Dreams

Why is it that our dreams aren't logical? People don't know when they are dreaming, they think that what is happening is REALLY happening, even if they know that it is impossible. Is this nature's way of giving us entertainment while our body is recharging? In this day and age we seem to need entertainment during all of our waking hours. Just look at how many TVs and mp3 players are sold every day.

Well, I don't know if G-d, Mother Nature, Allah, or whatever deity you choose programmed us to have entertainment in our sleep. However, I do know that the prefrontal cortex needs a break. This is the part of your brain that makes decisions. Ever noticed that you can't control your dreams? That's because your prefrontal cortex isn't active. There is an exception to this. Some of you may have heard of lucid dreaming. Lucid dreaming is the ability to realize that you are dreaming, and be able to control it. While this may make for a more enjoyable experience, your prefrontal cortex isn't getting a break. I have had lucid dreams, and you don't wake up as refreshed as after a normal dream.

Enjoy your dreams the way they are, and remember them if you can. They are the only way to see into your subconscious mind. While movies and tv shows have portrayed psychologists as dream analysts time and time again, the only person who can truly analyze your dreams is you. Try writing down what happens immediately after you wake up. Write things down the way they happened, even if it doesn't make logical sense. Remember, your prefrontal cortex wasn't regulating the dream. Next, look at what happened. The dream should reveal something about your emotions or other subconscious thoughts. You'll know you've gotten it right when it makes perfect sense, yet it's something you may not want to admit. Things get buried in there for a reason, you know.