Dreams

There’s something very strange about dreaming. It’s a phenomenon that has stuck with us for time immemorial. It isn’t just exclusive to humans, either, with the majority of animals being able to experience dreams. It’s weird: feeling like you’ve been somewhere you haven’t or met something you haven’t. I find dreams to be both a blessing and a curse, being able to experience something you may find intriguing, while simultaneously conjuring up the most outlandish ideas you wouldn’t want to think about - like nightmares.

There’s a more scientific reason as to why we dream, which is from the brain’s processing of memory, emotion, and information. In other words, dreams simulate experiences which mimic the idea of real life situations, whether it be for safety, preparation, etc. However, I personally like the idea of Sigmund Freud, who argues that dreams are a way for the unconscious mind to fulfill repressed wishes or desires that can’t be expressed in waking life. Dreams also come in different layers, similar to the stages of sleep…

Layer 1

Layer 1 is the first layer one will always encounter before drifting off. It’s considered a part of NREM (non-rapid eye movement). You typically start to drift off into a light sleep, where you slip in and out of consciousness. Not much occurs during the first stage of sleep, other than short, fragmented thoughts which paint very vague images. However, it is the stage where I feel a falling sensation, performing a habitual knee-jerk which has me slamming my foot into the end of my bed, waking me up from both pain and shock. And of course I’m unable to fall asleep for a solid 10 minutes after.

Layer 2

Layer 2 is a deeper NREM stage. Your body starts to relax, body temperature cools, and your heartbeat slows. It’s a quiet, stabilizing phase. Though it is mainly uneventful, there are still occasional twitches, a reminder to the brain that your body is still alive. It’s like your mind is setting the stage for the main act, a point where you are prepared to dream.

LaYer 3

At this point, you should have entered deep sleep alongside REM (rapid eye movement). This is when you start to dream. Your brain conjures up colours, emotions, stories, locations, and many more. It’s as if you enter an alternate reality, one that may feature regular physics - or completely alter the rules of the world. You might be able to fly, teleport, revisit memories, or face your fears. Every movement, sound, and feeling is processed and replayed by your brain, whether you can understand it or not.

Alongside dreaming, I highly recommend keeping a logbook of dreams. It’s a great way to revisit some of your wildest dreams and a way to think of some crazy ideas or stories, whether it be for yourself or a school project. Personally, I like to draw out what happens in my dreams. It’s a great way to keep the descriptive detail from a dream. Or, if I’m in a hurry, I also opt to write it on paper or digitally.

What’s interesting is that each dream contains a certain meaning. For example, falling in a dream may signify the feeling of insecurity, anxiety, or failure. Dreams are a potential way of your brain trying to warn you of something, or an outlet to release your emotions. Additionally, everyone interprets dreams differently. In the case that two people dream of the same scenario, it can feel completely unique depending on who is dreaming. Let’s say you and your friend were dreaming of a hot dog eating contest. Your friend may feel intense anxiety or pain from the sheer amount of hot dogs consumed, while you may feel a lack of satisfaction, or an intense enjoyment for being able to eat infinitely, making every dream unique to you.

There’s one more “wild card” to dreaming, which is lucid dreaming: a form of dreaming that may be very difficult to come across, or very easy to identify. It’s when the dreamer is aware that they are in a dream, allowing them to potentially alter and control the dream they are in. There are even ways to try and create lucid dreaming, like reality checks or even dream journalling itself.

So, when going to sleep, consider leaving a notebook next to your bed. Immerse yourself in the dream. You might visit a world you may never see again, revisit worlds, or find a deeper meaning within them.