Why Do We Dream?

LIFESTYLE

Why Do We Dream?

A LOOK INTO THEORIES BEHIND THE MEANING OF DREAMS

By Jessica Katz, Lifestyle Editorial Assistant •Illustrated by Ella Cunz

When we fall asleep, our minds stay awake. We may not always remember our dreams, and we may not even always dream, but there must be some reason for the stories our mind creates when we close our eyes and drift into deep slumber.

A dream is an image, thought or feeling we experience during sleep.1 On average, we dream for around two hours in a full night’s sleep. This can occur during any stage, but research has shown that dreams are the most intense during the rapid eye movement (REM) stage. This is because during REM, brain activity is increased, making dreams more vivid. Meanwhile, non-REM dreams tend to involve thoughts or memories related to a specific time and place.2

Despite numerous experiments, there is no conclusive answer for why we dream. However, there are many purposes of dreaming. They impact our executive functioning, the skills we use to manage daily life. Dreams help strengthen memory and informational recall. They also help us process emotion, by allowing us to engage with and rehearse feeling in imagined contexts. They also can act as mental housekeeping, “straightening up” our brain as we clear away unnecessary information.3

Nightmares can also affect our minds. If frequent, they may interfere with a person’s sleep, causing impaired thinking and mood during the day.4

Some of us are fascinated with the meaning of our dreams. How does my dream relate to my past or present? Who is involved? Is it a sign of some sort?

As the founder of psychoanalysis, Freud believed in the power of unconsciousness; to him, dreams revealed unconsciously repressed conflicts or wishes.5 He studied his own dreams, concluding that details from such experiences showed imagery from childhood that had since been repressed.6

The Activation Synthesis Hypothesis explained otherwise.7 This theory was proposed by Harvard psychiatrists John Allan Hobson and Robert McCarley who view dreams as electrical brain impulses that randomly pull thoughts or images from our memories. The authors also note we may construct dream stories after we wake up as a natural attempt to make sense of it all, however dreams don’t actually have meaning.

Lastly, Threat Simulation Theory assumes we dream more when in a state of fear or anxiety.8

5Atherton, Sam. 2021. “What Do Our Dreams Mean? The Theories Behind Dream Meanings.” Dreams. 6“The Interpretation of Dreams.” n.d. Freud Museum London. 7 Cherry, Kendra. 2020. “What Is the Activation-Synthesis Model of Dreaming?” VeryWellMind. 8Ibid. According to this theory, dreams act as a defense mechanism our brains create to prepare us for future threats. Research found that children living in more physically and psychological threatening environments have highly activated dream production. Dreams allow us to face our fears in a safe simulation.

It may be impossible to truly discover the meaning behind our dreams. They may tell us something about ourselves, but we can’t trust dreams to reveal our future. However, don’t let that discourage you from analyzing your dreams or keeping a dream journal. The spirituality of dreams and finding meaning in your subconscious can be personally illuminating and reduce stress. Continue to be curious about the most mystifying aspect of sleep and dream on. ■

1Suni, Eric. 2020. “Dreams: Why We Dream & How They Affect Sleep.” Sleep Foundation. 2 Ibid. 3 Ibid. 4 Ibid. MODA | 24