This article contains spoilers for the first season of the Netflix series “The Sandman.”
Heres what we know so far about why we dream.
Why Do We Dream?
Verywell / Courtesy of Netflix
It takes approximately 90 to 100 minutes to cycle through all four stages.
So ifdreamshelp us consolidate our memories and regulate our emotions, why are they often so weird?
However, theres little evidence to suggest that our dreams are an oasis from our waking life.
As Breus explains, throughout the day, lots of information comes in through our five senses.
So sometimes things get a little messed up, says Breus.
That can lead to some pretty odd dreams.
Of the characters whose dreams are shown in “The Sandman,” many appear to have recurring dreams.
Thats because the most common reason for recurring dreams isstress.
People have assigned meaning to their own and other peoples dreams throughout history.
One of Sigmund Freuds most famous books is even called “The Interpretation of Dreams.”
Yet, there is no firm scientific evidence fordream interpretation.
As a result, Your dreams mean something only to you.
Hollywood vs.
Reality
When you wake up from a dream, you stop the emotional processing that was happening during it.
This is why dreams and especially nightmares tend to stay with us when we awaken while theyre in progress.
Dream therapists work with people to continue their dreams, using the dream as a therapeutic intervention.
Unfortunately, many people today suffer fromsleep deprivation.
Some examples include:
Clearly sleep is vital to healthy physical, mental, and psychological functioning.
However, just how much sleep a person needs is specific to the individual.
Sometimes that can be as simple as turning off our electronics and going to bed earlier.
Even certain SSRIs, the drugs that are typically prescribed for depression, can disrupt sleep.
Some people also suffer from sleep disorders likeinsomniaandsleep apnea.
And thats really where youll get an increase in whats called dream mentation [or mental activity].
No matter how you improve your sleep, however, it’s clearly worthwhile.
Better sleep ensures better dreams as well as better physical and mental health.
