What Are Dreams? Why Do We Dream? What Do Dreams Mean?

Dream Definition 

Dreams are a natural and universal phenomenon occurring in the rapid eye movement (REM) phase of sleep.While asleep, our minds go through a series of thoughts, images, and feelings.
Dreams can be vivid or vague, pleasurable or distressing, and often incorporate a mix of recognizable and unfamiliar elements.

Different forms of dreams 

People have different types of dreams including

1.Normal dreams:

These kinds of dreams occur when one is sleeping under Rapid Eye Movement (REM) conditions ,These can be shaped by what has happened to us over the course of the day, our thoughts on certain things and our emotions concerning some matters as well.

2.Lucid Dreams:

The person who is dreaming in lucid dreams know that they are dreaming with full powers to manipulate dream events.

3.Nightmare:

Nightmares are unpleasant disturbing and scary dreams that evoke fear, anxiety or stress in people’s lives when they wake up from them.

4.Recurring Dreams:

These dreams continue to happen again at later dates with similar themes or stories most times.

Theories on why we dream There exist numerous theories that aim at explaining the reasons why people dream

1.Sigmund Freud’s Psychoanalytic theory believed that dreams were a door leading to unconsciousness, however; they carried within themselves hidden desires, fears, and conflicts.

2.Activation synthesis theory (J.Allan Hobson): This theory postulates that the brain uses dreams as a mechanism for understanding its own random neural activity during sleep.

3.Information Processing Theory: Some researchers believe that dreaming helps us to process and consolidate memories, emotions and experiences of the day.

The role of dreams in processing emotions

Dreams give us an idea of our feelings and make it possible for us to cope with difficult emotions.They can be used to work through suppressed feelings or deal with fears or wishes safely without risking their actualization in real life situations

The connection between dreams and memory
Research has shown that sleeping plays a role in memory consolidation and processing therefore help improve memory and learning ability During REM sleep, the brain processes information received when one is awake this helps in improving memory as well as learning ability.

Common dream themes
Falling off buildings, flying away on broom sticks chased by demons all being common themes associated with dreaming,These can represent hidden feelings or anxieties we have about our lives. 

Factors which influence dreams
What are some factors which may affect your sleeping characteristics?

What Recurring Dreams Mean: Recurrent dreams can be a sign of unresolved issues, fears or patterns in our lives that we must address.Recurrent dreams are ways of saying that there are specific areas of our waking world that need to be paid attention to or sorted out.

The Effect of Stress on Dreams More stress is linked with dreaming more often and more extreme ones which include nightmares.Relaxation techniques, mindfulness, and self-care practices as a way to manage stress will help improve sleep quality  by attenuating the impact of stress on dreams.

Cultural Interpretations of Dreams Cultural and symbolic meaning constitute the narratives behind dreams in many societies worldwide.

Dreams may have different meanings, symbols, and contents depending on what culture one belongs to based on their beliefs, customs, and principles.

In summary, dreams are an intriguing part of human existence that keeps perplexing researchers and psychologists alike. Exploration into the meaning, function and influence of dreams can give valuable insights into workings of the mind and relationship between dreamworlds and realities.