DREAMS

Generally, we only dream during REM sleep, but this phase is not the only time when dreams occur. There’s up to a 20% chance that a person will report a neutral thought, like “I was thinking about rain,” during any sleep phase if awakened during it, leading to the belief that they might have been dreaming.
While there’s no definitive evidence of the purpose of dreams for humans, we are beginning to understand that the mental experiences during sleep are essential biological and psychological processes.

What happens in our brain while we dream?

During the 1950s and 60s, studies using electrodes placed on participants’ heads allowed scientists to observe brain activity during REM sleep. However, it wasn’t until the early 21st century, with the advent of brain imaging technology, that researchers could view the three-dimensional functioning of brain activity during sleep.
By placing patients in MRI machines, scientists could observe extraordinary changes in the brain as people entered REM sleep and began dreaming. They noted deep brain structures becoming active as REM sleep took over and dreams occurred.
During deep NREM sleep, when no dreaming happens, overall metabolic activity shows a modest decrease compared to when an individual is resting but awake. However, transitioning into REM sleep causes something entirely different. Various parts of the brain light up in the MRI as REM sleep takes over, indicating a significant increase in activity.
REM sleep can be considered a state of strong activation in the brain’s visual, motor, emotional, and autobiographical regions while simultaneously deactivating areas responsible for rational thinking (prefrontal cortex). REM sleep occurs 4 to 5 times per night, but we forget about 90 to 95% of dreams within the first 10 minutes of waking up.

Why do we forget dreams?

– The same reasons that cause forgetfulness while awake also operate during dreams;
– Many sensations and perceptions are too weak, or the mental excitement tied to them is too small, making dreams often forgettable;
– Since events in dreams occur only once, it’s harder to remember them compared to repeated experiences;
– To remember sensations, representations, and thoughts, they need to be sequentially organized and grouped appropriately—something that often doesn’t happen in dreams;
– A lack of interest in one’s own dreams can also contribute to not remembering them.

What’s the purpose of dreaming?

One group of theories suggests that the mind, while dreaming, has the ability and tendency to develop special psychological activities it largely cannot achieve while awake. These faculties give dreams a utilitarian function, helping us prepare for adverse situations or events that could happen in real life. However, these theories are controversial, and not all researchers agree with them.
Since most dreams occur during REM sleep, and this stage is closely tied to memory processing, it can be argued that dreams are part of this process.

Characteristics of Dreams

All the material that makes up the content of a dream is derived, in some way, from experience—either reproduced or remembered in the dream. This much can be considered indisputable.
It’s possible for dream content to include material that, while awake, we do not recognize as part of our knowledge or experience. We may recall dreaming about something but cannot remember when or if we experienced it in real life.
We don’t invent anything in dreams—they always feature images we have already seen.

Nightmares
These dreams typically occur during REM sleep and often in the latter part of the night. The person remembers the dream, usually involving a dangerous or highly stressful situation, and wakes up as a result.

Night Terrors
These generally occur at the end of NREM sleep. The person may scream and gesture with their eyes open, showing a terrified expression, but they usually do not remember the event. Common in children, though it can occur in adults.

IMPROVING SLEEP
– Noise – Avoid sleeping in noisy places and create a quiet environment for rest;

– Comfort – Adopt a comfortable sleeping position and environment for restorative rest;
– Regular Routines – Maintain consistent schedules for sleeping and eating to promote better sleep quality;
– Temperature – Sleep in a cool, well-ventilated room;
– Diet – Maintain a healthy diet and avoid eating large meals right before bed;
– Relaxed Mind – Practice techniques like relaxation exercises, meditation, reading, or listening to calming music to relax the mind;
– Sunlight – Get sunlight exposure during the day to promote restful sleep at night;
– Physical Exercise – Engage in daily physical activity, but not right before bedtime.

Thank you for reading to the end. If you have any comments or questions send me an email ana.cecilia.autora@gmail.com

This article was inspired by the books “Why Do We Sleep?” by Matthew Walker and “The Interpretation of Dreams” by Sigmund Freud.