[thedoc (OP)]

Love the show.
I was wondering if you can tell me what's going on in the brain when we dream? What makes us have bad dreams? What causes nightmares? Is there a difference between them? Do dreams really have any meaning?
Thanks!
Elisa W.
New York
Asked by Elisa


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[chapter podcast=1000468 track=13.08.29/Naked_Scientists_Show_13.08.29_1001253.mp3]  ...or Listen to the Answer[/chapter] or [download as MP3]

[thedoc (OP)]

We answered this question on the show...

Hannah - Thanks, Elisa. So, is there a biological reason for dreaming? We turn [img float=right]http://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/copies/RTEmagicC_A_child_sleeping_20.jpg.jpg[/img]to the sleep and dream expert, Dr. Valdas Noreika based at the MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit in Cambridge. He starts by debunking some sleeping myths.
Valdas - You may think that your brain switches off when you sleep, but no. In fact, the regions of your brain that process what we see and feel are just as active when we dream as when we are awake. But instead of using external stimuli such as what we see or hear is brain regions process with things we’ve learned and remember during the previous days. This means that we dream. But because when we dream we don’t consciously choose a single memory to process, different memories can merge together in a spontaneous and rather unsystematic way. This means, we can create whole new worlds and people in our dreams.
Hannah - Thanks, Valdas. So, our dreams are the result of processing memories which can happen chaotically to integrate people, places, and times to create an incoherent dream world. Do we know why these dreams sometimes turn into nightmares though?
Valdas - As well as the memory part of your brain being active during dreaming, the emotion processing part is also active including the fear processing limbic system. This might partially explain why negative emotions and feelings are much more common in dreams than in waking life and result in nightmares because what's in our dreams depends on memories of what we experience when we are awake. It’s perhaps unsurprising that you've be experiencing high levels of stress in your day to day life, you're more likely to have nightmares. While there is no evidence of universal meaning of different contents of dreams, we certainly have a personal psychological meaning by bringing up traumatic experiences or perhaps by simply reminding us of old friends.

[BISHARO ALI]

According to me I believe that we dream so as to express who we are and who we want to be .Our brains inspire to achieve more every day that's why it gets tired and commands us to sleep then one enjoys through dreaming of what he/she is capable of.

Why we have nightmares is first, due to what we watch, listen or perform before some hours to sleep.Secondly it depends with your attitude and believe on negativity on particular things and so you see them through nightmares.

[David Cooper]

I suspect it's mostly because different parts of the brain are asleep at different times, so some are actively working away while other's aren't - the result of this is, if I'm right, that you can have dreams which are completely bonkers and yet which seem fine at the time because the machinery that would show them up as nonsense is inactive, but as soon as you wake up and the whole brain is active, the faults with the dream are all suddenly fully clear.

I occasionally spend what is quite likely several hours of sleep fighting a problem in a dream which is not a real problem at all, but just a load of nonsense - it's a relief to wake up and recognise that the problem can't possibly be real (because it's logically impossible in a multiplicity of obvious ways) and to realise that after hours of high angst I can just forget all about it.

[evan_au]

several hours of sleep fighting a problem in a dream

The good news is that most REM sleep sessions don't last that long - perhaps an average of 30 minutes each.

What seemed like hours of angst was probably your brain spending minutes to recall hours of wrestling with problems during the previous weeks. So it probably wasn't such a waste of time after all.

And maybe, in amongst the other poorly-understood functions of dreaming, perhaps it helped your brain integrate recent problems, deal with the process of struggling with problems, and come to terms with your emotional reactions to problems.

This may be natural for your brain - it sure beats dealing with imminent starvation or a recent brush with a sabre-toothed tiger.

[dlorde]

I generally only have nightmares if I get too hot. Putting my feet or an arm outside the covers will stop it. In recent years, I'm so familiar with this that I don't really get them any more - as soon as a dream begins to get disturbing, I move to cool down and it goes away.

So, for me, they just signal temperature overload.

I occasionally get weird anxiety(?) dreams of the sort David Cooper mentioned above, where I'm trying, for what seems like most of the night, to solve some problem that, on waking, is meaningless. Also, I occasionally get a cyclic repetitive train of thought that just keeps on repeating, a bit like an 'ear-worm' tune that gets stuck in your head when you're awake. But this is pretty rare, probably triggered by some unusual situation.

[Ethos_]

I rarely have nightmares but several years ago, I had what some might say was a premonition during a dream.

I dreamt I was seated on an airplane and turned to see my youngest brother in great distress. He was lying on his back in the center isle and vomiting. The following day, the memory of this dream stayed with me, I just couldn't shake it.

Several days passed without any improvement in my concern, so I telephoned my mother just to say hi and ask how everyone was doing. Mind you, I did not mention the concern I had been dealing with to her about my brother. During our conversation, she said; "Did anyone here tell you about what happened to Dennis?" I answered; "No, I haven't heard anything from anyone lately."

My mother told me that Dennis, my younger brother, had been to Mexico and had contracted food poisoning while there. On the plane back, he had a violent reaction to this poisoning and when they landed, was taken directly to the hospital. He almost died.

To clarify a few points. I had no previous information that he was planning a trip to Mexico and had told nobody about my dream. Coincidence......? Maybe, I suppose the answer is beyond our current technological knowledge.

BTW, My mother and youngest brother live in a different state than I do, separated by over 800 miles.

[David Cooper]

What seemed like hours of angst was probably your brain spending minutes to recall hours of wrestling with problems during the previous weeks. So it probably wasn't such a waste of time after all.

The kind of dreams I'm thinking of have no relation to any real problems - they're just nonsense where obvious solutions go completely unnoticed until I wake up. As soon as I wake up, part of the brain that was inactive during sleep is brought back into play and immediately the problem is revealed to be so stupid that it should never have been a problem in the first place. The brain is clearly running while dreaming with some of the functionality shut down. Sometimes the functionality switches back in during the dream and I can feel it all beginning to work properly again, at which point I often simply become awake. On other occasions I recognise that it's a dream and that I'm still asleep and I'm able to steer the dream in a more sensible direction before drifting back into full dreaming with reduced functionality again.

[cheryl j]

I have that same dream too, and sometimes there are words or entire phrases that are part of some horribly complex logical problem that is terribly important, and I seem to know what they refer to in the dream but when I wake up, I realize the phrases are nonsense.

Other repeating night mares:
I'm trying to get back into Canada through customs and I've lost all my identification.

I'm back in University and I'm late for an exam and I don't know what room it's in and I thought I dropped the course but I didn't and haven't studied anything in it all semester.

All my teeth are inexplicably falling out.

I'm approached by small adorable looking little animals (chipmunks, squirrels, kittens) that suddenly lunge at me viciously, and I can't shake them off.

[alancalverd]

I'm back in University and I'm late for an exam and I don't know what room it's in

Yep, regularly recurring nightmare

and I thought I dropped the course but I didn't and haven't studied anything in it all semester.

Yes, but alas it wasn't a dream!

[cheryl j]

I'm back in University and I'm late for an exam and I don't know what room it's in

Yep, regularly recurring nightmare

and I thought I dropped the course but I didn't and haven't studied anything in it all semester.

Yes, but alas it wasn't a dream!

A lot of these dreams have some Kafka-esque element. In another one, I have been fired for some reason but they won't tell me why, but I'm not allowed to leave until I finish one last task, and no matter how I do it, it's not right and I have to start over.

I used to feel kind of bad when I woke up from these dreams, because I couldn't figure out why I never realize in the dream that these situations are hopeless, and always feel forced to comply regardless, instead of altering my fate. I worried that it was some how a subconscious appraisal of my life or certain futile activities.

But I am somewhat comforted by Coopers idea that the part of the brain responsible for recognizing that something doesn't make sense is probably not functioning.

[dlorde]

But I am somewhat comforted by Coopers idea that the part of the brain responsible for recognizing that something doesn't make sense is probably not functioning.

That's certainly how it looks when you wake up; but I sometimes wonder whether there was a layer of interpretation that's missing in the recall - in much the same way as when kids are playing in the back room and you walk in; instead of the caves, mountains, guns, cars and buildings of their games, all you see is a mess of blankets, upturned chairs, cardboard boxes, pencils, shoes, and so-on.

Another thing that gets me about waking up is how tunes or songs that are running in your head as you go to bed often continue  in the morning as if nothing happened. I was sitting on the edge of the bed after waking up yesterday, and this tune started up in my head - it took a couple of seconds to remember I'd been humming it the night before...

[alexalok]

sometimes there is a connection between what we visualize  and in our dreams because there is a part of our brain which acts as RAM of computer it stores temporarily the things what we see in our daily life but sometimes the neurons creates the environment what we want to be in our daily life. it is quite complicated to tell the truth but ya there is a connection O8)

[Mohamed konan]

I can not tell if I was what my dreams as a result of my thoughts or my thoughts the result of my dreams . " Dr. Lawrence .
There are different theories about dreams , some of which originated from the theories and scientific research , and some of them have roots in mysticism or intuition .
The word " dream " have different concepts in multiple languages ​​, and continued word can be traced in several languages ​​such as [druz] meaning lying or deception , [druh] meaning harm or wound , [draugmaz] meaning illusion or a ghost or a fool , and so identify the perceptions of our ancestors for dream . However , the original meaning of the word in English [dreme] is : music , joy and mirth .
To view the various theories :
1 spiritual guidance : occupies dreams ranked higher than the wisdom of the unconscious , and this can guide people direction of the spiritual , and the other analyzing dreams from the standpoint of mysticism , many people believe that dreams have significance Tsofih or religious , and that is pushing them to achieve experiments graduate . In fact, we can find references to the dreams of her relationship Blahotah almost all religions , not hidden away like this explanation for the flag.
2_ liberation or release the pressure Physiological : help nightmares people deal with fear or crises, emotional , and thus release pressure physiology , is well known that a dream makes people more rational because refrain from sleeping more than a symptom of madness , however Valtserfat Alhveanah may be caused by lack of sleep , or deprivation of sleep or insomnia and possibly get it because of the lack of depth in our dreams .
3_ dreams as a source of creativity : Can dreams that supports creativity , as in the case of Robert Louis Stevenson , who wrote " strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde " In the case of Albert Einstein His theory of relativity , Vahlamanm are inspired in this area , in fact , a lot of artists , musicians , inventors and even athletes said that their achievements were inspirations of dreams.
4 _ the promotion and consolidation of learning : Dreams is not a channel to integrate and enhance learning , but it also gives a solution to various problems disturbing the mood of the person in the waking world .
Research has found that infants and young children spend more time in sleep and dreams , compared with older children and adults who sleep short period of time . Therefore, less time for sleep produces less time for dreams , and this shows that dreams can help improve your workout or practice the skills acquired as well as the promotion of new information , this plus it helps to improve the self and the growth within the same person , they also help to deal with repressed feelings and fear plaguing rights in the waking state .
5 _ Foresight revealed numerous cases that some people believe that dreams actually give them an insight into the future or predict the future . They believe that they have dreams of predictive analysis revealed , but they may have been exposed to indications about future events before going to sleep . Therefore , it seems that the dream was not predictive of more than just a coincidence .
More dream Predictive famous was U.S. President Abraham Lincoln , who dreamed of before his assassination that he was wandering around in empty rooms and heard the voices sad and when he entered the East Room saw the bodies covered face and Maxih clothes funeral , and when they inquired about, they said that the body was the head of Matt assassination .
Repeat dreams
Research says that we dream of from 3 to 4 times per night, during the period of the REM [ rapid eye movement ] sleep , however , each REM period be shorter than its predecessor , while the last shall be up to 45 minutes , as studies reveal that short periods of sleeping dreams usually come vigilance . This is in addition to that of people who suffer from sleep deprivation often dream more when the opportunity arises for them to sleep finally .
Control dreams
Research and studies indicate that we are able to control our dreams and also to influence them by giving ourselves the type of suggestions before going to sleep . Some people have become very adept at the art of lucid dreaming , because they can control the events of the dream, to some extent. However, it is not possible to exercise complete control over dreams.

[Ethos_]

I find that my dreams help me prepare for the following day. Without knowing exactly why, many times my dreams seem to support those coming events. Oddly enough, when I dream about some difficulty, invariably difficulties seem to arise the next morning. Maybe it's only the predisposition or influence that the dream imposes upon my expectations? It is however remarkable that when I dream about flying, which I do rather often, the following day seems to always be filled with successes of one kind or another. Whether a distressful dream or an invigorating one, I always enjoy the adventure they offer me and always look forward to these nightly experiences.

[Author Frank DiMeglio]

Dreams are not creations of thought, and they cannot be held to be hallucinations either. Dreams are separate from, and yet they are undeniably and fundamentally linked with, our being and our experience. The mistake among the dream theorists is to hold that dreams are entirely/only separate experiences. Dreams balance being and experience. Dreams make thought more like sensory experience in general, thereby improving upon memory and understanding. Television is a creation of thought, as it is fully like thought. Dream experience is semi-detached in relation to touch. Television is fully detached in relation to touch. Dream experience is possible/potential and actual.

I have proven in my work that dreams involve equivalent and balanced inertia and gravity. Accordingly, dream experience is that of the middle distance in/of space, with invisible and visible space in fundamental equilibrium and balance. 

[Peter Steadman]

Dreams are certainly beautiful, yet sometimes terrifying phenomenons.

I get these requiring dreams that I'm trying to run from something. Yet, my legs don't seem to work properly. Its like running through treacle while on ice. This causes an anxious feeling. I looked up Jung and Freud theories on dream interpretation to try and find answers to why I had them, they did not seem to deliver. The best explanation I could come up with was that I had a unconscious awareness of sleep-paralysis, this meant I unconsciously realised I could not run, making me feel vulnerable. Thus, the anxious feeling and the need to escape from a manifested threat. 

There is two more I'm trying to figure out:

-My favourite dream I have ever had was when I could swim in the air, like flying. If I stopped swimming I would slowly sink back to earth. I found it strange that at no point during this dream that I thought, Hay this is not possible.... just what’s going on..., am I dreaming?

-The strangest dream experience was going to bed in my dream. It was not my bedroom, not sure where it was.. as I fell-asleep in my dream I woke up in my bed, in reality... ill never forget that, it was like the twilight zone.

Sleep seems to have a stabilising effect on our emotions. People who have not sleep much display short tempers and irrational thoughts, younger children tend to cry when their tired -This is to name just a few. Looking at the effects of not sleeping can go to some very dark corners of the human mind – check out the Russian sleep deprivation experiments, they kept a group of POW's awake with stimulant gas. The POW subjects did some really disturbing things!

I can recommend 'Waking Life' its an amazing film on lucid dreaming – I've been trying to achieve lucid dreaming for years... Has anyone experienced it?

[dlorde]

I've been trying to achieve lucid dreaming for years... Has anyone experienced it?

Yes, I've had a few lucid dreams. I quite often realise I'm dreaming (one give-away is text that catches the eye, but becomes a meaningless jumble when you try to read it; another is levitation), but that realisation doesn't involve taking conscious control. In lucid dreams you gain fully conscious control.

I've had one where I became aware I was dreaming of being in a doctor's or dentist's waiting room and there was a single pink rose in a small vase on the low table by the opposite wall. I wondered whether you could smell in dreams, so I walked over to the table and leant down to smell this rose. As I got closer, I saw it was a carnation, not a rose; closer still, and I could see it was an artificial flower, made of pink fabric. Disappointingly, it smelt faintly of room freshener rather than flower scent. I got the strong feeling that its detailed construction and smell had been generated on-the-fly, as I got closer to it.

In another, I became aware of dreaming of walking along a path above a sandy beach. Looking at the sea and the gentle waves lapping the sand, I wondered what paddling would be like in a dream - would I even feel the water? I walked down and across the warm beach to the water and started paddling. The experience was totally real - the sudden chill of water over my toes and feet, the sand being sucked out from under my feet as the waves retreated, the chill and pricky sensation of the hairs on my shins as the water moved up and down, evaporating from my skin, etc. I was so astonished by the reality of the sensations that I woke up. I can only imagine that the dream tapped directly into sensory memories of beach holidays I've actually had.

I haven't had many fully lucid dreams, but because they seem to occur close to the boundary between sleep and waking, I find that trying to do too much consciously or disrupting the dream flow too much, will wake me up. This kind of dream is intensely vivid and memorable.

[Author Frank DiMeglio]

Dream experience is that of the middle distance in/of space in conjunction with fundamentally balanced and equivalent [middle strength] electromagnetic/inertial/gravitational energy/force/feeling/touch. This necessarily involves half inertia and half gravity. I am positive of this.

Dream experience is quantum gravity. Invisible and visible space in FUNDAMENTAL equilibrium and balance necessarilly consitutes a MIDDLE distance in/of space consistent with BOTH half gravity and half inertia.

The ultimate unification of physics combines, balances, and includes opposites. Dreams combine, balance, and include opposites.

[Peter Steadman]

If you follow the logic of some great minds in the minimalist, idealist movement. Then our personal identity – who we are, is not our body or brain. But, rather the function of our brain. This is proven by the fetus brain developing before cognition is present, thus, before self. Plus, a brain for a person who dies ceases to function, so the self is diseased, yet the material brain still exists in reality. This makes us a temporal 'transcendental function' of the human body. The body, in Lockean thought is not a constituent part of our 'self'. As Locke defines personal identity to be a psychological continuity. -This is because of 'disembodied' thought experiments can place 'minds' in new bodies, whilst still retaining the 'self'. So, as we are, or the self is, a function of the brain, in essence we are 'thought'. And for us to exist through time it is vital there is continuity of that 'thought'. Therefore, even while we sleep this transcendental function, 'thought' must continue. I believe this to be dreaming. For if this 'thought' were to stop, the self would cease to exist in time or space.

Therefore, when Descartes said “I think therefore I am”, referring to the only thing  he can be sure of. I believe this could be used in a new context. Where 'I' is my body, 'think' equals facilitates continuity of my transcendental function and 'I am' meaning exist.
Or, my body as continuity of cognitive function therefore, my self exists through time.

The universe created our minds, our self, we can not escape it. We can only exist within space and time, even if we choose to ignore it with introjected concentration. There exists no gravity, light, matter within our thoughts, only mentally constructed rules/or representations of them. Only the evolution of time and geometry can not be distorted by our thoughts. - maybe these are the link between self and body.