Can anybody give me a good, scientific explanation of dreams?

Question

What causes us to dream the things we do?

Why do some people forget their dreams as soon as they open their eyes, but as long as their eyes are closed, their memory still holds the dream? (like myself)

Why do some people remember all of their dreams while others forget all of them?

What are some of the theories as to what they could connect to?

When did mankind first become interested in them? Have they always been a part of human nature?

Can people control what they dream?

What influences the events in one's dreams?

What factors determine if someone dreams in black and white vs. color, has long or short dreams, has normal, crazy, or morbid dreams, ect.

What else do you know about them?

What interesting facts are there?

Answer 1

The links below should get you started.

Psi

Answer 2

ur imaginations,thoughts,expectations,some strange feelings,fear,e.t.c.,turn out to be ur dreams.according to studies,it is said that a person remembers his/her dreams only 4 a span of 20 seconds.i donot know about the others as researches are still being done to check wether dreams are true or not.

Answer 3

Dreams are simply your sub-conscience acting out.  

I simply hate having to send you links, but you have too many questions.

http://www.spiritcommunity.com/dreams/an...

http://www.webmd.com/balance/features/fo...

Answer 4

Here is a very simplified answer, you could probably learn more from the links the psi-exploration has provided.

At night our brains go into a mode where emotions and memories from the day before are processed. I have read that the brain needs this rest period to create new neural pathways in the brain.

Dreams are more like a side effect, kind of a way to distract the conscience part of our brain while it works on other things.

There are different levels of dreams and different people get more productive sleep than others. I have read some people believe we may dream all night, some say we only dream during REM sleep. REM sleep is when stuff is happening, and this is certainly when the most intense and plot filled dreams occur.

People who wake up from REM sleep naturally will not remember much of thier dreams. If they are interupted from thier REM cycle they may remember thier dreams clearly.

Also, lucid dreams which do not occur during REM are (as the name implies) easy to remember.

Answer 5

You probably need to make a separate question out of each of these to get good answers.

I don't know the answers. I figured people were going to say that you dream about things that happen to you...but I know that's not true for me. I'm always wondering..".Where in the world did THAT  come from??" I'd say I have insomnia..but I do sleep 8 hrs. or more usually. It's just that I can't get to sleep...or get sleepy until 5 A.M. ..no matter what time I get up . I've had some traumatic experiences and I know that's the reason. But I dream weird things. I've had a couple of VIVID dreams..one about space ships and the other one was about being in the Twin Towers, I think. I was inside and I thought it was an earthquake (in my dream). Sometimes I think spirits get into our dreams. ..that's when we're the least guarded. In the Bible this happened..with angels etc.(at least they thought they were angels)...so why not now..with us? I don't remember if my dreams were in color or b&w...I'm just SO GRATEFUL if I don't remember them. There's a medication now for Veterans with PTSD & nightmares that keeps them from remembering their nightmares. (One Giant Step!) Seems like even when you remember a dream in the morning...if you don't tell it and keep repeating it..you soon forget it. Did you ever notice that? I think some dreams are often caused by what you eat. If your stomach is bothering you...you might have a nightmare. Wish I could help more..if I helped at all.

Sweet Dreams. OH..Spray some perfume on your pillow. I think it helps! Mares don't like it!

Edit..I do know this...Just because you DON'T WANT to dream about a certain thing...doesn't stop you from dreaming about it.