5 Reasons Why You Dream

Although we might have fantastical dreams of flying, or getting pleasantly lost in a land called Oz, these resplendent reveries really are not as abstract as one might think. Famed psychologist Carl Jung believed that even our most fanciful dreams are methods of compensation for events that occur in our waking lives. For example, a person who experiences unhappiness in their waking life may have fantastically blissful dreams as compensation, so their spirits won't plummet into complete despair. On the other hand, a person who is largely successful may also have dreams of failure or defeat to compensate for feelings of invincibility and power.

Jung also suggests that dreams may also reflect underdeveloped parts of our personalities. This may explain the reason why the dream behavior of some people is markedly different from the actions and conditions in their waking lives.

When dealing with stressful situations, your dreams become markedly different, and sometimes reflect your inner feelings. By displaying significant symbols and issues relating to your waking life, your dreams are trying to establish relevance as an effort to cope with your inner turmoil.

Psychiatry professor Ernest Hartmann, M.D. suggests that dreams are directed by particular emotions, like stress and worry. Varying emotions cause new material to be constantly "weaved" into the memory of the dreamer in ways that help him or her cope with stress, trauma and other types of psychological anxiety.

Research already supports the claim that sleep is fundamental to a well functioning mind and memory. However, some suggest that the key to memory consolidation lies not within a few hours of rest, but in the dreams we have instead.

Most dreams incorporate recent events and occurrences we've experienced. Perhaps you dreamt of that traffic accident you saw last week, or you might have reflected on your weekly trip to the grocery store. These kinds of dreams might actually be your brain processing and organizing the conscious and unconscious stimuli it receives throughout the day. After your daily memories have been consolidated by your dreams, your brain gets a chance to refresh itself, in a sense; dreams are the brain's way of "rebooting the system."

If you're puzzled over a particularly perplexing conundrum, the last thing you'll want to do is lose sleep over it. In fact, you just might want to get more. We already know the positive effects of sleep and dreams on memory, but dreams can also help us tackle everyday problems in life.

When approached with obstacles, we primarily pull on information we already know -- our memories -- to resolve them. This makes dreaming especially helpful because it helps organize and consolidate memories, making it easier to access when we're problem solving. Some scientists also propose that while we sleep, our brains continue to process issues of concern in our waking lives and constantly attempt to come up with answers and solutions. So if you're facing a particularly difficult quandary, go ahead and sleep on it. It might actually help.

Have you ever noticed that your dreams always involve you? Don't worry; dreams are naturally egocentric because they typically reflect one of your deep desires or concerns. In Sigmund Freud's influential book, The Interpretation of Dreams, he suggests that dreams are the direct result of repressed emotions and they might represent unconscious thoughts, wishes or desires.

In dreams, your subconscious can uncover the wishes that your conscious mind has learned to repress. Maybe that dream about you driving a racecar made of cheese wasn't so foolish after all; it could just be your subconscious desire to be the best NASCAR driver ever sponsored by Kraft.

Adapted from 500 Dreams Interpreted, © 2009 Publications International, Ltd.