Dream On: What Do You Dream!?

at
Share This Post

Dreaming mouse2

. . .

Dreams have always been a little-understood but thoroughly-discussed part of human existence. The first well-known dream theories came from Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung at the end of the 19th century, and focused mainly on the idea of repressed longing; these theories focused on dreams as a psychological outlet for unexpressed thoughts and desires. Dream theory has developed, though little is certain about where our dreams come from.

The process of dreaming is caused by brain activity during REM sleep, one of five stages of sleep. Prevailing theory suggests that dreams are a biological defense mechanism that was advantageous for the processing of emotions responsible for threat processing and avoidance. In other words, dreaming is a mechanism through which neural pathways used during stressful situations are strengthened for occasions when danger is present in real life. A reduction in REM sleep (and a subsequent reduction in dreaming) has been linked to a lack of understanding of complex emotions, most likely because synapses responsible for those emotions have been under-stimulated in the absence of dreaming.

No one knows for sure what inspires the subject of a dream. Often the occurrences during our dreams relate to our lives; many people experience dreams about things they thought about or saw during the day. Just as often, human beings dream about things we haven’t thought of in years; this can be explained by a less technical (and more Freudian) theory that explains a connection between the mind and the soul, generating a subconscious dialogue meant to help us sort through our thoughts. This theory of dream explanation gives way to speculation about the meanings of specific things in dreams. Here are some of the most common dream “themes,” and what they supposedly mean.

  • Being chased: Interpreters say that the sensation of being chased in a dream represents a threat present in waking life. The threat can be a person, an emotion, or an event you’ve been dreading.
  • Arriving late: This dream can represent the feeling of regret over some kind of missed opportunity, or it can indicate a desire to pull oneself together.
  • Flying: Some interpreters link flying to confidence about sexual powers. How one is flying is apparently important to the meaning of the dream– if you’re trying to fly and failing, the dream could represent feelings of sexual inadequacy (or low self-esteem).
  • Losing teeth: Dreams about losing teeth also connect to feelings of insecurity, especially about appearance, a loss of power, or getting old.
  • An inability to fight or move: These dreams represent an inability to overcome an obstacle, or a feeling of powerlessness. There is a scientific explanation behind these dreams as well: during REM sleep, the body’s release of neurotransmitters responsible for stimulating motor neurons is reduced, leaving the body in a state of near physical paralysis called REM atonia.

Are dreams keys to the subconscious mind, or random neural firings we try to make sense of? Do dreams have meaning? Cue the alien music and weigh in below.

_____________________________________________________________

Sources:
http://www.thechurchillobserver.com/online-exclusives/2010/05/03/the-science-behind-dreams/
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=the-science-behind-dreaming
http://www.divinecaroline.com/self/dreams/seven-common-dreams-and-what-they-mean

 

Interrobang Staff

Interrobang Staff