Dreams are one of the most mysterious functions of the human body. Sometimes people dream complete nonsense, sometimes they dream solutions to complex problems, and at times, nightmares. Scientists still debate the exact purpose of dreaming, but there are several main theories that explain a lot.
The main hypothesis: dreams are a byproduct of information processing. During the day, you receive gigabytes of data: conversations, faces, texts, emotions. At night, the brain begins to organize this filing cabinet.
It decides what to transfer to long-term memory and what to delete. Dreams are fragments of memories that surface while the brain is “sorting files into folders.” This is precisely why people often dream about what they were thinking or experiencing during the day.
Another important function is training. Evolutionary psychologists believe that dreams, especially anxious ones, are a simulator of dangerous situations. The brain plays out scenarios of being chased, fighting, or failing an exam, so that in reality, you are prepared for stress and know how to react.
Dreams also help manage emotions. During sleep, the brain reduces the levels of neurotransmitters associated with stress. By reliving a traumatic event in a dream in a safe environment, the brain lessens its emotional impact. It’s a kind of nocturnal psychotherapy.
Interestingly, everyone dreams, even those who claim otherwise. This is explained by the fact that if a person wakes up during deep sleep, when the dreams have already ended, they instantly forget them. Usually, only dreams that occurred right before waking are remembered.
So, don’t look for prophetic signs or mysticism in your dreams. Most likely, your brain is simply deleting the spam it received during the day or rehearsing your reaction to tomorrow’s meeting.
About the Author
