Dreams are important to many of us. We fly, we travel to places we have never been to, we meet people we want to see… Sometimes we receive messages about conditions that we are in or that may happen to us in the future. So, many people believe that it is so... In fact, this idea is so common that you can find many people and resources from dream interpreters to dream interpretation books.
The only interesting thing about dreams is that they are messengers. There are also interesting theories, from controlling the dream world that normally develops out of control, to keeping the mind awake while the body is sleeping, and traveling in a dreamlike universe. Let's take a closer look at this fantastical world together.
Before moving on to the dreams, let's start from the beginning and briefly talk about the period in which dreams are seen. Sleep…
The sleep cycle consists of five stages. The brain emits alpha waves during the first phase of dozing off. Conditions such as hypervigilance and the feeling of falling which are called hypnagogic hallucinations are also experienced in this phase. Then we move on to theta waves.
In the second stage, our brains begin to produce fast and rhythmic brain waves called 'Sleep Spindles'. Our body temperature and heart rate decrease. In the third stage, we begin to transition from light sleep to deep sleep. In the fourth stage, also called the 'Delta Stage', we enter a 30-minute deep sleep period. Sleepwalking is one of the situations that occur at the end of this stage.
And the REM (Rapid eye movement) phase… The fifth phase… Now we start dreaming. Although some glimpses of images are seen in earlier stages, the main dream stage is the REM stage. Rapid eye movements, increase in respiratory rate and brain activity are the characteristics of this stage. It is also known as 'paradoxical sleep' because, in contrast to the increase in brain activity, the muscles are more relaxed or paralyzed during this phase. By the way, paralysis in the muscles is important self-protection so that we do not harm ourselves while dreaming.
Since we have come to the stage where dreams are seen, let's dig deeper into the subject slowly with the question "What is this dream concept?"
A dream is defined as a series of thoughts, images, or emotions that occur during sleep. These images are so realistic that most of the time people do not even realize that they are in a dream.
There are several different types of dreams. Messenger dreams, subconscious dreams, lucid dreams, nightmares… These groupings may vary in different sources.
Messenger dreams are dreams that foretell the future or warn the dreamer.
Subconscious dreams which carry the trace of daily life, fears, and repressed emotions, are dreams that occur when the conscious mind is asleep.
Lucid dream is the name given to the situations in which we are conscious during dreaming. One can take control of the dream and travel to any place one wishes.
Nightmares, on the other hand, are unpleasant dreams that cause fear, sadness, and anxiety. If such dreams are repeated too often, the person may even need to seek medical treatment.
Although dreams are so realistic that we cannot realize that we are asleep, how actually they are far from logical when we wake up, right? This is because the region that triggers dreams during sleep is the emotional center.
Well, why does the brain create such images during rest and go on adventures in its way? The purpose of dreams may not be understood yet, but still, some theories are being put forward. Let's look at these theories now.
One of the ideas is that dreams can be therapists. Your brain may be offering you such a service to face the problems of daily life. So that you can do what your conscious state cannot do...
Or dreams are a kind of training ground. One of the most active areas of the brain, when we dream, is the amygdala. And the amygdala is the part of the brain that deals with our survival instinct. In other words, we may be receiving practical training on how to evaluate the fight or flight options in situations encountered during dreams.
Another theory says that dreams exist for inspiration. You can hear the story of many artists revealing their masterworks as a result of their dreams. Because while we are awake, our logical filter, which suppresses our creativity, sleeps sweetly as well as our conscious mind while we’re dreaming.
Another assumption says that dreams are the biggest helpers in our remembering process. You remember that researchers, even some doctors, and many self-helpers say ‘study before you sleep'. The reason is that studies have shown that sleeping after learning new information makes it easier to remember that information. Of course, this connection is not yet clear. However, it is an undeniable fact that the sleep process helps the process of learning new information.
Yes, we do dream somehow every night, and if you are one of those who remember dreams, you are usually aware that dreams have different content each night. Of course, if you don't have a psychological health problem, if you don't struggle with nightmares or if you don't have certain obsessions...
So, what are dreams inspired by? They change depending on what?
Several factors influence our dreams. As I just said, health problems or diet and even our daily activities can leave a mark on our dreams. How?
Did you know that we can have more vivid dreams than usual when we have the opportunity to sleep deeply after one or two sleepless nights? And that we can remember these dreams more easily? Because at such times we can go through a deeper REM phase.
It is known that diseases such as depression, anxiety disorder, and bipolarity, as well as the drugs given for these diseases, affect the dreams we see. It even triggers us to have nightmares rather than dreams. In other words, our mental state has a close relationship with the dreams we see. I'm guessing you've tested this yourself. In the simplest case, many people have had dreams such as questions that cannot be solved during exam times or not being able to catch up with the exam.
Another factor is what we eat. There is no such thing as a certain food that affects our dreams, good or bad. But since we know that our mood is reflected in our sleep, you can guess that foods that raise or lower our mood during the day can leave a similar mark on our dreams. Or eating in a way that causes you to wake up frequently at night… You decide whether it is good or bad, but eating late, especially consuming heavy meals, may cause you to wake up frequently at night and therefore remember more dreams. Of course, there is no guarantee that the dreams you will remember will be good. Because your stomach will suffer throughout the night.
Another important factor is your daily activities. Studies show that exercise early in the day leads to a good night's sleep and longer deep sleep. This can help you have intense and vivid dreams. It can also provide a more peaceful dreaming experience, which you will see in other activities that reduce your stress level.
We've seen good or bad dreams somehow. So, how do we solve the mystery of what we see?
According to various religions, dreams sometimes exist to warn us. And the first interpretation of the dream is of great importance because the probability of the dream coming true as it is interpreted increases. In other words, the interpretation of the dream affects the way the dream comes true. That's why to be careful, don't tell your dreams to everyone, even if you don't believe them. Just in case. Who knows, someone may interpret your dream in a bad way that actually has a good meaning, so that you would get into trouble.
If there are clear images you see even if you don't tell anyone else, you can interpret them yourself according to your psychological state. I don't know if you've heard it before, but psychologists say that slips of the tongue occur as a result of subconsciously suppressed emotions or thoughts. Likewise, dreams are claimed to resemble slips of the tongue. That is, dreams can be a kind of embodied expression of hidden emotions. Therefore, when interpreting a dream, it is necessary to investigate its hidden meanings as well as its obvious meanings.
Of course, in order to have a dream to interpret, we must first remember them. But how is this possible when dreams are so difficult to remember? And why are our dreams so prone to oblivion?
Thomas Andrillon, a neuroscientist at Monash University, says that even if a person has never remembered dreams in their entire life, anyone can remember their dreams if they are woken up at the right time. And it gives us some hope.
According to the article published in the scientific journal Neuron in 2011, many parts of the brain fall asleep when we fall asleep. The researchers say that among these regions, the hippocampus is the last to fall asleep. Located between the two hemispheres of the brain, this structure has an important role in transferring information from short-term memory to long-term memory.
Coming back to Andrillon again. According to the neuroscientist, when you wake up, the hippocampus isn't fully awake yet, making it difficult to recall memories of dreams. However, studies show that waking up frequently at night increases the likelihood of remembering dreams.
One of the reasons dreams are difficult to remember is that electrical impulses with neurotransmitter chemicals associated with memory called norepinephrine, which aid memorizing, are at their lowest when we dream. So if you don't wake up while dreaming, you may not remember the dream. Because the dreams you remember are actually dreams that continue when you wake up.
Robert Stickgold, professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, gives us the idea that drinking water before going to sleep can help you remember your dreams, as it causes you to get up at night, thus waking you up at night. It can be tried.
Another way is to make your intentions clear. If you tell yourself before you go to sleep that you want to remember your dreams, and this is your last thought before going to sleep, the chances are that your dream will still be fresh in your memory when you wake up.
Since the process of remembering dreams can be easily interrupted by even minor distractions, you should try to remember as much of your dream as possible as soon as you wake up. Don't get out of bed right away or think about anything else. Try to keep all the images that come to your mind, the memories of the dream, and write them in a notebook next to your bed or on your phone. This way will also help you interpret your dreams. The meanings of dreams can vary from person to person, but if you have a dream journal, it will be easier to relate them to your daily life.
In our dreams, we often act out of our control. Or even if we try to escape, we can't, we try to shout but we can't… It can be annoying that we have no control, especially in dreams that bother us. So, is there a way around this? Can we control our dreams?
Lucid dreaming is the state of being aware of dreaming during the dream and taking control of the dream. In addition, if you can lucid dream, you can even determine the content of your dream. Do you want to fly, is there a place you can't find a chance to go to, do you want to live in another universe... All of these are possible in lucid dreams.
In order to be able to have lucid dreams, the dream journaling method we have just mentioned is recommended. First, you begin to remember more dreams, and then you suggest to yourself that you will be aware that you are dreaming. In the last stage, you visualize what you want to see in your mind before you go to sleep.
There is no such thing as impossible in the dream world. So you can experience the impossible in a lucid dream. If you can, try not to get carried away. Otherwise, you may not want to wake up.
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On the other hand, lucid dreams can also support your creativity. It is known that many artists and scientists like Stephen King (author), Albert Einstein (theoretical physicist), John Lennon (musician), Nikola Tesla (inventor), Thomas Edison (inventor), James Cameron (director), Christopher Nolan (director), Salvador Dali (painter) are lucid dreamers. Why not?
The next level of lucid dreaming is astral travel, also known as an out-of-body experience… This is actually very different from a dream… Astral travel is the soul's ability to leave the body and travel as fast and far as in dreams. Experiences in this state are more real and more memorable. While you determine the content in the lucid dream, a journey to the real places takes place in astral travel.
According to the researchers, out-of-body experience; can be triggered by factors such as brain trauma, perceptual isolation, near-death experiences, dissociative disorder, psychedelic drugs, dehydration, sleep, and electrical stimulation.
The study by University of Ottawa researchers Andra M. Smith and Claude Messierwere examines the brain scan of a woman who experienced astral travel. According to these scans, it is deduced that astral travel is real, but there is no definite information that the soul leaves the body.
Although there is not much research or evidence about astral projection, there are many people who claim to have experienced it. If you want to try it, let me briefly talk about the astral travel method that has been shared so far.
Lie on your back and try to relax. Relax your whole body and focus on your breathing. Slowly push other thoughts away from your mind. After about 10 minutes, you will begin to relax and feel sleepy. However, the important point here is to sleep the body and keep the mind awake… Therefore, try to be aware of what is going on around you. You may feel things like a slight vibration, tingling, or trembling in your body or in the room you are in. It is said that you can experience sleep paralysis here as normal. If you feel a weight on your body, you should not be afraid and stay calm. It is said that after a while this feeling will pass (I hope). After going through all these stages, you begin to imagine your spiritual body ascending and leaving your physical body.
These are not within my experience or knowledge. So I can't recommend you try it because it may involve some risks. Like not being able to wake up and having sleep problems because of this traumatizing experience. Or like having nightmare problems... If you're very keen, I suggest you do more research. But keep in mind that there are always risks.
If you have read this article so far, you have an idea of how wide the dream world is. I tried to keep everything I mentioned here as short as possible so that it is not boring.
To sum up, dreams are the means of communicating with you by your subconscious mind, which attracts you to another universe with mostly representational images, and most likely wants to tell you something when the conscious mind sleeps. Control it or not, I think remembering dreams has a lot of benefits. With a dream journal, you can start to discover yourself by associating your dreams with your life. You can create artistic or scientific products inspired by your dreams.
Have fun in your personal fantasy dream adventures.
Resources
https://psychcentral.com/lib/stages-of-sleep/
https://www.healthline.com/health/why-do-we-dream#the-role-of-dreams
https://owlcation.com/social-sciences/Dreaming-Minds
https://www.livescience.com/62703-why-we-forget-dreams-quickly.html
http://www.oprah.com/spirit/how-to-control-your-dream-lucid-dreaming/all
https://howtolucid.com/famous-lucid-dreamers/
https://gizmodo.com/scientists-unlock-mystery-of-woman-who-sees-herself-out-1538196076
https://www.luciddreamsociety.com/is-astral-projection-real/
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