Free Essay

Lucid Dreaming

In: Philosophy and Psychology

Submitted By Tiesha1
Words 3143
Pages 13
Tiesha Cooper Trinity Christian College Basic Research Skills Dr. King

Lucid Dreaming
Holzinger (2009), suggests that dreams have been a major importance to cultures throughout the ages. Native Americans viewed dreams as portals to the spirit world, paths to prophecy and quests. A common phenomenon states, there is an experience in which one is aware that one is dreaming and is able to control what happens in the dream. This experience is known as lucid dreaming. Aristotle may have been the first to write about lucid dreaming, although he did not have a term for it (Holzinger B. , 2009). And some Tibetan Buddhists have been practicing something like lucid dreaming for a long time. In Tibetan Buddhism, it was practiced as a form of yoga, called dream yoga, from the eighth century. The goal of dream yoga is to examine your consciousness and bring you to a constant state of awareness. A big part of the belief system of Buddhism is recognizing the world for what it is, free from deception. A lucid dreamer recognizes the dream world for what it is, a dream (Holzinger B. , 2009). A Dutch psychiatrist named Frederik van Eeden came up with the term for lucid dreams in 1913. He claimed that there are nine well-defined types of dreams in all, including ordinary, symbolic and vivid dreams. He recorded several of his own lucid dreams, and his thoughts during them and upon awakening. He remarked that they often involved flying (Holzinger B. , 2009).
Lucid dreaming is normally a rare experience. Though most people report having had a lucid dream at least once in their lives, only about 20% of the population reports having lucid dreams once a month or more (Bourke, 2014). It is speculated that Albert Einstein was a lucid dreamer. Although lucid dreaming was not officially categorized nor popularized until after his death, it is clear that he considered his internal dream world, and even used visualization techniques to arrive at some of his theories, including that of relativity. Post-mortem studies of his brain have revealed some interesting differences to the average brain (Stumbrys, 2010) .
It is hypothesized that people who have lucid dreams may generally be more insightful than other people. Bourke (2014) suggest, this may mean that lucid dreamers have insight into their current states. Also, his theory suggest that some people who engage in lucid dreaming are able to do so because they have a higher level of insight. “It is believed that for dreamers to become lucid while asleep, they must see past the overwhelming reality of their dream state, and recognize that they are dreaming" (p. 157). In other words, they pick up on inconsistencies in their dream that would not make sense if they were awake. In Dr. Bourke’s study, the team suggests that this ability could also be true in reality; lucid dreamers may possess cognitive intelligence that makes them better at problem-solving in the real world (Bourke, 2014). The aim of this study is to examine the physiological correlates of lucid dreaming.
This paper intends to examine the brain activity during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep of lucid dreaming verses non-lucid dreaming. With the purpose to understand that during lucidity certain areas of the brain is activated that is not in non-lucid REM sleep. In addition, it will explore the cognitive abilities/insightfulness of frequent lucid dreamers in comparison to non-lucid dreamers by measuring level of performance on problem solving test such as, the Stroop task and compound remote associate problem-solving task. Lastly, the conscious mind and self-awareness to access memories, perform actions, and to be aware while in lucidity.

Literature Review
Rapid Eye Movement (REM) Sleep The brain is made up of billions of brain cells called neurons that are constantly working creating energy by communicating through electrical signals. The electrical impulses created by your brain can be measured by an EEG (electroencephalography) machine as a wavelength from your head. Through this research, scientist have discovered the different frequencies of the brain. The four most common brainwave frequencies are beta, alpha, theta, and delta, each of these brainwaves serves a specific function. Brainwaves are measured in hertz, or cycles per second and, the slower the wave the calmer and relaxed your brain is. The higher the frequency the more active your brain is. Beta is the most common wave length associated with normal waking functions. When you are awake and your eyes are open, your brain is operating in the beta frequency. Beta rhythms occur in individuals who are alert and attentive to external stimuli. Beta also occur during deep sleep, rapid eye movement (REM) sleep when the eyes switch back and forth. So, the beta wave represents arousal of the cortex to a higher state of alertness or tension. It may also be associated with remembering or retrieving memories (Dresler M., 2012).
Lucidity can generally be said to be associated with more beta-1 activity than non-lucid dreaming, with the differences in the parietal regions of the brain. Also, taking into account the hemispheric differences between lucid and non-lucid dreaming, the highest increase was found in the left parietal lobe. This area of the brain is considered to be related to semantic (pertaining to, or arising from the different meanings of words or other symbols) understanding and self-awareness (Holzinger B. L., 2006). Voss (2014), recent findings relates fronto-temporal gamma EEG activity to conscious awareness in dreams, but a definite relationship has not yet been established. Researchers found that current stimulation in the lower gamma band during REM sleep influences ongoing brain activity and influence self-reflective awareness in dreams.
In a research article by Dresler (2012), neuroimaging studies have shown that human REM sleep in lucidity is related to patterns of regional brain activity. “During lucid dreaming the bilateral precuneus, cuneus, parietal lobules, and prefrontal and occipito-temporal cortices activated strongly as compared with non-lucid REM sleep” (p.1017). These findings according to electroencephalography data relates lucid dreaming with the reactivation of several parts of the brain that are normally not active in REM sleep. The researchers suggest, this pattern can explain the recovery of metacognition (higher-order thinking that enables understanding, analysis, and control of one’s cognitive processes, especially when engaged in learning), the “hallmark” of lucid dreaming (p.1020).
In addition, the human brain is divided into two hemispheres. The right hemisphere is more active in REM sleep, during which dreams most often occur. For example, EEG activity and cerebral blood flow during REM are right-lateralized and, beginning with REM awakening, right hemisphere tasks are easier and the left hand (controlled by the right hemisphere) is more functional (Piller, 2009). Dumont, Braun, and Guimond (2007) noted that, while REM sleep may be correlated with right hemisphere activity, the location of dream-generating mechanisms is still unclear. Physiological research to date has not concluded results regarding the importance of the cerebral hemispheres to dreaming. However, a closer look at the phenomenal nature of lucid dreaming reveals several interesting connections.
Cognitive Abilities/Insightfulness
Part of the reason that some people experience frequent lucid dreams appears to be related to them having a particular cognitive strength in waking life. The most found to be true of these is the high level of performance by frequent lucid dreamers on cognitive tasks. This was first reported by Gackenbach, Heilman, Boyt, and LaBerge in1985 and later replicated by Patrick and Durndell in 2004 (Bourke, 2014). Blagrove, Bell, and Wilkinson (2010) explored the possibility that frequent lucid dreamers may have increased waking-life attentional abilities, compared with non-lucid dreamers as measured by performance on the Stroop task (in which the word and ink color are different).The results exhibited some indication that frequent lucid dreamers did perform better on the Stroop task than non-lucid dreamers. Bourke (2014) hypothesized that a key feature of gaining lucidity while in the dream state is insight (an understanding of relationships that sheds light on or helps solve a problem). In addition, compound remote associate task is designed to measure insight. In this type of test, subjects are presented with three words and asked to find a fourth one that forms a new compound word with each of the initial words. For example, the words age, mile, and sand, for which the solution is stone. Participants who frequently experienced lucid dreaming solved 25 per cent more of the word association problems than the non-lucid dreamers. The cognitive skill involved in solving this particular kind of problem has previously been linked to insight and creative problem-solving, leading the researchers to believe that the same processes which alert us to our dream-world help us make sense of reality when we are awake (Bourke, 2014).

Conscious Mind and Self-Awareness in Lucidity
Scientists in Germany have found which centers of the brain become active when we are aware of ourselves, this state is called, "metaconsciousness". Their study showed visible evidence of the neural networks that support the human conscious state. They identified them by comparing brain scans of a volunteer during lucid dreaming, to brain scans taken during normal dream states. The areas they pinpointed as the seat of meta-consciousness belong to a network in the outer layer (cortical) of the brain that includes the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, the frontopolar regions and the precuneus. Some people can have episodes of self-awareness while they sleep and dream. These lucid dreamers are aware that they are dreaming, and are also able to control their dreams. During lucid dreaming episodes they can access their memories, perform actions and are aware of themselves, even though they are in a dream state and not awake (Dresler M., 2012).
Martin Dresler (2012) explains, “In a normal dream, we have a very basal consciousness, we experience perceptions and emotions but we are not aware that we are dreaming. It is only in a lucid dream that the dreamer gets a meta-insight into his or her state"(p. 1019).
The human capacity for self-perception, self-reflection and consciousness are unsolved mysteries of neuroscience. It is not easy to measure which parts of the brain help us do these things. When we are awake, we are self-aware, conscious of what we think and feel. But we cannot do this when we are asleep, unless we are in a state of lucid dreamiMethod

Method Choice
Method
In an attempt to answer the research question, an experimental design will be used. The aim of the study is to examine the physiological correlates of lucid dreaming. The nature of this study requires quantitative methods because the goal is to determine the relationship between neural correlates of lucidity by comparing lucid verses non-lucid rapid eye movement (REM) sleep using an electroencephalography (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). This study will be attempting to discover the electrophysiological differences between lucid and non-lucid dreams, associated with higher frequencies in the EEG spectrum (i.e., the alpha or beta bands). This means that if these areas are considered by many scientists to be the seat of linguistic thought, as well as other higher mental functions associated with self-awareness then perhaps we can better understand differences in cognitive process across different people (Voss, 2009). Furthermore, this study aims to determine the relationship of brain activity to lucid dreamers in contrast to non-lucid dreamers, particularly the part that shows which areas of the brain become active when we become aware of ourselves in dreams.
Sampling
For the purpose of this study, half of the participants will be frequent lucid dreamers who report having two or more lucid dreams a week. The other half will be occasional lucid dreamers who report having at least one lucid dream a month or in their lives. Participants will be recruited by advertisement from the student population of Trinity Christian College via marketplace digest emails. In this email a short questionnaire will be included. The questionnaire will have specific detailed questions with the purpose of selecting the desired sample needed for this study. Though students would not be paid for participation, they will receive three free meals a day in the cafeteria for the semester. Potential participants have to meet the criteria of recalling dreams at least two times per week to be considered lucid dreamers. In addition, occasional lucid dreamers have to report having at least one lucid dream every three months. Both groups will report having normal or correct to normal vision, including not being color blind. Students will need to provide written consent to participate (Voss, 2009). On the basis of their reported frequency of lucid dreaming participants will be assigned to the following groups:
• Frequent lucid dreamers, having lucid dreams more than once per month (15 females, 15 males, age ranged from 18-65).
• Occasional lucid dreamers, having had at least one lucid dream in three months (15 females, 15males, age ranged from 18-65 years).
In all 60 subjects will be recruited and the study will take roughly over two months.
Materials
There will be the need for special tools and supplies in order to conduct this experiment. The researchers will investigate having these tools donated for the purpose of research or perhaps loaned or rented to the college for the duration of the study. These items include:
4(fMRI) machines
4 EEG machines
Procedure
The conduct of this study requires a controlled environment. Subjects will need to commit to participation in this controlled environment in order to conduct, polysomnographic recordings of them during sleep. These recordings would be performed on two consecutive nights in the nursing department simulation lab of Trinity Christian College. The subjects would have to commit to stay overnight; arrive at the sleep lab at 9 p.m.; bedtime; 10 p.m. Scalp EEG electrodes would be placed in 19 positions (10-20 system). Also, electrodes would be placed to monitor REM sleep during lucidity. This proposed method is suggested because it is more feasible to conduct this experiment in a controlled lab setting with the proper equipment to monitor the subjects. The polysomonographic recordings will measure the brain activity during REM sleep in a lucid state verses REM sleep in a non-lucid state of the participants. This experiment will observe four participants (two frequent lucid and two occasional lucid dreamers) per night for two consecutive nights, for four nights a week. The test days conclude observation at 6 a.m. to enable participants to prepare for class on the respected day or go about their activities of daily living.
Figure 1.provides a visual of the types of recordings the polysomonographic monitoring will reveal during REM sleep in lucidity.

F igure 2. REM sleep in non-lucid dreaming and electrode placement during sleep study. Figure 3. Displays increased awareness experienced when awake or lucidly dreaming is accompanied by an increase in activity of 40Hz brainwaves in the frontal lobes, compared to normal dreams. One particular region, the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), is thought to be particularly important in the higher states of consciousness (ref New Scientist 12 June 2010 and Sleep Vol 32 p1191). Figure 3. Mapping of 19 placement electrode and brain functioning (10-20) system.
Resources
The resources needed for this study: a 10 question questionnaire (each question is in a yes/no format, with a line for a description designated to elaborate on their answer). This questionnaire will aid the team in selecting as close as possible, appropriate participants for the study. The financial resource for this study will range roughly from 30-40 thousand dollars. Also, five experienced professionals in EEG and MRI monitoring, two research assistants, and simulation lab at Trinity Christian College, two MRI and EEG machines with the proper amount of supply to collect data.
Risk and IRB Considerations
In general, there are no risks associated with this study; EEG and MRI’s are noninvasive ways to monitor brain activity and waves. On the contrary, if selected participants have a history of claustrophobia, they will be informed that the MRI machine is a closed area inside the magnetic tube. Such participants may want to terminate their participation in the study. Furthermore, subjects who have any metallic materials under the skin such as pacemakers, artificial joints, surgical clips, etc. are excluded from the study because they risk displacement of materials. These questions will be incorporated in the online questionnaire. We will make every effort to maintain the privacy of your data. All of the information you will provide will be strictly confidential. Your completed questionnaire will be identified only by a numerical code, not your name. Your responses will not be released to anyone, other than the research team and regulatory agencies (e.g., Lucid Dream Institute, Psychology Today, Sleep Journal, etc.).
Conclusion
It is suggested that the resting brain during sleep is awake in lucid dreaming. Lucid dream frequency is also positively related to one's search for controlling situations from waking life (Holzinger B. L., 2006), and related to higher levels of 'need for cognition than people who have never experienced a lucid dream before (Blagrove, 2010). These results suggests a connection between waking and dreaming cognition. The aim of this study was to examine the physiological correlates of lucid dreaming by monitoring the brain’s activity in REM sleep.

References
Blagrove, M. B. (2010). Association of Lucid Dreaming Frequency With Stroop Task Performance. Dreaming, 20 (10), 280-287.
Bourke, P. (2014). Spontaneous Lucid Dreaming Frequency and Waking Insight. Dreaming, 24 (2) 152-159.
Dresler M., W. R. (2012). Neural Correlates of Dream Lucidity Obtained from Contrasting Lucid versus Non-Lucid REM Sleep A Combined EEG/fMRI Case Study. Sleep, 35 (7), 1017-1020.
Dumont, M. B. (2007). Dreaming and Unilateral Brain Lesions: A Multiple Lesion Case Analysis. Dreaming, 4 (8), 20-34.
Holzinger, B. (2009). Lucid dreaming – dreams of clarity. Contemporary Hypnosis (John Wiley & Sons, Inc.), 6 (2), 216-224.
Holzinger, B. L. (2006). Psychophysiological Correlates of Lucid Dreaming. Dreaming, 10 (4), 88-95.
Neider, M. P.-S. (2011). Lucid Dreaming and Ventromedial Versus Dorsolateral Prefrontal Task Performance. Consciousness & Cognition, 16 (5), 234-244.
Piller, R. (2009). Cerebral Specializat During Lucid Dreaming A Right Hemisphere Hypothesis. Dreaming, 12 (8), 273-286.
Schredl, M. &. (2004). Lucid dreaming frequency and personality. Personality & Individual Differences, 37 (7), 1463-1473.
Stumbrys, T. &. (2010). An exploratory study of creative problem solving in lucid dreams: Preliminary findings and methodological considerations. International Journal of Dream Research, 3 (2), 121-129.
Voss, U., P. R. (2009). Lucid Dreaming: A State of Consciousness with Features of Both Waking and Non-Lucid Dreaming. Sleep, 15 (7), 1191-1200.
Voss, U. H.-G. (2014). Induction of Self awareness in Dreams through Frontal Low Current Stimulation of Gamma Activity. Nature Neuroscience, 20 (3), 810-812.

Similar Documents

Free Essay

Lucid Dreaming

...another. Lucid dreaming is a term created by Frederik van Eeden that is used to describe a dream in which one is aware that he/she is dreaming. This type of dreaming is considered by many as a higher level of consciousness. Most people do not know what lucid dreaming is and those who do rarely are aware of how to realize that they are dreaming, let alone actually manipulate their dreams. Lucid dreaming can have many benefits in one’s life, whether it’s relieving stress, learning or studying, having fun, etc. Also, there is little risk in dreaming lucidly, since dreams do not take place in the physical world. Anything that can benefit many people with little risk should be readily available and encouraged. Dreaming lucidly fits this description yet is not studied often, and on top of that, is not taken very seriously within the scientific community. Lucid dreaming should be a topic that is taught and discussed more often than is currently in everyday life. To understand lucid dreaming, one must understand the two different types of “life”. One of which is waking life, which you probably can guess, refers to one’s life while they are awake. The other of which, is dreaming life, which refers to one’s life while asleep. The special thing about lucid dreaming is that it encompasses both of these ideas into one. That is to say, that you are dreaming and consciously aware of that fact simultaneously. This all sounds simple enough, but it can be very hard to trigger lucid dreaming...

Words: 1623 - Pages: 7

Free Essay

Lucid Dreaming

...Lucid Dreaming Ayeisa Chavez SPCH 1311 MW 8:30 am Irma Garcia March 6, 2013 Imagine going to bed one night only to wake up in a whole other world where anything your heart and mind desired became reality. Flying over clouds, breathing underwater, going to any part of the world or even getting to be with that person you so much desire wasn’t impossible anymore. Well there is a way that can be done, and that’s through something called lucid dreaming. After listening to this presentation I hope you will have a better understanding of the world of lucid dreaming and how it can be done. I will begin by explaining to you in detail what it is exactly. Then, you will learn a few of the benefits gained by this experience and some dangers. Last, I will give you a few simple steps to how it can be done. Sounds exciting, doesn’t it? I know I was! As explained in an article by Rebecca Turner, Lucid dreaming is the proven ability to become aware while you’re dreaming, to consciously “wake up” inside the dream world and control your dreams. In other words, it’s being able to do as you please while you dream. Marshall Brain researched that when you sleep, your brain goes through several stages of a sleep cycle. The cycle that deals with dreams is REM or rapid eye movement which takes up 20 to 25% of sleep and your brain is basically shut off during this period of time. Your body becomes paralyzed except for the eyelids and the part of the brain that deals with logic is shut...

Words: 2178 - Pages: 9

Premium Essay

Lucid Dreaming In Psychology

...blocks, and release chronic pain or stress while you were sleeping? With lucid dreaming, it's a possibility. Charlie Morley, teacher of the Tibetan Buddhist practice of dream yoga, has experienced the power of the dream state in healing. He teaches lucid dreaming to numerous people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder—including ex-soldiers, victims of terrorist attacks, and those who experienced abuse during childhood—as a means to not only cure nightmares, but he says "to open people up to view their nightmares as a call for help rather than an attack from the unconscious." A lot of our fears, traumas, and the shadow aspects of psyche that we have unconsciously rejected...

Words: 1159 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Lucid Vs. Non-Lucid Dreaming

...During REM sleep dreams can be characterized as being nonsensical, bizarre, and the individual is left unaware that they are dreaming. Certain neural patterns describe this state, such as, the deactivation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Contrastly, lucid dreaming describes a state of sleep where the individual is aware that they are dreaming. Lucid dreaming can also be characterized by increase of 40-Hz wave activity and coherence in the frontal region of the brain. It is interesting to note that lucid dreamers are able to communicate their state by eye movements that can be tracked by an electrooculogram. Apart from the awesome idea of being aware that one is dream, lucid dreaming also have some benefits, such as, treating nightmares. In order to understand the neural changes in lucid dreaming and examine its neural correlates EEG and fMRI techniques were used in this study to compare lucid vs non-lucid REM sleep....

Words: 581 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Natural Lucid Dreaming

...With lucid dreaming becoming more popular, experienced lucid dreamers are getting out from the underground and speak to there non-practicing mates about abilities to control the dream. Often, to their surprise, my dreaming mates realise, that their friends, who never thought about lucid dreaming, lucid dream all the time. Or, at least they say so. I personally met quite a few people who claim to always know they're dreaming. For many, it seems to be the natural ability - they've known they dream since they were kids, and there's nothing magical or surprising to them. Nothing special, at all. So, what is lucidity all about? Speaking to these "natural lucid dreamers", i've asked them, what they normally do when they realise they're in a dream. I've heard two answers most often: "I wake up" (or sometimes, "I get so excited that i wake up"); "I find a hot lady/guy and ..." Is this lucid? I don't really think so. It has some degree of lucidity, although it's really far from what i'm looking for. In these dreams, people don't have much of control to their dreams - they are like occasional sparks of consciousness - and then they either wake up, or follow the first natural instinct "I'm dreaming and i can do whatever i like". For me, when i become lucid, the first thing i do is reality check (step 1). The checks i use most often follow: Look at my hands and try to compare them with the image of my "real" hands; Jump in attempt to fly; Look at the watch or switch...

Words: 585 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Portal to Lucid Dreaming

...concept of lucid dreaming. Lucidity means becoming conscious and self-aware in your dreams, turning the dreamscape into a vivid virtual reality where everything you see, hear, feel, taste and even smell will be just as authentic real life. Tibetan monks have used dream control for more than a thousand years in a philosophy called Dream Yoga. However the modern term ‘lucid dreaming’ was not coined until the 20th century by the Dutch psychiatrist Frederik Van Eeden, meaning ‘mental clarity in dreams’ . The concept of lucid dreams were popularized by Celia Green in the 1960 s. She was the first to point out the link that false awakenings make way to lucid dreams. False awakenings are essentially ultra vivid dreams in which you are convinced you have woken up in physical reality. Yet many such awakenings go unrecognized assumed to be waking reality as they involve things one does everyday on autopilot such as getting up, having breakfast, getting dressed and heading out for work. It thus reveals the remarkable capacity of the human brain to emulate reality. But in normal dreams our self-awareness is shut down. That’s why we often feel fuzzy and distant. Lucidity occurs during altered states of consciousness when you realize you are dreaming and your brain switches into waking mode inside the dream. This is a safe and natural state. It is not a literal out of body experience because you are always asleep in bed the whole time. And if you want you can wake yourself up. When lucid, our...

Words: 1773 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Lucid Dreaming Research Paper

...control everything around you is only possible by lucid dreaming which is an unusual experience in Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep where you are conscious that you are dreaming. In this way, people can control their dreams so to make them by preference. For the sleeper these dreams look real, however the dreamer knows that this is not a reality which makes this a skill that provides hours of enjoyable experience (Susan Blackmore, Lucid Dreaming: Awake in Your Sleep?) There are four sleep stages: Non-rapid eye movement (NREM) stage one, non-rapid eye movement (NREM) stage two, non-rapid eye movement (NREM) stage three and four, which are grouped together due to the many similarities, and lastly, rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. In the first stage we begin to lose self-awareness and muscle tone. In stage two our body is completely relaxed so as not to react to the upcoming dreams. Stages three and four are marked by the loss of senses and reaction to the environment. Finally...

Words: 639 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

The Pros And Cons Of Lucid Dreaming A Sin

...One of the stupidest things I ever heard was that lucid dreaming is a sin. No wonder people will go on to say or do anything to resist anything new but it really disappoints me when they use fear of god to impose their thoughts on others. I know many people have used their religion to oppose lucid dreaming and I really don’t have any intention to argue with people who are strongly religious. What I am going to discuss here are few simple and straight points that will tell you why thinking of conscious dreaming a sin is totally irrelevant. Some have also argued fulfilment of desires that are sinful according to some religious teachings like having a lucid dreaming sex is sinful but, that too is an unwarranted notion and these reasons will tell...

Words: 827 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Dreams

...mysterious, but understanding the meaning of our dreams can be downright baffling. The content of our dreams can shift suddenly, feature bizarre elements or frighten us with terrifying imagery. The fact that dreams can be so rich and compelling is what causes many to believe that there must be some meaning to our dreams. Why do we dream? Some researchers suggest that dreams serve no real purpose, while others believe that dreaming is essential to mental, emotional and physical well-being. Although there is not much agreement on why we dream there are some interesting theories around.
 
One possibility is that our minds are running us through the worst-case scenario during sleep. Disaster preparation you could say.
For example if a new mother was to dream of losing her baby she is rehearsing what it would feel like for that to actually happen. So our dreams are just fire drills? 

 Another possibility is that dreaming is actually aiding learning. Some researchers have found that performance on physical tasks is actually enhanced by dreaming about it. Whatever the reason for why we dream it has been proven through therapy that dreams can reveal certain aspects of ourselves that we were not aware were there. Dreams are also thought to help people find solutions to problems. Despite this, dream interpretation has becoming increasingly popular. While research has not demonstrated a purpose for dreams, many experts believe that dreams do have meaning....

Words: 1268 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Sweet Dreams

...Title: Sweet Dreams Topic: Dreams General Purpose: To inform Specific Purpose: By the end of my speech, my audience will have a greater understanding of dreams. Introduction I. Attention-getting device: Did you know that we spend an average of six years of our lives dreaming? (Dream Moods, Inc., 2010) II. Relevance to the audience: Even though some of us may not remember our dreams, everyone dreams! III. Ethos: I personally am one of those people who rarely remember their dreams, but the study of dreams is something that has always intrigued me. IV. Central idea: Dreams are an important topic because everyone dreams. V. Preview of main points: Today I would like to share some information with you about the history, types, and interpretations of dreams. Transition: First of all I am going to briefly define dreams and tell you a bit about their history. Body I. A dream can be defined many different ways, but according to Webster’s dictionary a dream is a series of thoughts, images or emotions occurring during sleep. (Merriam-Webster, 2011) a. The first recorded dream dates back to seventh century BC and was also the first recorded story: The Chronicle of Gilgamesh. A story about “the hero’s journey,” which was recorded on clay tablets in Assyria. b. In the era of the Old Testament God spoke to humans by way of dreams. For example, Daniel ‘s dream interpretation saved him for death in the lion’s den. c. In ancient Greece the study of dreams becomes more complex and...

Words: 898 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Dreams

...few seconds, or approximately 20–30 minutes.[3] People are more likely to remember the dream if they are awakened during the REM phase. The average person has three to five dreams per night, but some may have up to seven dreams in one night.[4] The dreams tend to last longer as the night progresses. During a full eight-hour night sleep, most dreams occur in the typical two hours of REM.[5] In modern times, dreams have been seen as a connection to the unconscious mind. They range from normal and ordinary to overly surreal and bizarre. Dreams can have varying natures, such as frightening, exciting, magical, melancholic, adventurous, or sexual. The events in dreams are generally outside the control of the dreamer, with the exception of lucid dreaming, where the dreamer is self-aware. Dreams can at times make a creative thought occur to the person or give a sense of inspiration.[6] Opinions about the meaning of dreams have varied and shifted through time and culture. The earliest recorded dreams were acquired from materials dating back approximately 5000 years, in Mesopotamia, where they were...

Words: 6296 - Pages: 26

Free Essay

English

...Specific purpose: To inform my audience about the 3 types of dreams they might have. Thesis Statement: Introduction I. I was alone in a dark alley, running for my life, panting and sweating, my heart pounding. A. Was I writing an essay? No. B. It was what I had dreamt of when I as asleep one night. II. I have always been curious about the dreams I had a night, why I would wake up crying at times, or maybe even screaming. III. Throughout the period of research, I have found out that the dreams you have can actually relate to the events you participated in during the day. IV. Therefore, I would like to share 3 types of dreams you are most likely to have during the course of your sleep. Body I. The first type of dream and most common type of dream you might have is a falling dream. A. A falling dream is where one has the feeling of falling thru the air feeling frightened. 1. A theory by Professor O’Conner from the University of Glasgow suggests that a falling dream may occur when one has lost control over something. 2. These situations could be linked to work, school home or even in a relationship. 3. As falling dreams are usually vivid, you can recall the contents of the dreams quite easily. 4. The more you can remember, the better it is to figure out what the dream means, and try to correct the problem you may be facing. B. So when and how does a falling dream occur? 1. It typically occurs during the first stage of...

Words: 730 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Efjlrgy

...the case. Undeveloped recall is to blame. Put a pad of paper next to your bed and record your dream immediately upon waking. Immediately means immediately. If you get dressed first, or even stare at the ceiling for a minute, dream recollection will be nil. Expect that you might not get more than a few lines for the first week or so, but also expect to get to multi-page recall ability within 2-3 weeks. This alone will make you look forward to going to bed. Step 2) Identify dream cues and/or do reality checks - Some people, like Mark, can use their dream log to identify common dream elements that recur from night to night. Water seems to be particularly common. These elements are then used for “reality checks”: asking yourself if you’re dreaming when you see these cues during waking hours, and then testing. Testing entails doing something like trying to fly (not recommended) or looking at your environment for clear indications of dream state. The latter is my preference, and I typically skip the dream log and default to a few simple tests at set action (every time I check the time or walk through a door, for example). Since working memory can only hold around 7 +/- 2 bits of information, and you are constantly creating your dreamscape in real-time, there are a few things that change if you look away and then look back at them: a. Text (e.g., written signs)
b. Digital clocks/watches. Fascinatingly, analog clocks appear to keep accurate dream time, which, in my case, also corresponds...

Words: 928 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Dreams

...Thomas M. Woods Theories of Counseling 11/24/14 Personal Experience Paper #3 When writing down my dreams I found this to be quite interesting. As a child I use to attend counseling to help me stop dreaming because of the nightmares I use to have. Anyhow after my counseling I never seemed to dream anymore and when I did I could never seem to remember them. Unlike my dreams before my counseling as a child (which I can remember quit vividly and still remember them to this day) dreams now seem to become mixed with memories of real life events—now I just assume any memory that I can’t mentally verify as a past dream and that I must be experiencing déjà vu. Never the less, I wrote down two dreams. The first one was a lucid dream—I know this because I had the dream after I laid back down from waking up to use the bathroom. I did try to interact with the dream but normally once I become fully aware that I’m dreaming I wake up shortly after. Another issue I had was that when I go back and read what my dream was about it is very scattered; and I have a problem understanding my writing as well as remembering the dream at after re-reading days later what I had wrote. When I try to interpret my first dream all I get from it is that about 50% of it deals with what I do on a day to day bases. I work in a call center and most of my dream dealt with me in work talking on the phone to customers. The other 50% of that dream dealt with my family. I’m not really close to my relatives and I...

Words: 505 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

How Dreams Connect to Wish Fulfillment

...How Dreams Connect to Wish Fulfillment Dreams are a very diverse subject in cinema because of the various ways they are portrayed and played out in a film. They are open to have anything happen in them, and the advancement in cinematography and postproduction makes it possible to take many different artistic directions when filming dream sequences in a film. It is also possible for a dream to have meanings and purposes, such as playing a role in fulfilling a wish that someone cannot normally achieve in reality on their own. This idea is represented well by the protagonist in Sherlock Jr., a projectionist who yearns to become a detective. Since Sherlock Jr. is a silent film, the protagonist’s feelings and emotions, as well as the emotions of all of the other characters, are heavily portrayed through their actions and facial expressions, as well as dialogue and backstory that are shown on the title cards. One of the projectionist’s desires is explained at the very start of the film, first written on the second title card and then in the first and second opening shot where he is seen reading a book titled “How To Be A Detective.” In the first shot where he is seen sitting by himself and the big empty theater can be perceived as representing how enthralled he is in his own world of wanting to be a detective. While reading the book, the protagonist shows more of his desire by taking out a magnifying glass and inspecting his own fingerprint, and by wearing a fake moustache to...

Words: 1420 - Pages: 6