Dreams have been present since the dawn of man, as a natural occurrence that happens when we sleep. Dreams are mentioned multiple times in the historical tales of the Bible, through classic literature, and have been the subject of many scientific studies. Everyone dreams, including animals, and they are a seemingly ‘involuntary’ operation. But, there may be more going on in your body, and your brain when you dream, without you even realizing it. So, why do we dream?
Well, it may be frustrating to accept, but there is no concrete answer. Granted, we have come farther in the world of science than previous dream history. Centuries ago, dreams were thought to be linked to the spiritual world, but of course we know now they have to do with processes that occur in the brain while we sleep. The problem with pinning one direct definition down when it comes to why we dream, is that everyone dreams differently. Some people have incredibly vivid dreams, as though they could reach out and touch the scene playing out before them. Some people are a direct part of their dreams, and some people have so many dreams a night, they don’t even remember what happened.
Of course, this doesn’t mean there are multiple theories and scientific guesses as to why we dream. Most scientists can agree that our dreams somehow related to a deep REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep, in which the eyes move and brain activity is recorded as being almost as active as when we are awake. This explains when we might be dreaming each night, but not necessarily why. Because of REM during sleep, however, many believe that dreams just happen due to natural brain activity, and are basically ‘meaningless’ in a scientific world. Other theories suggest that dreams are necessary for our overall emotional and mental health, as they allow time for the brain to deal with emotions, solve problems, etc. while we sleep.
The true reason behind dreaming remains a mystery, which is somewhat fascinating in itself in this time of technology and advancements. The 21st century has brought us so much knowledge in so many things, but when it comes to dreams, we really don’t have any new, concrete answers. Dreams remain as mysterious as they have been for years, but one thing is certain – as a race, we will never stop dreaming, and we don’t need a specific reason to enjoy the movies and shows our brain decides to show us night after night.
Dreams and sleep are a fascinating way to analyze our subconscious. At InSession.io we not only website for therapist professionals, we explore the many facets of psychotherapy, we truly help therapists help themselves.
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