When we sleep our minds are submerged in the sometimes-surreal, sometimes-all-too-real world of dreams. This week’s Friday 5 takes a scientific look at the brain’s nighttime activity.
- Dreams happen in the REM (rapid eye movement) stage of sleep. If you remember your dream in the morning, that means you woke up during the REM stage. People who say they don’t dream much actually just wake up during different sleep stages.
- REM sleep is paradoxical because our brain is excited but our body is calm.
- Researchers don’t know for sure why we dream but have several theories. One possible explanation is that dreams help brain development by stimulating neural pathways. This would explain why infants spend most of their sleep in REM.
- Another theory is that dreams are the result of our brain trying to make sense of random neural activity.
- Although Freud’s ideas about dreams expressing one’s inner desires are widely referenced in popular culture, no scientific evidence has supported his theories.
I have a very active dream life, and unfortunately many of those dreams are stressful. Do you remember your dreams when you wake up? Are your dreams similar to your real life or full of fantasy? Tell me what happens in your brain at night!