An 'Out of this World' Experience

Photo from http://dreamstudies.org/2011/02/24
/binaural-beats-for-lucid-dreaming-is-it-just-pseudoscience/

You’re lying on the cold floor, you open your eyes and all you see is darkness. There is a bright set of terrifying eyes staring right at you. Once you adjust, you notice; he’s coming towards you, but you can’t seem to move. You try to scream, but nothing comes out. Panicking at an extreme trying to get away from this creature. Crawling away, you fall. Fast. AAAAAAHHHHHH. Wait--you’re in your bed. Opening your eyes and realize you’re sweating. Taking a sigh of relief since what just seemed to happen was only a dream.

Dreams seem to be a topic of health that may never be fully understood. From the subjects of our dreams to why we seem not to fully remember them all are some things that most people wonder about. The first and most important question of most about dreams are: why do we have dreams? There are many theories as to what function dreams serve us, ranging from believing that "dreams serve as a means for cleansing and release" (Dreammoods) to "dreams serve positive functions like giving insights to neglected thoughts." (Bulkeley, 109). Because of the fact that dreams provide us with an outlet to explore our minds out of consciousness, it allows us to release emotions that we might not allow ourselves to express during the day. "Research has shown that people who were prevented from entering the dream state and woken up before they can dream were more easily irritated, jittery, and performed far below average." (Dreammoods) Thus, expressing our emotions during the dreaming stage of sleep actually allows for a better performance throughout the day. 

The second main question that most have about dreams is: what do they mean? Dreams, after all, are "phenomena that offer a means to explore mental structures and processes that are inaccessible to normal waking awareness. (Bulkeley, 2). Often times, the subjects of our dreams are very symbolic. Since the brain is still conscious, it tends to go back and visualize things that may be constantly in the back of the mind. All dream subjects are personalized to the dreamer, so there can be no definite meaning to all dreams. 

Even to this day, there still remains things about our human body that go unknown. While there are many theories about dreaming, the concept seems to always be changing. If there is a certain need to find the meaning behind your dream, it will lie in the thoughts and personal experiences of the dreamer, you. Maybe your dreams are trying to send you a message. Think of a deeper meaning within yourself and you will find the answer.

To learn more about dreaming, please watch this video:

Works Cited

Bulkeley, Kelly. An Introduction to the Psychology of Dreaming. Westport, CT: Praeger, 1997. Print.        
Vigo, Michael. "Analyzing Your Daydrams." Dream Moods. 2001. http://www.dreammoods.com/ dreaminformation/dreamtypes/daydreams.htm (29 Jul 2014)