Why Do We Dream?

Why do we dream?

That's a question that has fascinated people since ancient times, even as far back as Aristotle or the Ancient Egyptians.

If you've ever woken up from a dream thinking "whoa... what was ALL THAT about?", you've probably asked yourself the very same question!

People have been asking questions about the causes and meanings of our dreams for centuries, but there are still a lot that remains unknown.

A lot of time has passed, a huge amount of research has been done, and a certain amount of scientific progress has been made since those early days, but scientists and researchers still don't have a definitive answer to the question 'why do we dream?'.

However, the actual physiological aspects of sleep and the 'how' we dream part are better understood.

Which of the above quotes do you think most accurately describes your dreams? Personally I prefer the second one, but some nights I'd have to say the first sounds more accurate!

Although there is no definitive answer to the question, 'why do we dream?', scientists do have several theories, as well as a certain amount of fairly concrete knowledge about the physiology of how we dream.

Strangely enough, these theories encompass both the ideas suggested in the quotes above.

Sleep and Dreams

We spend about 20% - 25% of our sleep in REM phase, and an EEG of your brain during REM sleep would show activity similar to that which goes on when you're fully awake.

Dreams can last anywhere from a few seconds to 15 or 20 minutes, and the research indicates that the dreams we have during REM sleep are of a more emotional and 'creative' nature than those that we experience during other stages of sleep.

We alternate through 5 different stages of sleep in a sort of continuous 'cycle' (usually completing a 'loop' five or six times) each night. The REM, or most active, sleep phase is followed by periods of very deep sleep, called slow-wave sleep.

Some scientists think that this stage of slow-wave sleep may have the effect of 'wiping out' the memory of the dreams we were having just a short while ago, and this could explain the different levels of recall that can occur when we look at our sleep and dreams.

For example, if we are woken up during REM sleep (when we are already in a state of semi-arousal and sleeping fairly lightly), the immediacy of our dreams and our ability to snap-awake could be the reason we remember our dreams in vivid detail.

At other times, we may be awakened during slow-wave (non-REM) sleep, and this can be a more difficult accomplishment. As we slowly surface, the effects of the slow-wave sleep, and the time elapsed since our dreams, blur the memory - or make us forget altogether.

Why do we dream? The theories.....

This is one of the areas where scientists and researchers have been unable to agree and there are no hard facts to irrefutably confirm or deny any individual interpretation or proposed answer to this question.

Although 'why do we dream?' can't be answered definitively, I can tell you some of the things scientists have discovered about the amazing world of sleep and dreams....

• The relationship between daytime activities and emotions
  Most research seems to confirm that our daily activities, and the things that happen to us in our waking hours, do have some impact on our dreams at least part of the time.

  In many cases people can see the relationship between their dreams and their hopes, fears, worries and experiences. During different stages of sleep our brain and body goes through a 'repair and tune-up' sort of process, where our hormones are re-balanced, our immune system re calibrated and the pressures our circulatory system are reduced. (Find out more about this process on my Benefits of Sleep page).

  Some researchers believe that dreaming is just part of the other function that takes place in our brains at this time - the re-arranging and processing of recent memories and experiences.

  Emotionally charged or traumatic experiences seem to feature here, and dreaming could be a one of the mechanisms our brain uses to make sense of, and come to terms with, what happens to us during our waking hours.



• The 'Activation Theory'
  When considering the question 'Why do we dream?', there's another theory called the 'Activation Theory' to look at. This theory hypothesizes that dreams are simply a result of our brain trying to organize random signals, messages, memories and activity into something recognizable. This theory believes there is no real logic or reason behind the way in which our dreams evolve.


• A Freudian Explanation
  A theoretical answer to the 'why do we dream?' question, that was popular at one time, but has now fallen from favor, was put forward by Sigmund Freud. In his own words, Freud considered dreams to be 'disguised fulfillments of repressed wishes'. In other words, he believed that we repress certain emotions and actions in our conscious world (perhaps because they are socially unacceptable), but in sleep, the brain feels free to explore these actions.

  Although dream interpretation grew from this viewpoint, no research has been able to find significant evidence to prove that Freud was correct in his beliefs.



• Trying to make sense of daily life
  There is a more recent theory about why we dream, which puts elements of different theories together to create a new one. The idea behind it is that during sleep, your brain takes the thoughts, ideas (and yes, maybe that repressed desire to make a rude gesture at your boss!) and emotions that you experience during your waking hours, and then they get thrown around in a random way as your brain fires off it's electrical impulses and messages.

  Dreams are then thought to be our brains' attempt to interpret and organize this kind of hodge-podge of feelings and memories, in a way that fits with our individual beliefs, perspective on life, cultural background and so on.

If you want to nudge your dreams into the realm of sweetness, try this soothing natural product....

Sweet Dreams Wellness Oil

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Eliminate the anxiety and 'racing-thoughts' that can cause nightmares, tossing and turning and generally ruin your sleep.

So.....why DO we dream?

After all, research has shown that our brains are infinitely more complicated and wondrous than we can hope to understand, anytime soon anyway. So, why should we expect to be able to fully understand such complex functions as sleep and dreams?

The importance of sleep and the benefits it has on our bodies, are only beginning to be understood. The creative, imaginative, wonderful (and sometimes scary) world of dreams will likely hold onto its secrets a bit longer yet!

The International Association For The Study Of Dreams is a non-profit organization whose purpose is '...to promote an awareness and appreciation of dreams in both professional and public arenas'.

If you'd like to explore the 'why do we dream?' question a bit further, or find out more about dream interpretation, research, education and more, check them out.

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