Dreams are a complicated topic that no one really understands. Some people claim to remember their dreams, while others claim to not dream at all. Some say they dream in color and others say that they can only dream in black and white. People believe that dreams can be a sight of telling someone the future, while other people may relate it to the past. There are so many interests and questionable reasons as to why people dream, but no one truly knows the answer. Studies have been shown that dreams are difficult to explain a reason as to why they occur. However, researchers continuously look at the sleep cycle, look at types of dreams, followed by interpretations, and even hypothesize reasons and theories as to why we dream.

Dreams are considered illusions that occur when a person is asleep during a certain stage of the sleep cycle, rapid eye movement (REM) (Roland). When a person is awake, thoughts tend to have logic and reasoning behind them. Although the brain is always at work, dreams, more likely than not, will not make sense, and the person will rarely be able to recall what the dream was about (Roland). Even though 95% of people do not remember their dreams, it is thought out to be that people dream three to six times a night, with each dream lasting anywhere from five to twenty minutes (Nichols). Dreams allow the mind to have a “reality” out of nothing, and turn it into a lifelike timeframe (Nichols).

In order to dream, a person must go through the sleep cycle, and most importantly complete the REM cycle. There are five phases in a sleep cycle that a person should complete every night. The first phase is a light sleep. A person will have slow eye movement and reduced muscle activity. This phases makes up four to five percent of total sleep (Nichols). A person will then stop eye movement completely and will cause the brain waves to become slower. Having this second stage of sleep will form forty-five to fifty-five percent. Delta waves will then begin, making up four to six percent of sleep during the third stage (Nichols). During the fourth stage, a person is in a “deep sleep”, being the most difficult stage to wake a person up. This stage will form twelve to fifteen percent of total sleep (Nichols). The last stage of sleep is rapid eye movement, or REM. during REM, breathing is more rapid, eyes move quickly and in many directions, and limb muscles become temporarily paralyzed (Nichols). If a person is woken up during REM sleep, they will claim to have bizarre and illogical dreams (Nichols). REM sleep is known to be the most “realistic” part in the sleep cycle (Rosen). Even though the fifth stage only makes up twenty to twenty-five percent of total sleep, it is one of the more important stages that occur (Nichols).

It has been made known that there are two types of dreams: nightmares and lucid dreams. Nightmares are dreams that can cause stress to the dreamer, resulting the dreamer to feel unsteady emotions (Nichols). These dreams can be related to stress, anxiety, and possibly effects to some medications (Roland). On average people typically will only have nightmares on rare occasions, however, according to the American Sleep Association, only five percent of the population will have consistent nightmares. If a person continues to have consistent nightmares, those people within that five percent will develop a sleeping disorder (Roland). A person may not be aware when they are dreaming or having a nightmare, but lucid dreams will change a person’s perspective. If a person is having a lucid dream, it is possible for that person to have some control over what is happening in the dream (Nichols). A person who is having a lucid dream can have the opportunity to “take charge” and take in the direction they please (Rosen). Lucid dreams will typically happen in the middle of the dream, when a person will all of a sudden be aware that he or she is dreaming (Nichols).

Although nightmares and lucid dreams are the main types of dreams people have, studies have shown that the brain activity that occurs during REM sleep can have effects to certain dream features and senses (Nichols). Brain activity is broken up between the right and left hemispheres. Researchers conducted research to come to a conclusion that the left hemisphere include the dream origin, while the right side influences vividness and activation levels (Nichols). Dreams were evaluated through senses and a study concluded that those who had headaches on a daily basis, had an increase of dreams related to taste and smell (Nichols). This may have a connection with cerebral structures in the brain, such as the hypothalamus, which are involved with migraine mechanisms, and the study of sleeping and dreaming. One study was made to show that the painful sensations can be realistic while experiencing dreams. The pain that was felt in the dream can either be direct pain, or having past memories of pain (Nichols). Not only was a pain study conducted, but self awareness as well. A study suggested that there was a link from the frontotemporal gamma EEG activity to conscious awareness within dreams (Nichols). Simulations within the lower gamma band during REM sleep influences self-reflection in a person’s dream (Nichols). Relationships also show the ways of a romantic attachment and average dream material (Nichols). Death in a dreams were the easiest to comprehend, knowing they had the ability to compare the content to a physiatric facility. A conclusion was made that those who attempted suicide, self harm or have severe depression, had dreams with contents that can connect to death (Nichols).

When trying to determine why dreams occur, researchers try to look at the brain to find which parts may be connected to dreams. The Fight or Flight training is a theory that relates to dreams and the brain. The amygdala is one of the most active parts of the brain while a person is dreaming. It is connected with the survival instinct (Roland). Some studies have claimed that since the amygdala is more active during sleep rather than when one is awake, the amygdala may be a part of the brain that lets a person be prepared to deal with a dangerous situation (Roland). However, since the brainstem sends nerve signals during REM to relax a person’s muscles, it’s allows the body to stay calm so a person can not injure themselves during the sleep cycle (Roland).

Dreams may be affected by people’s minds and what people think about before falling asleep. Researchers propose that everyday life reappears through imagery during sleep (Nichols). One interpretation that connects to dreams are characters. Studies have shown that the “characters” that are in dreams explains how the dreamers identifies themselves (Nichols). Memories can become overwhelming for the mind, and will follow into dreams. A study showed that people who have had unwanted memories, does not mean sleep will remove them (Nichols). Dream-lag is when images appear in dreams that a person may have seen previously. Events that occur in a person’s life take a week to be considered a long-term experience. Events while awake are claimed to be features in one to two percent of reported dreams (Nichols). Themes also have interpretations when it comes to dreaming. Themes can be connected to the defeat of unwanted thoughts, and as a result, a theme is shown throughout dreams. While researchers were looking at different themes, it was claimed that external stimuli that is shown during sleep can be affect emotional content (Nichols). Typical dreams are classified as similar to those by a high percentage of dreamers. There are fifty-five themes that are known to be connected with dreams. Some of those themes include: school, a person who was dead now being alive, flying, being frozen with fright, and discovering a new room (Nichols).

There is no set explanation as to why dreams occur, however there are many suggestive theories. Many researchers believe that most dreams have to do with mental and physical health, and claim that have anxiety and depression relate to having more nightmares. Drugs and alcohol also lead to a break in the sleep cycle (Breus). Consuming too much alcohol or taking too much or too strong of drugs can affect the amount of sleep a person gets. This will then cause REM sleep to decrease, resulting in dreams to become strange and the person will not be able to remember any dreams (Breus). Some suggest that dreams are a type to process for memories, helping and learning of short-term and long-term memory storage. Some researchers say that dreams are an expansion of waking consciousness, contemplating the events of reality (Breus). Theories have also suggested that dreams are just the brain reacting to biochemical changes that occur throughout sleep, which is followed by the protective act which is the brain preparing itself for threats and challenges (Breus). It is often that people believe that dreams are similar in bereavement, mourning after losing someone or something important, within the first year of the situation as well as an increase of anxiety and depression (Nichols). A test was conducted to see what dreams were like to those who suffered losing a loved one. Out of two hundred seventy-eight people, fifty-five percent of dreams were related to passed loved ones frequently within the first year. Many who were tested claimed the dreams were either loving and comforting or disturbing (Nichols). Also, the participants who were tested, had similar themes relating to past memories and experiences from the deceased being carefree, and free of what they may have passed away from. People who had these dreams saw the person they loved in a way they were seen before passing, meaning they were not sick, hurt, or whatever the situation may be. The passing was seen at peace and being able to communicate with others (Nichols).

Some situations can affect a person when they are awake, which can lead to an influence in dreams. A major influence of dreams are health conditions, meaning how much or how little a person sleeps (Roland). If a person becomes sleep deprived over a period of several nights, it can cause the brain to become more active during REM sleep. If this occurs, a person may experience more vivid dreams, and possibly be able to recall those dreams as well. Mental health and other mood related issues can cause intense and at times strange nightmares (Roland). There is no set evidence that some food may cause unconscious moods that could lead into the sleep cycle. Foods may also cause a person to wake up throughout the night and can lead to a person waking up more often during REM sleep and have the possibility of remembering dreams (Roland). Getting a good night sleep can affect dreaming just as much as not getting enough sleep. Getting the right amount of sleep will allow a person to cut down on the amount of dreams he or she is able to recall (Roland). People who are overly active often spend less time in REM sleep, and are able to cut down on nightmare and interrupted sleep every night (Roland).

Everyone has dreams, but some are able to recall their dreams more than others. Dreams are easily interrupted, even by the smallest inconvenience (Roland). Studies have claimed that on average, people over ten years of age dream the most, but rarely remember what they dreamt about (Nichols). It may be difficult to remember dreams because of the brain chemical that interacts with memory. This chemical is called Norepinephrine (Roland). Norepinephrine is the chemical for the brain’s electrical activity that helps with memory, even when it is at the lowest level when dreaming. It is known that is a person is dreaming, and does not wake up during the dream, then that person will not be able to remember the dream by morning (Roland). Studies show that after five minutes of dreaming, people will forget up to fifty percent of what the dream was about, followed by ninety percent after an additional five minutes (Nichols). Researchers hypothesized ways to help people remember their dreams such as: waking up without the help of an alarm clock, focusing on the dream as soon as the person wakes up, and keeping a diary of the dreams a person can remember (Nichols). While dreaming, people also claim weather or not they are able to dream in color. During a study, researchers found out that eighty percent of people younger than thirty years of age were able to dream in color, and at the age of sixty, twenty percent of people said they could dream in color as well (Nichols).

People also believe that dreams can predict the future, however there is no evidence to prove this hypothesis. Many people relate dreams to the future due to false memory or coincidences that happen over time. Dreams help people interact with their feelings, values, and beliefs, but there are no known facts that it relates to the future (Nichols).

Overtime, through age, a person naturally has changed in sleep habits and electroencephalographic (EGG) activity. Dream recollection starts to decrease at the beginning of adulthood, but not in old age. Dreams also become less intense and happens faster with men rather than women (Nichols). A study with children was conducted to see anxiety dreams from ages nine to eleven. This suggested that females more often than not had dreams relating to anxiety than males, however they could not recall dreams (Nichols). Another study was also shown to compare dreams for females who are expecting a child to females who are not expecting. This study showed that child representation were less apparent in women who were expecting rather than not expecting (Nichols). People who also have certain careers were tested with different types of dreams. People who are known to be caregivers to those who are terminally ill or have disability frequently have dreams connected to the person they are taking care of (Nichols). People who have worked as caregivers for at least one year with the same patients noticed that the patient they work with were clearly presented within their dreams and were vivid, and within the dream, the caregiver was able to interact with the patient, however they may have been upset by not being able to help the people in need (Nichols).

Overall, there are varying amounts of information on dreams and theories as to why they happen. Although not much of the information is purely factual, there are multiple studies to base theories off of. The sleep cycle, which contains five stages, are one of the main claims that affect dreams. The sleep cycle is a set cycle that leads the brain to stay active and start dreaming. Another clear fact about dreams are that there are two types: nightmares and lucid dreams. These dreams lead into the brain and what parts of the brain may or may not cause people to dream, and what themes react with dreams. Not only are there studies with the brain, but there are also theories as to why dreams occur and what influences people to dream. Dreams make people believe that he or she can predict the future or explain why something may have happened. Dreams may be complicated, but it leads researchers to expand their studies with the human mind.

Works Cited

Breus, Michael J. “Why We Dream.” Psychology Today, 12 Feb. 2015. Accessed 16 Dec. 2018.

Nichols, Hannah. “Dreams: Why do we Dream.” Medical News Today, Healthline Media UK Ltd, 2018, Accessed 29 Nov. 2018.

Roland, James. “Why Do We Dream.” Healthline, 22 Aug. 2017, Accessed 29 Nov. 2018.

Rosen, Dennis. “Why We Dream, And What Happens When we Do.” Psychology Today, 31 May 2001. Accessed 29 Nov. 2018.