Are dreams related to real life ?

In summary, the conversation delves into the relationship between dreams and real life. Some participants believe that dreams are a reflection of one's inner mind thoughts and are indirectly linked to real life. Others suggest that dreams are a result of random electrical signals in the spinal cord and can be influenced by one's emotional state and brain chemistry. The discussion also brings up the idea that dreams are a way for the brain to process and evaluate memories. Overall, the consensus is that dreams are like thoughts during sleep and may hold some significance in relation to real life.
  • #1
Zargawee
Hello,
I Always wondered are dreams related to life , becuase some says that what you dream of in your sleep , is some kind of a reflection of your inner mind thoughts.
Inner mind thoughts comes from the real life , so when something has to do with it , then it's related to real life.

So ... Are Dreams related to real life ?
 
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  • #2
I've always found that when I'm stressed I dream a lot more than usual. The dreams also contain elements of what I'm stressed about. I've had it a lot over the last few years and I'm fairly sure this is the case (at least with me)
 
  • #3
I can't remember the last time I had a dream. I think I sleep to deeply to remember or care.

If my mind is holding out on me, and will only tell me when I'm asleep, I'd have to say that's kinda stupid.
 
  • #4
after studying a number of books on the subconcious, dream meanings and so on it seems that the current theory is that dreams are indirectly linked to real life, however this does not mean that if you dream of being attacked it will happen, it means that you feel your opinions or beliefs are being attacked or put down in some way. so yes dreams and real life are connected but just in a non-obvious way with indirect meanings[zz)]
 
  • #5
dreams are related to real life. For instance, if you are feeling anxious, you will likely have a dream in which you are anxious about something, like the dream where you show up naked to school.
Also, different drugs can affect your dreams. The nicotene patch ( I don't know the actual name of the drug)can cause bad dreams.
I wonder if your emotional state affects your brain chemistry, ie, seratonin levels, which affects the kinds of dreams you have.
 
  • #6
As I remember, it is found that random electrical signals are produced in the spinal cord when we sleep. These stimuli are thought by some to cause signals to the brain which are then incorporated with memory as a dream. The mind tries to make sense and a story out of these random elements. This creates the non-linear and random aspects of dreaming. e.g. "I was here and then suddenly somewhere else but it all seemed normal..." Of course, if true this may still only represent one aspect of dreams. I have solved a number of elusive problems in dreams – for school, work, and other real applications. It can’t all be random.
 
  • #7
I've noticed dreaming more when I'm under a lot of stress as well. But as to your connections between dreams and real life, there just could be one.

Usually it's been a case (and I'm sure there are others out there as well) that will have dreams that are sort of amalgams of things and ideas witness throughout that day. For instance, I was watching this Hindi romance movie (don't ask me why, I just did) and I was reading a book on set theory and listening to a lot of Pink Floyd that day. In my dream in the early morning, guess what I dreamt about? There was this really pretty Indian woman waiting for her lover at a cafe. While she was waiting she and I were talking about Russell's Paradox and Pink Floyd's "Money" was playing in the background.

Strange, but it backs my point. :smile:
 
  • #8
Originally posted by Sting
I was watching this Hindi romance movie...and I was reading a book on set theory and listening to a lot of Pink Floyd that day.

Now that's enough to create some real nightmares!
 
  • #9
I thought that, while this is in a forum that I won't be posting in, I'd answer since in fact the pursuit of understanding dreams is VERY scientific.

I have in the past done a great deal of manual work studying sleep and dreams. I think this is perhaps the topic that has the most pseudo-science obstructing how much is truly known about it sceintifically.

I could provide literally hundreds of pages of my original information, but I'll sum it up here:

When one is awake, ones brain is being used. When ones senses are bringing in no (or extremely little) stimulus, ones brain is still using many areas that are NOT related to senses. This leads to the fact that ones brain does things other than process sensory stimuli.

We could call those, thoughts.

When one is asleep, the areas of the brain which "sleep" and ones that stay "awake" vary from normal waking states. However, the brain still, with no stimulus, continues to "think".

The simplistic deduction is that these process are similiar, but being warped by using different brain parts. However ones memory (short or long term) are in use at both of these times.

This would provide evidence that memories are involved in waking thoughts and sleeping thoughts.

There is a breach between this and my conclusion, which contains mountains of neurological work.

COnslusion - I have come to accept that dreams are thoughts like those when we are awake. The changing in brain activity provides a different ability in how our memories occur.

For instance you can "almost" here your mothers voice when she's not around, if you try to recall it.

Changes which occur allow you to hear, and to see her, in your dreams. However, it's still "almost".

Furthermore, we don't just replay memories like a video. We can still evaluate them in our sleep like in our waking thoughts.

In other words, to sum this all up dreams are to sleep what thoughts are to wake.

Occam's razor results in the same answer as all the neurological workup.
 
  • #10
  • #11
Originally posted by Zargawee
Hello,
I Always wondered are dreams related to life , becuase some says that what you dream of in your sleep , is some kind of a reflection of your inner mind thoughts.
Inner mind thoughts comes from the real life , so when something has to do with it , then it's related to real life.

So ... Are Dreams related to real life ?

dreams are subconscious repurcussions of what happened in your life. haven't you ever noticed that when something very odd or memorablle happened in the day, that your dreams follow along a similar line?
 
  • #12
Like others who posted here, I usually dream when I'm stressed or anxious. My dreams tend to be about the things I'm stressed about or have been stressed about and for some reason the dreams may calm me down and help me feel better in the morning.

For example if I was stressed about giving a presentation in the next day, I may be dreaming about it the previous night -- going over my speech and imagining people's reactions. In a way it's like practicing in my sleep.

I've also learned that when I have difficult problems to solve and seem stuck with no answers or simply going in circles with trying to look for an answer, I may take a nap and discover an answer in my own dreams.

I guess the saying "sleep on it" applies here.
 
  • #13
I've realized, long time ago, dreams are really related to real life. And I made an experiment about that too. It is very easy so that you can try yourselves. I've concentrated to a specific subject just before I went to sleep (while still laying on the bed and right before fall asleep) and I had a dream about that specific subject. I repeated that several times and all were successful. Try and write me the results at bacus_a@hotmail.com
 
  • #14
Anyone ever been so tired it felt as if you blinked and it was morning? I use to do that a lot when I was younger but not anymore.
dx
 
  • #15
Never done the blinking thing.
I find my dreams motivate me to study etc. I'll have a dream where I don't know any answers in a test and that'll make me think: shi*, I need to study...!
 
  • #16
Originally posted by Dx
Anyone ever been so tired it felt as if you blinked and it was morning? I use to do that a lot when I was younger but not anymore.
dx

When I was a younger stud, I once worked 36 hours, slept 5, and worked 32. When driving home on the 10 mile stretch of freeway between my home to the hospital, I fell asleep 5 or 6 times. I would be driving along thinking everything was OK, and then for some reason I would hear this loud buzzing noise. Everytime this happend, I realized my eyes were closed and I was sleeping.
 
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  • #17
yeah

Yeah, you dream ALL the time (or so I've been learned - :P ). It's just rare that you remember what you dream. But dreams are usually caused by the emotions that life causes you to experience. You seem to remember them more when they are set around stressful occasions. Like promotions, divorces, graduation, loneliness, depression.

Some people who can interpret dreams (at least the best they can) can relate them to people's lives and explain to them what they mean. And that's usually going to be the way you truly feel about the situation it's based upon.

-CubeX
 
  • #18
Use the sleep-wake cycle

OK - Here is something that has worked for me for many years.

The human sleep-wake cycle is 90 minutes long. And you can use this fact to work for you.

If I am awake, I feel refreshed at the start time. Near the end, in the last 30 minutes, my concentration and focus will waver. It is a good time to take a break. And then after the 90 minute cycle, it all begins again.

If I am asleep, the start time marks the lightest of all sleep. It is followed within five or ten minutes by the deepest sleep of the cycle. Then the intensity weakens until I am nearly awake at the end of the cycle. At the very beginning, a soft voice can wake me. But after ten minutes, when REM sleep begins, sometimes even cymbals won't do it.

But here's what you can do. You can set your sleep-wake cycle. It really is always set somehow. But if you begin a regular schedule, it 'adapts'.

I have class at 8am (+1.5, +1.5, +1.5), an alert lunch time at 12:30, ( +1.5, +1.5, +1), getting shallow - so it's time to break at 4:30pm, (+.5), time for dinner, (+1.5, +1.5) start work again at 8pm, (+1.5, +1.5), I will fall asleep at 11pm, 12:30pm, or 2am, (+1.5, +1.5, +1.5), up at 6:30, ( +1.5) start over at 8am.

:wink:
 
  • #19


Originally posted by CubeX
Yeah, you dream ALL the time (or so I've been learned - :P ). It's just rare that you remember what you dream.
-CubeX
i agree just want to Add something...When your asleep your sense are weakend not as present so if u don't have to think about them your goign to pay attention to dreams
 
  • #20
The sleep-wake cycle knowledge is starting to pay off for my 1-yr old daughter, too. Yesterday, I noticed she napped at 1:30 (+1.5,+1.5,+1.5) and conked out on a walk in the stroller at EXACTLY 6pm. So when we gave her a bath and tried to put her down - forget it! She was all giggles until... 8pm. Then she stirred and needed some comforting at 9:30. It works![zz)]
 
  • #21
yea baby forumla laced with valium will do it
 
  • #22
Dream is really quite interesting thing in our lives.

I am interested if anyone here has ever tried to get into a dream. By that I mean, to be aware you are dreaming so you know it is not real life but it is just a dream. If you succed in that the sky is the limit and you can do anything. For example, if you are dreaming that you are skiing in a mountain. You can try tricks that you never deared befour. That is just an example...


What's you comment on that, is there any way to succed in that, or is it inpossible.
 

1. Are dreams a reflection of our subconscious thoughts?

There is evidence that suggests that dreams are closely related to our subconscious thoughts and emotions. However, the exact connection between the two is still a topic of debate among scientists.

2. Can dreams predict future events?

There is no scientific evidence to support the idea that dreams can predict future events. Dreams are often influenced by our daily experiences and thoughts, rather than being a glimpse into the future.

3. Why do we sometimes have recurring dreams?

Recurring dreams may be a result of unresolved issues or fears that we have in our waking life. Our subconscious may use these dreams as a way to process and confront these issues.

4. Can dreams have a psychological impact on our well-being?

Yes, dreams can have a psychological impact on our well-being. They can provide insight into our thoughts and emotions, and can even help us process and cope with difficult experiences in our waking life.

5. Is there a way to control our dreams?

There are techniques, such as lucid dreaming, that may allow individuals to have some control over their dreams. However, the ability to control dreams is not a common or easily attainable skill.

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