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“НАШЕ ЖИТТЯ”, ТРАВЕНЬ 2018 WWW. UNWLA .ORG 33 WHAT ARE DREAMS a nd WHY DO WE DREAM? by Ihor Magun, M . D . , FACP Without a doubt, dreaming is a fascinating aspect of our life. So much so that leading research spe- cialists have devoted significant effort in an at- tempt to explain exactly why we dream. Sur pris- ingly, no one has been able to provide a specific, scientific answer to this mystery. But the topic of dreaming is quite interesting, and despite no clear explanation of why we dream and what dr eaming means in the great scheme of things, I wanted to share with you some thoughts on this subject. In a broad sense, dreams and dreaming do not need any explanation beyond what most of us already know: it is basically a story/image that our mind is capa ble of creating. Some of you probably also know that dreams occur during deep sleep re- ferred to as REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep, but they can also occur at any time during the sleep phase. Most people dream up to six times a night with an average dream l asting for five to twenty minutes. There are many theories about the que s- tion of why we dream. Sigmund Freud sug gested that dreaming was a window into our subconscious and believed dreams revealed a person’s motiva- tion, unconscious desires or thoughts — t he dream being a pathway to act on and address urges and desires. Other experts have theorized that dreams are our “nightly psychotherapy.” In this context, dreaming puts different emotions into pictures in which we deal with emotional issues. This, in tur n, provides solutions. These solutions may be quite different from what our conscious brain would suggest we should do. This may be the underlying reason behind the common expression we’ve all heard and used: “I’ll sleep on that.” Somehow, when we wake up, we make a decision, as if we sought and found some consultation while sleep- ing. Other research suggests that dreams pro- cess different aspects of our life — emotional and in- formational. Dreaming helps with con solidation of memory. Because the brain works l ike a computer, able to connect data in different ways, it allows cer- tain important connections to be stored while it erases inefficient ones. We can compare this to defragmentation of a computer hard drive. Dreams have another function as well. They can incorporate three different dimensions — bringing together the present, the past and pre pa- ration for the future in a unique dream state. So what do dreams mean? That answer is difficult to explain because all individuals have a unique reason behind their d ream. Dreams can be linked to personal events with their own un derly- ing thoughts and feelings. As to the premise that “dreams foretell the future” — this is usually just pure coincidence or an unconscious method that motivates the dreamer toward a certain g oal. Dreams are also a conduit to creativity, and that can lead to future success in a conscious thought process. Another element of dreams is the question: Why do we forget our dreams? Many theories on this have been suggested. One states that we did not really forget them: they are merely stored in a part of the brain we don’t have access to. Another theory is that we may not be able to distinguish our dream from real events, so the brain chooses to erase the dream rather than “store” it. And what abou t nightmares? They are gen- erally associated with personal issues, illnesses and stress. They may also be caused by certain medications, drug abuse and excessive alcohol in- gestion. Nightmares can be quite frightening; if they occur frequently, they should b e addressed with a physician. Dreams have a significant meaning spe- cific to the person dreaming. They can be surpris- ing and they can also be quite beautiful. They can also be healthy: If you do dream, it means you are getting good, deep sleep and that is fantastic. In closing, I sincerely hope that your dreams are not only pleasant but also inspirational and a motiva- tor for unique creativity. ___ ______________________________________________ ________________ Dream a little dream of me. (Mamas and Papa s) Last night I had the strangest dream, I ever dreamed before: I dreamed the world had all agreed to put an end to war. (Simon and Garfunkel) A dream is a wish your heart makes. (Walt Disney’s Sleeping Beauty ) To dream the impossible dream (from Man of La Mancha ) In a dream you are never eighty. (Anne Sexton) .
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