If you look in the Oxford diary, a dream is conceptualised as a set of images, thoughts or fantasies that present themselves to the mind during sleep .
Sleep quality is an increasingly relevant issue for society. A few hours of poor sleep a day can have a considerable impact on your mental health . And an aspect intrinsically linked to sleep are dreams.
For many, they are just images without meaning or cohesion that occur during sleep. However, within neuroscience and psychoanalysis, they are an important instrument in the health of the mind .
Follow along and better understand the importance of dreams for your psychological well-being and how you can use them to your advantage.
What is the definition of a dream?
The definition can change a lot depending on your theoretical perspective.
There are two biases that we will address here: that of neuroscience and that of Freudian psychoanalysis.
What is the dream for neuroscience?
In neuroscience, it is a function of the brain that involves processing information during sleep . In other words, it is a way to regulate your activities.
Dreams typically occur during REM ( Rapid Eye Movement ) sleep, which is the deep sleep stage. This is also a period of high brain activity.
Despite advances in science, understanding about dreams and their mechanisms is limited. We still don’t know what the neurological trigger is for it to start, but there are several theories about its function.
What is a dream for Freud?
For Freudian psychoanalysis, it is a manifestation of the unconscious, which is possible when the individual is not awake . But, to understand this definition, it is necessary to understand other points.
For Freud, the human mind was divided into three parts:
- Id (It): the combination of animal impulses, physiological needs and unconscious desires, without any restrictions;
- Superego (Above the Self): civilization and social pressures that seek to repress the impulses of the Id;
- Ego (I): the individual mind, which tries to mediate the impulses of the Id and the demands of the Superego;
Furthermore, Freud establishes the division between the conscious and unconscious mind. Most of it is unconscious, that is, it does not manifest itself in a visible way.
However, during sleep, the restrictions of the Ego and Superego become looser, which allows unconscious thoughts to manifest themselves in the form of dreams . This is why their interpretation is used as a form of self-knowledge .
This is just a superficial explanation of the topic, but it helps us understand it better.
What is the reason for the dreams?
As we mentioned, there is no definitive answer as to what causes dreams. However, there are theories explored in both psychoanalysis and neuroscience. See some of them:
- memory consolidation: during REM sleep, the brain is in intense activity, processing the day’s memories, deciding which ones will be consolidated and which ones will be discarded;
- interpretation of stressful situations: another theory linked to psychoanalysis is that dreams are the unconscious manifesting itself to understand stressful situations , such as trauma;
- maintenance of neurotransmitters: it is also possible that dreams are a way of keeping the brain active during sleep, which is a period of low stimulation, which prevents them from atrophying.
Remembering that these are just some of the current theories. Science can still find new information at any time.
Therefore, it is important to consider professional activity when we talk about this subject. Since it takes up a large part of our day, it can be decisive for the quality of our sleep.
How to remember your dreams?
Some people say they don’t dream. However, most likely they just don’t remember what they dream about. Something that can be partially controlled.
Learn some tips to remember them more easily.
Create a diary
The best way to remember them, more clearly, is to record them . Something that can also be seen as a form of self-care .
To do this, you must always have an easy and quick registration method available. A notebook under your pillow, notepad or a tape recorder.
As soon as you wake up, write down everything you remember about what you dreamed, in as much detail as possible . Over time, this will help you remember events more clearly.
Have a good night of sleep
Mental fatigue is another factor that makes it difficult to remember dreams after waking up. Remember, they are most common during deep sleep. Therefore, you must create the right conditions for it to occur.
Lights off, avoid intense activities right before bed, eat well, stay hydrated, without too much noise, etc.
Sleep with the intention of dreaming and remembering
Your mind is more responsive to autosuggestion than you might imagine.Say “I will dream and remember what happened” aloud before falling asleep.Keeping this thought in mind boosts your chances of recalling what happened clearly.
How to interpret dreams?
The practice of interpreting them dates back to antiquity. Many were considered divine messages or premonitions. Even within modern psychoanalysis, they are still a strong object of study.
Numerous dreams are a way of dealing with anxiety and processing trauma. Therefore, interpreting is a way of understanding how these events manifest in your mind .
The result of this premise is that each dream is fundamentally unique. Its symbols and meanings depend on the individual who dreams more than anything. In addition to all this, the language used can be difficult to understand.
For these reasons, many people need the help of a professional psychologist or psychoanalyst to find a satisfactory interpretation.
How to control a dream?
One more interesting fact: it is possible to take control of a dream, walking through it as if you were awake. This is called lucid dreaming .
As the name says, you are in control of your body even while dreaming. Thus, you can determine its content and how it manifests itself.
Reaching this state is a matter of training. The practices we mentioned for remembering dreams are the first step. When you are able to remember what you dreamed clearly, you can try to keep your mind awake at that moment.
One of the most common methods is to set your alarm clock for half an hour earlier than your normal time. The idea is to wake up during REM sleep, but without actually waking up.
Stay in bed and focus on the dream you just had . If everything goes well, the same dream will manifest again, but you will be conscious within it.
It may take some time to have a lucid dream. Some people have it quite easily, while others may resist. In any case, the important thing is to have persistence and patience.
As you can see, dreams are much more important than they seem. More than meaningless images, they are manifestations of your mind, the brain organizing memory and ensuring better mental health.