WHAT IS DREAMING?
WHAT IS A DREAM?
 A dream is images, thoughts or emotions that pass through your
mind during sleep
 Dreams vary from ordinary to completely bizarre
WHY DO WE DREAM?
 Nobody knows why we dream, but there are many theories
 1. dreams are a connection to our subconscious
 2. dreams are random memories in your mind being put together
 3. dreams unclutter the mind, so we are prepared for the day
 4. dreams are our brains trying to interpret things that stimulate
you while you sleep
SOME STATISTICS
 Most people forget 95% of their dreams
 People who live the average American lifespan of 78 years, will be
dreaming for 4 or 5 of them
 Dreams are best remembered during REM
DREAMING AND OUR
BRAINS
Brain Parts We Use
HIPPOCAMPUS
 During REM sleep, we use the Hippocampus to replay memories to be
stored.
THALAMUS
 Blocks input from the senses so we can focus on our dreams.
HYPOTHALAMUS
 Has clusters of neurons that organizes our circadian rhythms and
manages chemicals promoting sleep and arousal.
RETINAS
 Contains special cells that let us wake up when they sense light.
PINEAL GLAND
 Produces melatonin based on our circadian rhythm and darkness.
PONS
 Blocks signals to the spinal cord during REM sleep to keep us
paralyzed and keep us from acting out our dreams.
DREAMING AND OUR
BRAINS
Why We Dream
TIME TO ORGANIZE
 Sleep gives our brain a chance to organize our thoughts in to our
long or short term memories.
 Dreams are illogical since when our brain first reads our memories
they are not necessarily in any logical order.
TIME TO ORGANIZE
Before sleep
After sleep
REPRESSED LONGINGS
 Theory by Sigmund Freud
 Freud lived during the
sexually repressed Victorian era
REPRESSED LONGINGS
 Our dreams primarily represent repressed sexual desires that we
are not allowed to act out while we are awake
 Objects in our dreams can symbolize our longings
OTHER THEORIES
 Dreaming refreshes and restarts your brain
 Random bits of memories and thoughts put together
 Way of solving problems creatively
LUCID
DREAMING
The Clarity and Control of Dreams
DEFINITION
 Lucid Dreaming is the act of consciously knowing that we are
actively taking part in a dream…
 It involves being conscious in your dream world, making
everything you see clear…
WHAT LUCID DREAMS ARE
ABOUT
 They can be about whatever you want them to be about
 You can talk to your subconscious and find out what kind of
person you are and ask about your dreams and goals
 You could speak with a dead relative, an animal, anyone or
anything…
 One of the most common things that happens involvesflying
around while looking at beautiful scenery
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN
NORMAL AND LUCID
DREAMS
 Lucid dreams are a lot less random
 Instead of resting, the Prefrontal Cortex functions at this time,
which is the reason for this kind of control
BENEFITS
 Gives you a way to get in touch with your inner self
 Could help you study physical things like dancing or gymnastics during
sleep
• This connects neurons while you are sleeping. Some theories actually say
that dreams are for storing short term memory into long term memory
 Possibly helps healing process if you are injured
 Also could stop chronic nightmares
 Finally, it is a fun, and exciting experience, letting you do whatever you
want to
SETBACKS
 Could make nightmares significantly scarier because of clarity
 Some people say that tampering with your unconscious is wrong,
but there are no proofs of this
Nightmares
HOW TO LUCID DREAM
 There are many different ways to actively start a lucid dream
•
•
•
•
•
Dream Recall
Reality Testing
Dreamsigns
MILD(Mnemonic Induction of Lucid Dreams)
Napping
DREAM RECALL
 Remembering the patterns of all of your dreams
 This will allow you to realize when you’re having a dream
REALITY TESTING
 Read characters or look at images, look away, then look back. If
they change, you realize that you are in a dream
 If not, then keep trying to dream
 Repeat until characters and images change
DREAMSIGNS
 These are things that tell you that you are dreaming
 Things that aren’t physically possible are the commonest
dreamsigns
 Flying, talking to animals, meeting deceased people
MNEMONIC INDUCTION
OF LUCID DREAMS
 This is the act of remembering dreams you have had
• The second you wake up, remember everything that happened in
your dream
• Go back to sleep while setting your mind on the words “Next time I
dream, I will know I’m dreaming”
• Whatever you want to do in your lucid dream, keep thinking about it
• Do this until you are asleep and dreaming
NAPPING
 Napping increases the probability of having a lucid dream
 If you go to sleep for an hour, wake up, then fall asleep again, you
have a higher chance of achieving lucidity
SOURCES
 http://www.theorganizingconcierge.com/i/neat-filing-cabinetsystem.jpg
 http://myiiphone.com/images/file_cabinet.jpg
 http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/life/humanbiology/dream2.htm
 http://images.elephantjournal.com/wp-
content/uploads/2011/08/sigmund_freud35082.jpg
SOURCES
 http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/46/Brain.jpg
 http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/30/
Biological_clock_human.svg/400px-Biological_clock_human.svg.png
 http://www.daviddarling.info/images/retina.jpg
 http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2010/05/sleep/slumberanimation
SOURCES
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dream
 http://sleepcare.com/what-is-dreaming/
 http://library.thinkquest.org/CR0215623/howdowedream.htm
 http://www.howstuffworks.com/
SOURCES
 mymodernlifestyle.com
 xarj.net
 darkbooks.org
 drawingcoach.com
 www.schizophreniapictures.com
 fanart-central.net
 www.hiren.info
 realdoctorstu.com
 fearishere.com
 daniellesafonte.com
 docdreamuk.com
 geekologie.com
 bulletvacation.blogspot.com