Why do people dream?

Question

Just recently, I was listening to "Why We Dream" by Fat Jon the Ample Soul Physician. During this song, someone in the background asks several times, "Tell me - why do you think people dream?" After listening to this song quite a bit, I have personally been intrigued by this simple yet possibly complex question.

So now, I turn to the Yahoo! Community. Whether it be a scientific-based theory, a loose or literal interpretation of the sort or a little of both, tell me: why do you think people dream? No answer is stupid, weird, right or wrong; just post away your facts, theories or ideas!

Answer 1

i beleive to remember or invision the past however im continually objected by my visions of de ja vou

Answer 2

On one hand, I think dreams serve a distinct biological purpose: they make sleep possible. Our brains crave constant activity, but our bodies need a solid 7-8 hours of recuperation. Dreams present the brain with the stimuli it would normally acquire through the senses, giving it a solid dose of dopamine to make it think it's alive and active while the body gets its beauty rest.

The less stuffy answer is, I think dreams are amazing. As a creative person, I've drawn inspiration from dreams, even let some of them directly fuel my cartoons and short stories. I think dreams allow our minds a freedom we won't allow them in consciousness. And I look forward to that freedom every night.

Answer 3

Dreams are actualy sometimes how God speaks to us. He did in the bible and He does today.

Answer 4

Dreams are often a response to our daily thoughts, activities and sensations. They are often, then, a reflection of what has consumed our minds in the preceding day or two. Dreams are apparently a necessary part of our being. Experiments have been done in which adult subjects were given drugs that progressively eliminated their rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. It is during REM that dreams occur. The depriving of the ability to dream resulted in marked personality changes in such subjects. They became increasingly abrasive and anxious and found it difficult to concentrate. It was also shown that the younger a person is, the more important dreams are to their well being.

Scientific studies have resulted in some universally accepted conclusions about dreams. Firstly, it is apparent that everyone dreams, even those who would deny it. Dreaming is as natural as breathing. Babies dream much more than adults. Infants, in fact, spend about 70 percent of their sleep time dreaming. In comparison, adults spend just 24 percent of their sleep time in the dream state. It appears that animals also dream.

Researchers have long known that sleep can be divided into stages. Initially we are in a light sleep stage. From there we progressively enter into a deeper sleep until we reach what is known as the Stage IV sleep state. From here we enter into a lighter stage before moving into the REM stage. REM sleep is accompanied by darting movements of the eyes, even though they are closed. It is as if the eyes were watching a movie playing on the closed eyelids. During REM the brain is operating as if the body were awake. It is during REM that dreams occur.



It generally takes the sleeper about 90 minutes to pass through all of the stages of sleep. Once the REM stage is completed, the process starts again. During the first cycle, REM lasts for only about five minutes. This, however, gradually increases until during the final cycle, a person in the REM stage for up to fifty minutes. So, in a normal night’s sleep a person will spend between ninety and one hundred and twenty minutes in the REM dream state.

Dreams are very easily forgotten. In fact, we generally only remember the last one we have each night. Realising that we all dream so often, however, can give us a little balance when it comes to looking at the meaning behind our dreams. A dream is not a special occurrence with a special meaning. It is something that everyone does many times every night. Of course there are many people who would interpret your dreams for you. The greatest argument against their effectiveness, however, is the fact that there is huge discrepancy among these ‘experts’ as to the interpretation of dreams. One expert tells you that your dream means this, while another gives an entirely different interpretation. Another problem with professional dream interpretation is that psychotherapists from different cultures ascribe different meanings to dream symbolisms based on what they are familiar with. This, again, has led to wildly different interpretations of the same dream.

A tendency among dream analysts of recent times has been to teach people to interpret their own dreams. It is felt that each person is aware of his own thoughts, feelings and experiences and is, therefore, in the very best position to know what his dreams actually mean. This, however, leaves the interpretation of the dream open to our own bias. In other words we can make the dream fit into any interpretation that we wish.

The general scientific consensus is that dreams are a necessary way for our subconscious mind to exercise itself. They warn about attaching undue significance to any interpretation of dreams. We are advised not to take our dreams too seriously, but rather to enjoy them for what they are – an essential part of our sleep process

Answer 5

Actually, it is a fact that we as people dream because when we're asleep our mind is still at work.

Answer 6

its just our way of de-fragmenting our hard drive.

Answer 7

Dont you watch disney A dream is a wish your heart makes.....lol

but intresting Question.

Answer 8

To learn about there self... Allows third eye to open and then your off..

Answer 9

I wonder the same thing. It really depends on which dreaming though, I mean it might be a Premonition which mean it will happen. Or its a message trying to tell you what you should do for the better.

But with people in the modern world, for most people its just a state which the body goes through while in deep sleep. But whatever it is i guess you will have to choose which on to believe.  

Answer 10

I think that dreaming gives people hope. If we didn't have dreams, what would we have to live for? What would give us that extra push to get up every morning? I remember one time my sister told me about this dream she had where she was by a waterfall in this really romantic place. And she was talking to this guy she liked. He took her hand and was about to say something to her, when she woke up. I remember that even though she never figured out what he was going to say, she was that much more excited about the day. She felt like anything could happen.

Dreams also seem like like a start line to me or like the pistol at the start of a race. It's a beginning. If people never dreamed of equality between whites and blacks, we would not be where we are today. We don't have equality but it's very close. Every event that worked up to equal rights started with a dream.

*edit*

Thank you for taking so much interest in my question but I just recently had a problem with talking to people over the internet and I'm pretty lucky nothing happened. I think you're a nice guy, but I thought that other guy was nice too and I was very wrong. I'm sorry, I'm just trying to learn from my mistakes.