Why do we Dream?

Dreams are entertaining, fun, romantic, disturbing, frightening, and sometimes bizarre stories or images that our mind creates while sleeping. They are the patterns of sensory information that occur when the brain is in a resting state. But have you ever wondered! Why do we dream? What causes a dream? Can we control them? Do they mean anything? It is generally assumed by the scientists and psychological doctors that dreams occur during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep which means when the brain appears to be in an active state but the individual is asleep and in a state of unconsciousness.

What causes the Dream?

Several theories explain possible reasons why an individual dream. According to these theories,

• Dreams work as a form of psychotherapy
• Represents unconscious desires and wishes
• Interprets random signals from the brain and body during sleep
• consolidates and process information gathered during the day

From different shreds of evidence and new research methodologies, researchers have theorized that dreaming serves the following functions:

• Offline memory reprocessing, in which the brain consolidates learning and other memory tasks and supports and records waking consciousness
• Prepares an individual for possible future threats
• Helps in developing cognitive capabilities
• Reflects unconscious mental function in a psychoanalytic way

Due to its nature, It became difficult for scientists to study in a laboratory, but technology and new research techniques may help improve our understanding of dreams.

Types of Dreams

Broadly, there are five types of Dreams:

• Daydreams: A form of dissociating oneself from the real world, and getting absorbed into fantasies and mental imagery that usually involves elaborate scenarios that the individual prefers over reality. Studies reveal that the average person daydreams for approx 70-120 minutes of their waking day. 
• Normal Dreams: Dreams that arrive mostly out of Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep are termed as Normal Dreams and these are essential to our survival. Normal dreams offer insights that are based on individual thoughts and experiences from the day before from the unconscious mind.
• Lucid Dreams: The richly immersive and one of the best types of dreams, Lucid dreaming gives freedom to the dreamer to choose their infinite and beautiful worlds. In this kind of dream, you are fully aware that you are dreaming also you can control or direct your awareness. 
• False Awakenings: One of the most vivid types of dreams that begins from your bedroom, or the last place you went to sleep, or even a different bed altogether. Just like any normal dream,  you assume you're awake, and you certainly don't know you're dreaming.
• Nightmares: These dreams are normal but with a scary twist. According to dream analysis, you may find yourself being chased, which generally represents our evolutionary fear of being hunted.

 

By- Sakshi Bhardwaj