The Theory of Nothing

What are dreams made of?

What are dreams made of?

Dreams have been a source of wonder from antiquity. The ancient Egyptians attempted to understand dreams, and this curiosity persists into modern times. Think of Freud and his view of dreams as an unconscious wish fulfillment of fantasies. He was theorizing, not relying on scientific studies.

Most people don’t realize that our brains are more active when we’re asleep than when we’re awake. No one really understands why this is so, but it must have something to do with the way that the brain renews itself. I believe it’s like a computer reboot.

Dreams occur during the REM (Rapid Eye Movement) period of sleep. During this period the brain paralyzes the body so that it doesn’t go off to do whatever it’s dreaming about. The way this happens is that the brain suppresses the release of all neurotransmitters, specifically norepinephrine, serotonin, and histamine. Without these transmitters there is no signals going to the muscles. These REM episodes happen throughout the sleep cycle and vary as to duration. People who suffer sleepwalking have this part of the REM period go awry. By the way, animals dream, which means that dreaming is something that evolved long before we did. It has to be a consequence of how the brain developed.

There are lots of theories about why dreams happen. Some scientists believe that dreams are needed for the maintenance of long-term memory. Some think that dreams strengthen semantic memory. These are the memories built up over a lifetime. Still others think that dreams are needed for the activation of the limbic part of the brain where emotions, sensations and sensual memories are involved. Then there is the idea that dreams help process and organize temporary memories.

The psychological theories of dreams are even wilder. Psychologists believe that dreams help our emotional health by testing prior adaptations in emotional situations. Others believe that the images of dreams are simply random, but most consider dreams as an adaptation process necessary for survival. I would suggest that this is a more primitive explanation that harkens back to our evolutionary beginnings.

Threat simulation could be a reason for harrowing dreams. Our dreams help us work out methods of dealing with threatening situations.

Are dreams a product of dissociated imagination? That’s a psychosomatic theory of dreams, meaning that it involves a mind-body interaction that helps to repair nerves by stimulating very intense movement that is suppressed by the brain.

Psychologists believe that dreams are repressed fantasies related to our sex lives. They might be right because dreams often do involve erotica. So, when someone tells you: ‘sweet dreams’, you may as well comply.

Thanks for reading.