Why Do We Dream?

 by Sabiha Sabikunnaher

Recently, I have been barraged with an incessant stream of strange dreams (not being the first time),as though watching some horror-sci-fi movie, which led me to wonder why my subconscious was sending me these peculiar thoughts. And lo! I am not the only one who is haunted by these images - it is well known that civilisations dating centuries back have been on a continuous quest to find the answer, the ancient Egyptians had even made a book of dreams explaining why being stung by a wasp could perhaps suggest you would be homeless, modern researchers have been perpetually searching for a reason…and we still have no definite answer. However, a few theories have been made over the years that explain why some of our dreams are intense and vivid or some are vague and utterly indecipherable.

Firstly, there are different phases of sleep which affect how and what you dream. For example, your most interesting, vivid  dreams happen during REM sleep (rapid eye movement), such as watching your dog turn into a puddle of orange slime while the more mundane, forgetful thoughts invade you during non-REM sleep - maybe a reminder of the stranger who smiled at you last week in the train.

We can’t really begin to explain dreams without bringing in Sigmund Freud - he could be considered the father of modern psychology for forming the profound theories about hidden meanings behind the images your brain sends: a representation of your unconscious desires, motivations, the repressed unwanted emotions you try so hard to keep secret. Yes, even your brain will betray you. In other words, he began the rise in popularity of dream interpretation - what your subconscious might be telling you about your psychological state. To this day, I still wonder what it meant when I dreamt of a lion telling me to put on striped socks.

Why we dream could also be explained by the activation-synthesis theory which states how your brain is activated during sleep, triggering your amygdala and hippocampus (stores memories and controls emotions) which send random electrical impulses, resulting in a series of illogical and nonsensical images that befuddle the average person. It is only when you wake that your typical human mind will try to make logic of the strange, fragmented thoughts to make a somewhat cohesive narrative. Or you just remain confused. These new connections formed may lead you to the epiphanies that strike you during the day and lead you to your ‘eureka moment’, though may not be as remarkable as Archimedes’ finding - but your creative ideas will be inspired nonetheless.

I’m sure you’ve also heard of the phrase ‘sleep on it’, or have been told by teachers on numerous occasions to have a good night's sleep before the exam - you will remember better that way. Well, they weren't lying. Research has shown that sleep allows you to consolidate information from the previous day, and as presented by the self-organisation theory, shows that the helpful memories will only become stronger while the useless ones will fade. Yes, you might not be interested in rewatching that science practical you did yesterday in your sleep, but you will be thanking your brain during the exam.

It is also said that sleep aids your problem solving skills as it allows your brain to roam the unboundable land of creativity. The engulfing pressure of reality of the conscious world can no longer constrain your mind, allowing your brain to explore the limitless potential of the extreme, which is possibly why your dreams appear bizarre and questionable most of the time - but I’m not complaining. Unsurprisingly, this would also promote your creative thinking in real life, allowing you to form the most unexpected connections.

There are many more endless theories on why we dream, such being a reflection of your life, but with new experiences incorporated that may portray your deeper, unrevealed emotions, or your subconscious trying to send you a message. Who would’ve thought that you did actually want that rubber chicken for Christmas?

Despite these significant discoveries on why we get such a variety of dreams, there are still unlimited possibilities which could explain why, for example, you’re repeatedly witnessing the death of your hamster. In the meantime, you can just enjoy the front-row seat of your personal movie.