What Are Dreams?

While we sleep, our mind creates images, stories, or scenarios, which are commonly termed as dreams. According to Freud, dreams are like a window to your unconscious mind and reveal- thoughts, desires, and motivations.

They can be terrifying, amusing, entertaining, or bizarre. Sometimes dreams may seem perfectly reasonable, and at other times, they may not make sense.

It is possible to dream at any time when you sleep. Although, it is during the REM (rapid eye movement) stage when you dream vividly as your brain is most active at this time.

There are different types of dreams and different factors responsible for them.

1. Standard Dream – The National Dream Foundation states that a person dreams about four to six times per night. It seems impossible as when we get up, we forget almost 95 percent of our visions.

A standard dream is influenced by what a person is thinking about before they go to sleep or by their waking life experiences. For instance, if you have trouble at work, your visions could be related to your workspace.

2. Lucid Dream – Lucid dreams mean that you are awake while dreaming. It is a stage between being awake and REM stage. The reason behind this type of dream, according to a research, is the boost of activity in certain parts of the brain. Sometimes you can influence your lucid dreams.

3. Nightmares – These are dreams which are basically scary and disturbing. It often occurs because of stress, PTSD, trauma, emotional issues, medication, among other reasons.

Some studies highlight the most common types of nightmares: death, physical violence, or loneliness.

4. Recurring dreams- Typically, these are dreams which appear more than once. It can be because of some kind of illness, substance abuse, or probably it can be a kind of forewarning.

The common theme in recurring visions is – falling, attacked or chased, confrontations, etc.

Why Do You Dream?

Generally speaking, humans have reduced control over what they dream. When you are sleeping, you slip into a subconscious state and are not conscious or awake enough to control your thought process.

However, whatever you dream about is related to your waking life and conscious thoughts and emotions. Basically, dreaming is a kind of thinking process.

It is the continuation of your ideas or notions that go on all day and even carry on while you drift off to sleep. Once you enter the REM stage, you experience dreams, and these thoughts or ideas continue in elements or metaphors instead of words in your mind.

There are no specific reasons behind seeing visions while you’re asleep. Some studies dismiss them as random misfires of the brain, while most others place profound significance upon them.

According to Lauri Quinn Loewenberg, a dream analyst and writer, “In dreams, you continue your thought process of the day- your mistakes, your plans, your achievements and hopes for tomorrow.

The thoughts of your dreams are more focused and profound because they provide metaphoric commentary upon you.”

Why Is It Essential To Interpret Your Dreams?

Dream interpretation means decoding or deciphering the various contents of your vision to figure out their significant essence. As you have already understood, dreams reflect your thoughts and feelings.

By interpreting them, you can understand yourself better. They drive your focus to the vital areas of your life upon which you need to work.

Dreams provide better insight into your inner psyche and help you understand the hidden message your subconsciousness is trying to convey to you.

They also reflect your deep fears and insecurities, which is stopping you from moving ahead in life. In short, your dreams are often full of details, advice, direction, guidance, and even lessons you need to know about yourself and your waking life.

Dreaming is a complex and in-depth process that solely focuses on an individual self. Thus, it is possible that the element, image, or theme of the dream can be common for every person, but their meaning or interpretation is different.

It is because each person has a different viewpoint, thought process, and experience. Each person’s dreams are affected by their own waking life, and this is why dreams are highly personalized in nature.

Overall, dream interpretation allows every individual a chance to understand if their dreams are revealing something significant to them.

So, ardently comprehend your vision to examine your current issues, behaviors, and aims. This will help you come up with ideas, sort things out in life, and analyze yourself in a more profound manner.

Doing this will provide you with a clearer picture of yourself and the situation to make better decisions.