Prancing Unicorns: Why We Dream
Can you die in your dreams? Are you able to see yourself? Dreams are one of the complex mysteries which we still have yet to completely understand.
The current theory among many somnologists (sleep doctors) is that dreams are a way for us to process previous or future events and rehearse ways to react to them.
According to this theory, this type of rehearsal is the brain’s way of proactively protecting against potential future events. So next time you dream about kickboxing Beyonce remember your brain is trying to protect you!
But seriously, this theory doesn’t explain why we sometimes have crazy ones like the one where you the polka dance with a chicken…no? Just me…?! This absurdity brings us to the topic of neurotransmitters.
Those little chemical messengers you have probably heard about in every biology course might be the reason behind some of your craziest dreams. One of the most popularly known neurotransmitters is Dopamine.
Dopamine is the neurotransmitter in charge of your internal “rewards” and motivation system. It is the reason why you can work towards your goals in life.
Somnologists (our buddies the sleep doctors) have found that people with higher Dopamine levels often have stranger dreams. Interestingly, Dopamine is the neurotransmitter thought to be responsible for hallucinations in people with schizophrenia.
One of the downsides to studying dreams is that it depends almost entirely on self-reported data, meaning it relies on people’s recollections of their dreams. Because of this, most of the knowledge we have regarding dreams is based on inferences.
Some intriguing theories explain why some of the myths or curiosities about dreams exist. Here is something to consider: How long does your dream last? For example, I have had several dreams that seem like days have passed in the time I have been dreaming.
Here’s where things get super trippy! Your brain might be functioning slower in REM sleep. That’s right, your concept of time while asleep might be completely off!
As you might know, the body goes into partial paralysis when you are sleeping to keep you from thrashing around and hurting yourself or your partner when you are asleep. It’s also the reason you don’t get up and run in that marathon you are dreaming about.
Your brain is simply doing a similar thing by slowing down; it’s enabling you to rest while giving itself time to heal or process things from your day.
There is still a lot about dreams we don’t fully understand, but hopefully, you can take away some of the basics about dreaming!
Let me know your strangest dreams in the comments!
