Let’s Talk About Dreams

Dreams are a topic that throughout human history has been the central idea of many books, songs, research, and conversations. From Joseph in the Old Testament, with his interpretations of the Pharaoh’s dreams, through inspirations from books, such as Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, to Salvador Dalí’s paintings. Dreams have filled us with joy and doubts. But what do we really know about dreams? Let’s explore a little more about what science has so far managed to elucidate on this fascinating topic.

The Dream. Salvador Dalí. https://www.pinterest.es/pin/511369732694155483/

When we sleep, what happens to the brain?

Sleep occurs in 5 phases. These phases repeat several times a night, depending on the person, but 3 to 6 sleep cycles can occur per night. And the complete cycle can take about 90 minutes. Therefore, we can have between 3 and 6 dreams per night. During sleep, the front part of our brain “shuts down.” This front part is where logical and rational thinking is found, so dreams can be illogical and full of fantasy. Since the irrational side is awake, you may dream that you are flying, with winged elephants, or that the walls are melting. Our brain during sleep allows us to create fantastic worlds, which would not be possible to create when we are awake and conscious. We can say that dreams are like surreal art.

iStock. https://www.elconfidencial.com/alma-corazon-vida/2020-06-06/como-significado-interpretar-significado-real-de-suenos_2592508/

What are the phases of sleep?

The dream develops in 5 phases. Phase I, or numbness, occurs during the first ten minutes of sleep. Phase II, or light sleep, this stage occupies approximately 50% of the entire sleep cycle, the heart rate, and respiration decrease. Phase III, or transition, occurs in just a couple of minutes, the body prepares to enter deep sleep. 

In phase IV, or deep sleep, the body is totally relaxed. The deep sleep stage is of utmost importance since it will determine our rest, so our feeling of well-being the next day is directly related to this phase. In addition, during this stage hormones are secreted, such as growth hormones, necessary throughout life to regulate growth in children and weight in adults.

Unknown. https://weheartit.com/entry/342408689

Finally, Phase V or REM (Rapid Eye Movement) occurs, this stage occupies approximately 20% of total sleep. During this stage, brain activity is high, like when we are awake. This is the stage where dreams happen.

Can we all dream?

Many times we have woken up with the feeling that we dream something, but we do not remember the story. Sometimes we can remember dreams almost vividly. But do all people dream? So far science tells us that yes, we all dream between 3 and 6 times a night. Sleep appears in the REM phase of sleep.

However, 95% of dreams are forgotten upon waking, that is one of the reasons why many people believe that they do not dream at all. Your mind forgets the dream and returns to the waking conscious mode. There is the possibility of remembering our dreams more if we wake up right after finishing REM sleep and before moving on to the next sleep cycle.

Can you train your mind to remember dreams?

There is the possibility of training the mind to remember dreams. A practical exercise that people can do is to drink a lot of water before sleeping, and in this way, the person will wake up more frequently and will be able to remember dreams. It is important to note that liquor suppresses REM sleep, therefore if the person is drunk, dreams will not occur.

Unknown. https://www.verywellmind.com/understanding-dreams-2224258

When the person wakes up, it is best to stay in bed for a few minutes and try to remember what they dreamed of. Doing this exercise daily will help people improve their memory. It is also advisable to write down any details of the dream, a sensation, a color, or a person when waking up. Keeping a daily log allows the person to better control the events or routines that favor the memory of dreams.

Can you dream consciously?

Some people have trained their minds so much that they can modify their dreams, this is called lucid dreaming. The person can modify sleep as it occurs. The person can avoid having a nightmare or sleep situation that may cause them to wake up abruptly. They can also see patterns in dreams that help them understand the situation they are going through, such as a crisis, illness, or loss.

Dreams will always be a fascinating world that we will have easy access to every night, but that we can gradually modify to understand ourselves more.

Resources:

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.   (2018). ¿Qué es el sueño REM? https://espanol.nichd.nih.gov/salud/temas/sleep/informacion/REM

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National  Institute of Child Health and Human Development. (2018). ¿Cómo afecta al organismo la privación de sueño?   https://espanol.nichd.nih.gov/salud/temas/sleep/informacion/privacion

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National  Institute of Child Health and Human Development. (2018). ¿Cuáles son algunos mitos sobre el sueño?. https://espanol.nichd.nih.gov/salud/temas/sleep/informacion/mitos

Lowe, J. (2017). Qué hacer para recordar tus sueños.  New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/es/2017/01/31/espanol/que-hacer-para-recordar-tus-suenos.html

Nichols, H. (2020) ¿Qué significa cuando soñamos?. Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/es/suenos