I WAS having a discussion the other day when someone asked me whether dreams had anything to do with mental health. I know there is a whole science behind the examination of dreams but I never really thought of it or its relation. So, I thought I’d do some research and share as it was quite interesting.

Much is known about the important role of sleep and the good it does for our body and mind. But it’s been more difficult for researchers to explain the role of dreams.
Dreams are images, stories, ideas or even emotions that our minds create when we’re asleep. They are involuntary and occur during certain stages of sleep, mainly during the rapid-eye movement (REM) stage of sleep- a deep sleep, when brain activity is high. Dreams in other stages of sleep tend to be vague or not easily remembered. The average person has three to five dreams per night. How many do you remember?

There is a science of dream interpretation but it has many facets that are still not quite understood. It attempts to draw meaning from our dreams, the specific scientific study of dreams is called oneirology. It’s basically saying that even though our brains are active during wake and sleep, the content obviously differs. This may be because the emotional centres of the brain trigger dreams, rather than the logical regions.

There are many psychological theories of dreams, one of the most popular being the Freudian theory of dreams. Sigmund Freud believed that dreams reveal our hidden desires and deepest fears, often related to childhood experiences. That they may be repressed feelings or memories where dreams make them accessible for retrieval.

We all know the types of dreams we have; they can be exciting, frightening, supernatural or sexual and most people do not have control over this. However, there is something called lucid dreaming where the dreamer is self-aware. This happens when the person knows they are dreaming and can even control what happens within that dream.

There have been so many other theories as to why we dream. Neuroscientists believe a few things. That dreams are happenings from the day being processed and consolidated, it’s a preparation for perceived future threats or the brain’s way of developing additional cognitive abilities. Some also believe dreams are simply visual manifestations of what we think about before we fall asleep. We have all had examples of dreams which support every theory. For example, I remember as a student dreaming about being late or failing an exam the night before I had an actual exam. People dream about their partners after they are the last face they see or the last voice they hear before going to sleep.

Other researchers believe that dreams can predict the future which I’m sure we all hope it not true based on some of our dreams. While some people have suggested this, there hasn’t been enough evidence to prove this. Some other theorists believe that dreams are solely for our creative tendencies as there are no restrictions for our creative flow. This is due to many famous artists claiming that their famous works of art came to them in dreams. Other theories focus on the role of memories when it comes to dreaming. Where memory is consolidated overnightt, where we keep the things that truly matter- as the sole purpose of dreams.

Basically, I think that dreams may help us to learn more about our feelings and beliefs. They let us know what is on our mind and even things that we may want to overcome. I’m sure we have all heard or even used the famous expression “let me sleep on it”. Of course, a huge part of this is the important revitalisation that comes from a good night’s rest but I also believe this is because dreams can cause clarity.

Have you ever fallen asleep unsure about a decision you were trying to make? Then when you woke up, the answer somehow became clear? This could be from a dream that you can’t even consciously remember. I think we also dream of things that are constantly on our minds throughout the day- consciously or unconsciously. For example, one study done in Trinidad and Tobago on the dreams of recovering cocaine addicts showed that almost 90% of the individuals had drug-related dreams. This lasted up until about six months into their recovery.

Dreams can be associated with mental illness, especially when nightmares are involved. Nightmares can be caused by stress, anxiety or even a reaction to certain mental health illnesses and their medications. Depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts are often accompanied by nightmares. People with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are also haunted by nightmares. Often nightmares may also be a sign of sleeping disorders. Other mental health issues such as substance abuse can affect dreaming.

Alcohol disrupts the normal, healthy sleep cycle and leads to fragmented sleep. Consuming large amounts of alcohol and marijuana may also alter and diminish the time spent in REM sleep, which means it affects our dreaming as well as our ability to recall them. If you don’t often remember your dreams, one researcher found that taking Vitamin B 6 has been proven helpful in remembering dreams.

Thank you for reading and please send in any topics you’d like to talk about to caitlinvieira@gmail.com.

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