Dreams

Dreams are one the most intriguing things. Despite the advances in science and technology why and how have still alluded to mankind.

Dreams may be very vivid and have the power to scare, make us sad or happy. They can be confusing or simple and sensible as well.

One of the areas of the brain that is most active during dreaming is the Amygdala, part of the brain associated with the survival instinct and the fight-or-flight response.

Only during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep is the anxiety-inducing hormone noradrenaline completely removed from our brain. Significant emotional and memory-related brain regions are also triggered during REM sleep. This suggests that emotional memory reactivation occurs in a brain that isn't under a lot of chemical stress, allowing us to deal with distressing memories in a more secure environment. However, during REM sleep, the brainstem sends neural signals that cause muscles to relax. Dreams, it is widely assumed, serve to help you maintain vital memories and lessons learned while removing unimportant memories.

In a Harvard University study, 99 people were asked to play with a virtual reality maze and remember the objects in the maze. Half had a 90-minute nap right after and half did not. Those who napped recalled more than the non-napping group, while those who dreamed of the maze recalled the items ten times better. According to the researchers, dreaming reorganizes and consolidates memory.

DR. Matthew Walker said that “It’s said that time heals all wounds, but my research suggests that time spent in dream sleep is what heals”

“Some researchers believe dreams prepare you for possible adverse events in real life,” says Dr Butler. “Others think dreaming may help with depression. I look at dreams as a bridge between sleep and memory consolidation.”

There are many theories of the cause or utility or futility of dreams. In my view, life would be too bland and I cannot dream of a life without dreams. Dreams help us imagine and go beyond our thinking skills without any boundaries and inhibitions and that's what makes them so special.