One way to think about the function of dreams is to ask what adaptive role dreams may have served in our ancestral environment. As you might expect, there is still no definitive answer, but the following are the theories that are keeping researchers “awake at night” for over the past 10 to 15 years. Sleep recordings provide key information about how dreams could be part of memory function and emotional regulation. Probably the most frequently asked question about dreaming is: “Why do we dream?” Various theories and sleep studies help us better understand the diverse dream functions. It can also be part of a family sharing time to learn more about each other, and an opportunity for parents to address the importance of sleep quality and hygiene for our general well-being. It’s also not surprising that dream-related material is sometimes used as a therapeutic tool to increase self-awareness, insights, and creativity. Without falling into pseudoscience through popular books on universal dream symbols, talking, writing, thinking or drawing about our dreams can be a good and enriching way to connect with our inner world and do self-exploration. Since dreams can mirror our waking state of mind or our concerns as well as our personal perceptions of ourselves, others and the world we live in, they are of great interest.Įven though we still don’t know exactly why and how we dream, many people find it useful to pay attention to their dreams, even sharing them with others. Sometimes these representations are metaphorical or associative in nature, which is one reason dreams have such a bizarre aspect to them. However, considerable progress in better understanding the why and how of dreams has been made, thanks to rigorous studies.Ī lot of clinical and scientific evidence shows that dreams often reflect our ongoing concerns and emotionally salient experiences. Still, dreams have always been a source of fascination and many questions about dreaming remain unanswered. In fact, we experience about three to six dreams every night and spend about 25% of our time asleep dreaming, although some researchers believe this percentage might be considerably higher!īut most people rarely remember their dreams and, even they do, the memory of the dream fades quickly unless it is written down or otherwise recorded. Dreaming is a normal mental activity that occurs while we sleep.
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