Return to Sleep
Thoughts
May 10th,
2010
About Dreaming
We all do it. Well, that is
about 98% of us. Yet science and the medical community at large does not
yet know all there is to know about dreaming. We do know where in our
brains the dreaming occurs. It occurs in the Secondary Visual Cortex.
Our Primary Visual Cortex processes what we see in our
waking hours however it is in the Secondary Visual Cortex that we
humans imagine, visualize and dream. The content and purpose of dreaming
is not understood though it has been a topic of speculation throughout history.
What is dreaming? If we go to Wikipedia and research
Oneirology (the study of the process of dreams instead of analyzing
the meaning behind them) we find that dreams contain a few base
components such as:
-
Thinking that occurs under minimal brain direction, external stimuli
are blocked, and the part of the brain that recognizes self shuts
down
-
An
experience that we believed we experience through our senses
-
An
experience of something memorable during sleep
As esoteric
and vague as the above reads it get even more clinical. In summary a
dream, as defined by Oneirologists, is a report of a memory of a
cognitive experience that happens under conditions that are most
frequently produced in a brain function called sleep during the
suspension of consciousness.
Oneirologists are also masters of the obvious.
Now, I am
no Oneiroligist but I do know a little about dreaming. Have you ever
seen a television program or read a newspaper article near the end of
your day and had a dream about the subject matter? There is a direct
correlation between our last conscious thoughts and the content of our
dreams. Our conscious memories, therefore, must take up a huge chunk of
our brain space. We continue to process our conscious memories into
sleep. It makes good common sense to make your last waking thoughts
about something pleasant or relaxing as opposed to filling up your
brain's last awakened cells with a tragic news story or other
disturbing images. If you find yourself going through a period of
nightmares or simply no dreams at all try to make yourself view a
pleasant image or visualize a relaxing scenario. You might be
surprised how well it works to get those R.E.M. dreams flowing
positively.
An
interesting article about dreaming
Dream good dreams!
Brad McBride
Comments?
email me
