Return to Sleep Thoughts
About Dreaming
We all do it. Well, that is about 98% of
us. Yet science and the medical community at large does not yet know all
there is to know about dreaming. We do know where in our brains the
dreaming occurs. It occurs in the Secondary Visual Cortex. Our Primary
Visual Cortex processes what we see in our waking hours however it is in
the Secondary Visual Cortex that we humans imagine, visualize and
dream. The content and purpose of dreaming is not understood though it has
been a topic of speculation throughout history.
What is dreaming? If we go to Wikipedia
and research Oneirology (the study of the process of dreams
instead of analyzing the meaning behind them) we find that dreams contain a
few base components such as:
-
Thinking that occurs under minimal
brain direction, external stimuli are blocked, and the part of the brain
that recognizes self shuts down
-
An experience that we believed we
experience through our senses
-
An experience of something memorable
during sleep
As esoteric and vague as the above reads
it get even more clinical. In summary a dream, as defined by Oneirologists,
is a report of a memory of a cognitive experience that happens under
conditions that are most frequently produced in a brain function called sleep
during the suspension of consciousness.
Oneirologists are also masters of the
obvious.
Now, I am no Oneiroligist but I do know a
little about dreaming. Have you ever seen a television program or read a
newspaper article near the end of your day and had a dream about the subject
matter? There is a direct correlation between our last conscious thoughts and
the content of our dreams. Our conscious memories, therefore, must take up a
huge chunk of our brain space. We continue to process our conscious memories
into sleep. It makes good common sense to make your last waking thoughts
about something pleasant or relaxing as opposed to filling up your brain's
last awakened cells with a tragic news story or other disturbing images. If
you find yourself going through a period of nightmares or simply no dreams at
all try to make yourself view a pleasant image or visualize a relaxing
scenario. You might be surprised how well it works to get those R.E.M.
dreams flowing positively.
An interesting article about
dreaming
Dream good dreams!
Brad McBride
Comments? email
me
