DO DREAMS TELL US SOMETHING?

There are numerous instances in which dreams actually do come true in ways that were not anticipated. Most prophetic dreams do not bear spiritually significant meaning and hold no link to life-changing events. In fact dreams are video images created by our minds, generally in a story form. These dreams are capable of making us happy, sad, scared or even most confused. Dreams can happen at any time during sleep. Most dreams happen during a phase called REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep when the brain is most active. We dream at least four to six times a night. There are lucid dreams as well as nightmares. Lucid dreams we know we are dreaming. Lucid dreams come with a boost of activity in parts of the brain which are normally rested during sleep. It is the state of the brain  between REM sleep and being awake. Nightmare is a bad dream happen for children and grown up alike. It happens due to stress, fear, trauma, illness, medication or emotional problems. If we have repeated nightmares  our subconscious mind is trying to tell us something. We are bound to listen to it. If we cannot catch it must approach a mental health provider immediately.

In fact science could not say with absolute clarity the exact law behind the dream. While some researchers say dreams have no meaning or purpose, others say dreams are essential for our mental, emotional and physical health. We must remember that no matter how scarey a nightmare is, it is not real and most likely won't happen in real life. Some experts say  dreams help to solve our problems, incorporate memories and process emotions. While some dreams help to process our thoughts and events of the day others may be mere brain activity and mean little. However, if we go to bed with troubling thought, there is a chance that we may wake up with a solution for it. REM sleep lasts only a few minutes early in the night but gets longer as we sleep, it might last over 30 minutes later, but as an average we may spend around half an hour in a single dream.

Renowned psychologist Sigmund Freud believed that dreams are a window into our subconscious mind and that they reveal a person's thoughts, unconscious desires and motivations. Freud thought that dreams were a way for  satisfying their urges and desires which may not be accepted by the society. Some people feel that dreams are the reflection of our own thoughts and feelings rather strong desires, fears and concerns especially the repeated dreams. Fair interpretation of the dreams by ourselves may gain insight into our lives and ourselves. Many people say that they have come up with their best ideas while dreaming. There are some common dreams too experienced by different people like being chased, fall off a cliff or show up in public naked. These are probably the result of hidden stress and anxiety. Though the dreams are same the meaning may be different from person to person. Sometimes dreams come true or tell of a future event. Experts say it is most likely due to coincidence, bad memory or unconscious linking of known information. Sometimes dreams may motivate us to a particular way thus changing the future.

Dreams are quickly forgotten and the reason is not known. The possible reason is that during REM sleep, our body may shut down systems in our brain that creates memories. Those dreams take place just before awake are longer remembered, because certain brain activities are turned on by then. In fact it is not the mind forget them but we do not know how to access them. Dreams are expected to be stored in our memory, waiting to be recalled. That is the reason for us recalling a dream later in the day without thinking of it. Something might have happened to trigger the memory. If we get a sound sleep we don't wake until morning and less likely to remember the dreams compared with the people who wake up several times in the night. Some tips to remember the dreams:

Wake up naturally than without an alarm.

If we make a decision to remember the dreams we are more likely to remember them in the morning.

If we think about the dream right after waking up, it may be easier to remember it later.

If we want to sort out the dreams and the possible meanings keep a diary close to the bed. All of the dreams may be assorted and written alongwith the feelings it gave us.

Some dreams may be against the social norms and in such cases should not make any judgement. Take the help of an expert.

Dreams have fascinated humanity from the begining of time and will probably continue to puzzle us. Science have allowed us to learn much about the human brain, but we may never know for sure the meanings

behind our dreams.

KV George

kvgeorgein@gmail.com