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Common Dream Meanings

Interested in your dream & sleep talking?

Sometimes sleep talking occurs during dreaming. Use ShutEye sleep tracker app to see funny things you say during the sleep, and if you snore or fart!

Interested in your dream & sleep talking?

Sometimes sleep talking occurs during dreaming. Use ShutEye sleep tracker app to see funny things you say during the sleep, and if you snore or fart!

What exactly are dreams?

Dreams are thoughts, images, sensations and sometimes sounds that occur during sleep.

Why do we dream?

Dreaming occurs during the REM (Rapid Eye Movement) cycle of sleep. During REM sleep, your eyes move quickly in different directions. Usually, REM sleep happens 90 minutes after you fall asleep. You tend to have intense dreams during this time as your brain is more active.

There are many theories of the function of dreams, Kuras says. “They appear to assist in memory formation, integration, problem solving and consolidation of ideas both about ourselves and the world,” adding that neuroscientists have discovered that dreams help with information processing and mood regulation, too.

What is the true meaning of a dream?

There’s no definitive evidence about what dreams consist of, but it’s generally accepted that dreams represent a collection of thoughts, struggles, emotions, events, people, places and symbols that are relevant to the dreamer in some way.

The most vivid dreams typically occur during REM sleep, although you can dream during other stages of sleep, too.

What happens while we dream?

Dreams are essentially stories we play out in our heads overnight; they can follow a linear narrative or be abstract. Scientists estimate that we have roughly 3-6 dreams in one night and around 95% of these dreams are forgotten the following morning.

What are the benefits of dreaming?

Dreams help us store memories and the things we’ve learned. Dreams aren’t just reflecting what we need to know and remember, they’re actively cataloging it.
Dreams help process our emotions. REM sleep plays a role in trauma recovery and mood regulation, owing to its hand in processing difficult experiences.
Even nightmares have benefits. These experiences are the brain’s way of preparing us for when bad things happen.
Dreams offer another way of looking at things. Our dreams offer a portal into our deepest, most unfettered creativity, as well as to new approaches to problem-solving.

Why do I forget my dream?

Part of this is biological, Kuras says, as neurotransmitters forming memory are less active during sleep, and dream forgetfulness also appears to be related to the level of electrical activity in the brain during dreams.

Dr. Meir Kryger, a sleep medicine doctor at Yale Medicine, tells CNET that most people remember their dreams when they’re awakened in the middle of a dream or in the first few moments after a dream has ended. But the catch is that the memory only lasts for a short time — unless you write it down or repeat it in your head over and over, there’s a good chance you’ll forget the dream. It’s actually likely that it’s more common to forget dreams than it is to remember them, Dr. Kryger says.

When you wake up also matters. Research has shown that people who wake up during REM sleep report more vivid, detailed dreams, whereas people who wake up during non-REM sleep report fewer dreams, no dreams or dreams of little significance.

Dream Interpretation Dictionary

What Does It Mean When You Dream about Someone Died

Have you ever had a dream about someone died? There’s virtually nothing more unnerving than having a dream about death. Continue reading to learn more about death dreams and their possible meaning.