BS: Dreaming-physiology & implications

Subject: BS: Dreaming-physiology & implications
From: Bill D
Date: 09 Jun 13 - 10:27 AM

Oneirology

Many people have opinions about the relevance and meaning of dreaming. These folks are trying to pin down the actual mechanisms.

"The study of oneirology can be distinguished from dream analysis in that the aim is to quantitatively study the process of dreams instead of analyzing the meaning behind them."

This article doesn't deal directly with the implications of the research, but my personal opinion is that it casts a lot of doubt on common mystical notions of what we 'see' when we are asleep. Some of the data on the differences between dreams at different parts of the night is fascinating.

Subject: RE: BS: Dreaming-physiology & implications
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 09 Jun 13 - 11:23 AM

Fascinating indeed, Bill. Regarding dreams being related to recent or long-ago experiences, I'm wondering if one could use as a 'control' subject someone who has had a very limited set of 'experiences', for example a person from a remote tribe with no access to the media. Would their dreams be limited solely to 'scenarios' from their own life, or do dreams sometimes create scenes which have no basis at all in one's real life? I used to have a recurring nightmare as a child of one-dimensional creatures slipping under my bedroom door, flat and menacing. I was about four years old and had never considered two-dimensional things in my waking life. I have no idea where this awful nightmare sprang from. All very interesting, thank you for the link!

Subject: RE: BS: Dreaming-physiology & implications
From: Rapparee
Date: 09 Jun 13 - 09:50 PM

It's been found that not only can you control your dreaming, but you can change what you're dreaming or stop it entirely. This has been extremely useful to people with nightmares due to PTSD, etc. -- but it has to be learned.

Subject: RE: BS: Dreaming-physiology & implications
From: GUEST,Ebbie
Date: 10 Jun 13 - 03:04 AM

I wish the researchers well- it is a complex question.

I have lots of questions about dreaming. There is one I have never heard mentioned: There are frequent times when I am not aware that I have drifted off very briefly- actually just a few breaths' worth. I come back, suddenly aware that I must have dreamt a thought or conversation, because it never happened.

In the article it mentions that they/we now know that dreaming does not occur ONLY in REM sleep- that instant of sleep I mentioned should have told them that long since.

Subject: RE: BS: Dreaming-physiology & implications
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 10 Jun 13 - 06:12 AM

Yes, Ebbie, I know just what you mean. Very early in the morning I wake and make myself a nice cup of tea. Then I read a bit, sitting up in bed. But occasionally I seem to have heard the phone ringing. I check and there's no record of a call. I expect it's a very short 'dream' while I'm sitting up in bed. And like you, I sometimes hear a conversation or a voice, just mundane things such as "Nice day today!". There's no-one there, and it too must be a brief 'dream'. It could be that our house is haunted, but if so, the ghost is supremely boring and unimaginative. Either that or I'm slowly going bonkers!