Why have dreams? Top ten theories

Dreams, reminiscent of watching TV shows in a drunken state, dreams of almost everyone, but no one knows why. Dreams are dreams, not every time we sleep and when we sleep, usually it's a random script, which made no sense. Sometimes we Wake up with a vague recollection of a dream, but usually can't remember anything specific. Therefore, to study the dreams is extremely difficult — they are inconsistent, random and easily forgotten (except for those pesky nightmares that you dream at an early age). Psychologists tend to believe that dreams have no direct physiological function. But some scientists believe that our dreams for a reason, emotional or any other.

Such psychologists study not only the causes of dreams and their meanings. They are trying to figure out what the dreams do to our bodies and brains what they say about how we see the world or process information. Others explore the history of dreams, trying to understand what the dreams could only dream of our evolutionary ancestors, giving them the benefits as opposed to those who didn't dream.

Let's look at ten reasons that may explain why we have dreams.

the

Dreams consolidate memories

Numerous studies have shown that dreams help us to store information. When we sleep, we allow your brain to move information into long term memory. Neuroscientists have found that during the day the memories accumulate in the hippocampus part of the brain associated with long-term memory. When we sleep, memories are transferred from hippocampus to the cortex of the brain that processes new information and is responsible for cognition and knowledge.

Sleep gives our brain the time to move memories in different parts of the brain to be able to record and even to restore. Studies have also shown that before memories are transferred to the cerebral cortex, the hippocampus replays the day, sometimes in reverse order.

the

Dreams treat

We All had a dream that seems too familiar, and we all went to bed after a horror movie and spent the whole night watching nightmares involving a dark, mysterious figure, terribly reminiscent of the monster from the movie. Dreams help us deal with strong emotions such as fear, sadness, and love. Psychologists believe that dreams help to separate emotions from the events. Separating emotions from the events, we can better handle them, because the brain can establish a connection between the feelings and the experience. Scientists have found that these relationships differ from those that builds the waking brain.

Different context, will allow us to build new perspectives to address a situation differently and maybe help in a difficult situation, help to look at it from a different perspective. Some scientists believe that this allows you to get to the root of anger, sadness, fear or happiness, while others believe that it is a safe space in which people can solve their deepest problems and explore topical issues.

the

Dreams soothe

A 2009 Study conducted on patients with anxiety and depression, revealed an interesting connection between dreams and cognitive distortions. Five researchers studied two groups of College students: in the first group there were 35 healthy students, and the second — 20 students with depression and anxiety. These students were awakened 10 minutes later in the phase of rapid eye movement (REM), and then 10 minutes later in the phase of non-REM. After these episodes of sleep students took tests on memory, mood and self esteem.

Researchers found that students with depression and anxiety often had dreams with themes of aggression and self-torture, than in healthy patients. REM sleep may help depressed and anxious patients cope with emotions in relation to self-esteem, grief and anger.

the

Dreams make you feel good

The Study showed that patients who were not allowed to sleep, faced with serious problems. As students, we were talking about above, these patients Wake up immediately after entry into REM sleep. Researchers found that when participants were not allowed to dream, the tension grew, there were difficulties with concentration, lack of coordination and a slight increase in weight. Also, they saw hallucinations.

Of Course, some of these side effects can be caused by a total lack of sleep. Nevertheless, numerous studies have proven that most of these side effects occur due to the lack of REM sleep, and the dreams we see only during REM sleep.

the

Lack of dreams can say about mental disorders

Chronic sleep problems occur in 50-80% of patients who complain of mental disorders. About 10% of the population regularly suffers from sleep problems. Scientists at Harvard University conducted a study in 2009 that found a link between dreams and common mental disorders such as bipolar disorder. They found that in children and adults, sleep problems can increase the risk of mental disorders.

Interrupted REM sleep affects the levels of neurotransmitters and stress hormones. This disrupts emotional regulation, and affects how we think. Ongoing hormonal imbalances and diseased neurotransmitters can lead to mental disorders. Although these insights can not scare, the research has practical application, because the treatment of sleep disorders can alleviate the mental disorder or even cure him.

the

Theory of information processing

One study showed that during REM sleep we process new concepts and relate them to existing knowledge, or a distant but related ideas. Scientists have shown that dreams occur when we become aware of these connections, which are generally fragmented sounds or images combined with physical activity. Our brain interpreterpath these fragments and tries to create a narrative of their binder. Scientists have found that this may explain why our dreams are so strange, confusing and unusual.

All this creative magnificence which occurs in sleep is due to information that was previously stored in our brains. When we try to link new information with existing knowledge, we interpret it in new ways that allows us to understand how the world works. Dreams also make us more aware of our place in the world.

the

Psychoanalytic theory of dreams

You Cannot just take and make a list of theories about dreams without mentioning the uncle of Freud. Although many of the statements of the famous psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud has been rejected over the years, they remain an interesting topic for discussion and make their way into popular literature and music. Freud specialized in the interpretation of dreams, paving the way from dreams to the unconscious thoughts and desires. He believed that we are subject to aggressive and sexual instincts, which are suppressed by our conscious and unconscious are revealed during dreams.

Freud believed that our dreams Express unacceptable feelings, like sexual desire towards our parents. He described dreams as having a distinct and hidden content. In latent content Freud was looking for the meaning of dreams.

the

a Model of activation-synthesis

A Model of activation-synthesis, first presented in 1977, explores how our brains create dreams of the signals. But instead use our experience and memories as a trigger, dreams are born from biological responses to activation of certain parts of the limbic system like the amygdala.

When these areas of "kindle" in the process of our sleep, our brain synthesizes and interpretirovat information in the form of dreams. Thus, dreams are simply the result of basic biological functioning. The authors of this theory, however, does not believe that dreams have no meaning. They believe that this interpretation of biological signals (i.e. dreams) leads to something more substantial: to new ideas.

the

Adaptive theory

This theory consists of two parts: one related to the threats and the other with lack of sleep. Psychologists believe that sleep allows the animals to stay away from sources of harm. For example, when the animal is asleep, it goes to a safe place. Scientists believe that the rest period does not allow the animal to get injured because of their own mistakes, thereby saving his life. This behavioral strategy is perpetuated by natural selection and formed the basis of a dream.

Part of this theory, which concerns the dreams, describes the fact that there was no REM sleep. Scientists have found that when a person is not allowed to enter the stage of REM sleep during one night, he spends more time than usual, at this stage the following night. Such biological response can only point to the fact that BDG is essential for the proper functioning and that the animals, which was not engaged (or did it too little), slow, were selected in the process of evolution. Natural selection has programmed us to sleep and to see dreams as a way of adapting to the environment.

the

the Theory of the stimulation of the threats

The Theory of the stimulation of the threats claims that dreams help us prepare for threats or dangers. Finnish researchers from the University of Turku found that stimulation of a threat during a dream allows a person to rehearse the necessary cognitive mechanisms to better perceive and avoid threats that lead to success in reproduction.

Researchers found that children who live in environments where their physical health is constantly under threat, do you see more vivid dreams, and the system of stimulation of the threats they work better than the children who live in calm conditions and see sweet dreams.

When scientists conducted studies on injured and netravmirovannymi children, the results are repeated. Traumatized children dream more associated with violence...