TED BURSA COLLEGE / 9-A
Dreams
Gülsün PAMUK
Have you ever woken up from a dream that was so vivid and lifelike that it actually seemed like you were really living the dream ? Even though it ’ s still unknown how we dream or what causes it , the basic definition is that dreams are subconscious images our brain collects while we ’ re asleep . We may not remember all of them , but we dream 6-7 times per night . Even though we don ’ t remember 95 % of our dreams , they can be traumatizing for some people .
What causes dreams ? Dreams usually happen during REM ( rapid eye moment ) sleep , the deepest stage of sleep . At this stage , even though you ’ re asleep , your brain is still active , but your thoughts make little or no sense . Dreams can represent people ’ s unspoken desires . However , they can also be influenced by our life when we are awake as our brain processes our emotions , memories and information absorbed during these hours .
Researchers are still not sure what the purpose of dreaming is , but there are some beliefs . Pleasant dreams after a stressful day can be comforting and relaxing , they can help remembering long term memories better , and for an artist , dreams can be their muse .
The occasional nightmare is considered a dream that is more terrifying than a normal dream . Nightmares tend to cause stress and anxiety . Nightmares don ’ t happen frequently and if they do , you might have a sleeping disorder . Regularly occurring night terrors can cause sleeping disorders . If the nightmares cause you stress while going to bed , lack of sleep can bring anxiety .
Researchers have studied dreams for a long time . In ancient times , dreams were connected with religion and dream reading was considered a science by philosophers and physicians . Nowadays , beliefs vary if dream telling is true , but we know that dreams are our unspoken wishes .