a lot about ourselves, particularly our unfulfilled desires and fears. Surprisingly, some dreams aren't even about sex - no matter how saucy they might be. Read on >>