What do dreams mean?

[Church]

Its kind of an odd question but I just woke up from a very odd dream and it made me think if dreams actually serve us a purpose.

Most people consider dreams either entertaining and odd, or terrifying and sad. But did evolution give us dreaming for a reason? And if so why?

[Unique Physique]

Without mumbling too much into the biology/psychology side of things, I believe that your dreams are just your imagination running wild. To a certain extent, I think dreams can be representative of our feelings as of late - sort of like an analogy of your current or a recent situation. Like sometimes people dream of running away from stuff when they're scared/hiding from something/guilty.

I also think dreams can help figure out what you're subconsciously thinking, I've made real-life decisions based on what I've dreamt, as odd as it sounds.

[smartass722]

im pretty sure that they are like the "left over thoughts" once you fall asleep.....although it may not be

[Infidelitas]

The meaning of dreams depend on how much the person believes in the dream and how they interpret the dreams. I personally don't think they mean much.

[embers]

If I could remember any of my dreams, I'd tell you.

[Bath]

I've always been so interested in dreams since I was like, 10. I'm a dreamer... literally and figuratively :P I dream almost every night, and usually remember them. I actually dreamed last night I was jumping on a trampoline that was deathly if you fell off.

According to a quick google search...

"Some researchers suggest that dreams serve no real purpose, while others believe that dreaming is essential to mental, emotional and physical well-being. Ernest Hoffman, director of the Sleep Disorders Center at Newton Wellesley Hospital in Boston, Mass., suggests that "...a possible (though certainly not proven) function of a dream to be weaving new material into the memory system in a way that both reduces emotional arousal and is adaptive in helping us cope with further trauma or stressful events." (http://psychology.about.com/od/statesofconsciousness/p/dream-theories.htm)

I've always been a believer that only YOU can interpret your dreams. No dream dictionary or "psychic", only you. You know how your brain works. Sometimes, dreams are just tons of nonsense. This is just a representation of what happened that day or the few previous days. Other times, your dreams can symbolize a fear, an anxiety, something you're excited for, or something important to you that has been happening recently.

[Sporadica]

personally I feel dreams are a way of subconscious dealing with a conscious problem. I also feel that at the same time they might just be entertainment, something to pass the time while we sleep. I personally find dreams entertaining and I haven't had a nightmare in years, last time was when I saw Stephen Kings "IT" and pennywise put an axe in my back lol.

I want to go lucid and be able to control my dreams like a video game.

I haven't done it fully but i've been able to do tiny things like tell my character pick something up and I've been aware at times that I've been dreaming.

[Jupiter]

It is showed that history repeats itself. So maybe things that happen when you are a baby have something to do with dreams.

[Maxxie]

It is showed that history repeats itself. So maybe things that happen when you are a baby have something to do with dreams.

I would have to disagree there - history repeats itself, but only in the sense that it does for general events and cycles, not for individuals.

In my opinion, dreams are just a heightened form of imagination that runs rampant when conscious brain activity is so low that one can actually perceive this imagination in action. In all honesty I have no idea, but I don't think they serve any higher purpose.

[Cybercode]

personally I feel dreams are a way of subconscious dealing with a conscious problem. you just took the words out of my mouth. or brain. idk. lol.

lets look at it from two points of view.

Science: While we sleep, we are in a state of semi-consciousness called REM (Rapid Eye Movement). In this state, the muscles contract and our organs slow down for a bit. But our brains are always on the move. And when that occurs, the chemical reactions and the neuro-state increase, giving us images that are known as dreams.

Now because I'm a Christian, I also believe that dreams are one of God's ways of telling us something. I know I have a lot of Deja Vu's. My dreams can predict the far future based on past experiences. I also get some good story idea's from them, and they help me solve complex problems.

BTW. Can anybody explain why I've been having reoccurring dreams of being in New York City, even though I've never been there before? (Could it be that I'm destined to visit NYC? :cool:?)

[PureReality]

Its kind of an odd question but I just woke up from a very odd dream and it made me think if dreams actually serve us a purpose.

Most people consider dreams either entertaining and odd, or terrifying and sad. But did evolution give us dreaming for a reason? And if so why?

It's like, psychotherapy for some of it. Dreams can prepare you for tragedies and such. There are many symbols in dreams, and my friend has a book of dream symbols. Lets say you see a pig in your dream, and that's one of the main focuses, then you would just look up pig in this book and it would tell you what it means and why you saw it.

I believe that dreams can tell us our past, present and future to an extent. :yes:

you just took the words out of my mouth. or brain. idk. lol.

lets look at it from two points of view.

Science: While we sleep, we are in a state of semi-consciousness called REM (Rapid Eye Movement). In this state, the muscles contract and our organs slow down for a bit. But our brains are always on the move. And when that occurs, the chemical reactions and the neuro-state increase, giving us images that are known as dreams.

Now because I'm a Christian, I also believe that dreams are one of God's ways of telling us something. I know I have a lot of Deja Vu's. My dreams can predict the far future based on past experiences. I also get some good story idea's from them, and they help me solve complex problems.

BTW. Can anybody explain why I've been having reoccurring dreams of being in New York City, even though I've never been there before? (Could it be that I'm destined to visit NYC? :cool:?)

Having reoccurring dreams of being NYC? Do you know of the protests that are taking place there now? Occupy Wall Street - protests against corporate greed and what not? Here is their website: http://occupywallst.org/. It's been a growing thing and many cities all over the world are participating in this all over the world.

[tHe_Jester1080]

Well, while you are sleeping your brain sort of cleans itself out. It will decide what is important for you to remember and what isn't. The not so much important will be in general terms speaking erased.
While scientists aren't sure why we dream I think that your dreams are some of your thoughts that your brain is getting rid of all crambed into an image produced as a dream. Which is why I think most dreams are hard to remember because they are actaully thoughts your brain has gotten rid of already.

[PureReality]

Well, while you are sleeping your brain sort of cleans itself out. It will decide what is important for you to remember and what isn't. The not so much important will be in general terms speaking erased.
While scientists aren't sure why we dream I think that your dreams are some of your thoughts that your brain is getting rid of all crambed into an image produced as a dream. Which is why I think most dreams are hard to remember because they are actaully thoughts your brain has gotten rid of already.

Don't agree with this but it's an interesting view of things. Here is an article on a little bit of science of why dreams are hard to remember: http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Research-May-Show-Why-Dreams-Are-Difficult-to-Remember.html.

Did you know, that your mind can not tell the difference in dreams and memories? I've found myself talking about a past dream like it was a memory before.


Also: a way to help remember your dreams is telling yourself before you fall asleep, over and over again, to remember your dream. Then, when you wake up, DO NOT MOVE FROM YOUR POSITION. Just ly there, and think of your dream. One way to help remember dreams is a dream journal, write down all your dreams - even if it's just an emotion or feeling during sleep or something. Just write it down after you wake up, and slowly, over time, you will see that you are remembering your dreams a lot more then you used to.

I've had dreams of my present, past and future. I had a dream I went to a Jeffree Star concert, and within a couple months, I was at a Jeffree Star concert! Didn't have any idea when I had the dream. Then there is astral projection, and lucid dreaming - which would not fly with your beliefs, Toppster.

[Cybercode]

Having reoccurring dreams of being NYC? Do you know of the protests that are taking place there now? Occupy Wall Street - protests against corporate greed and what not? Here is their website: http://occupywallst.org/. It's been a growing thing and many cities all over the world are participating in this all over the world.

no the dreams came before all these events began.

[PureReality]

no the dreams came before all these events began.

Oh -- that would be way interesting if your dreams were linked with the protests. Your mind might be set on NYC if you have always thought of visiting the place, or if that is one of your desires. :)

[Dabigdtc]

its really mostly imagenation gone wild but can also represent your own thoughts

[supadupahitz]

I think dreams mean you slept well.

[Eggbuduf]

Well litteraly dream are just your brain re-surrfacing memories and ideas and somtimes that fact scares me a lil'

[randomnessqueen]

dreams are existing events. they all actually happen somewhere and sometime.

[kenoloor]

dreams are existing events. they all actually happen somewhere and sometime.

I had a dream that I had sex with Scooby-Doo.

[Dunce]

I kind of think that it's just your imagination going crazy while you sleep. Sometimes I do think there's more to it then that though. I usually always remember my dreams. My dreams are really vivid and precise. I can experience feelings that actually apply to my feelings in real life.
Like, lately my mother has really been annoying me. We just keep clashing everyday. And last night in my dream she was having a go at me, and I decided to just leave. My dream also had to do with how I approach my future(I'm applying for college now), something happened in my dream that inspired me and gave me that final push.
Leaving home isn't something I've been thinking directly about. I have been trying to find motivation, because I just don't have any in terms of college. And I suppose that dream made me realize that I won't have to fight with my mother every other day.

[Abyssinian]

I believe dreams are a manifestation of the subconscious mind along with your imagination. It's very hard to decide whether dreams mean anything or not, because they're a combination of things you've thought about, seen, read, heard and felt.

The most powerful dream I've ever had was set like a movie, a man living alone with his children had them stolen away from him and he couldn't get them back, the last thing I saw was his silhouette standing in his grey mansion which was crumbling around him. I woke up feeling horribly sad and a little distressed, but it meant nothing to me!

Dreams usually have no real explanation.