What Causes Dreams

What Causes Dreams
by Michael McGrath

What causes Dreams?

This question what causes dreams is often deliberated but seldom answered.

There are a few scientific and metaphysical theories associated with what causes dreams.

What causes dreams to be fun things sometimes and experience nightmares at other times?

There are lots of different views that attempt to answer the question what causes dreams.

For example, what causes dreams to change to nightmare states is thought to be a means of controlling inner worrisome thoughts and feelings or fears and as a means for releasing the pressures of the day.

Sigmund Freud queried what causes dreams and saw dreams, in his psychoanalytic model, as being repressed or suppressed desires that men and women normally hide from themselves due to the forbidden nature of the desires.

Freud believed that what causes dreams were kind of hidden desires that were symbolized in dreams in order that a human being could experience them in a safe way.

Other, less traditional, views of what causes dreams believe that what is being dreamed about is the opposite of what is happening in the life of the dreamer.

For example a dream about a sad event indicates that a joyous event is going to happen. This is not a popularly held view though.

There are those who see dreams as warnings about events in the future. This is a view that is gaining more popularity although it is not scientifically varified!

A lot of different historical cultures tended to believe different things about what causes dreams and tackled the question what causes dreams in different ways. For instance, Aborigines, have very different views in that they believe that the dream state is the real state and when they are awake they are experiencing an illusion.

Therefore the question what causes dreams is a difficult question to answer.

The Britannica Concise Encyclopedia's explanation of dreams and what causes dreams highlights that dreaming is "a series of images, ideas, emotions, and sensations occurring involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of sleep". Take note though that dreams can be voluntary and I will return to this point later!

A Dream occurs when someone goes into a state where the body and conscious mind are quiet but the unconscious mind is active. This state is accompanied by theta brainwaves. In this state of bodily relaxation the the subconscious part of the mind is still active and this can be physicaly observed by identifying REM - Rapid Eye Movement.

So what causes dreams?

In basic terms dreams are concepts that get expressed in sleep. These thoughts and emotions can be related and seemless or seem totally haphazard. They can show patterns and form or show chaos.

If you believe the Freudian view of what causes dreams and his answer to what causes dreams then you can work out what they mean with the help of a dream analysis book and try to find recurring dream representations that mean something to you.

If believe the metaphysical view of what causes dreams then you might see patterns in your dreams that cause you to believe you are seeing future events.

Perhaps that you believe the native Australians have successfully the question what causes dreams!

Whetever view you hold dreaming is very important to our well-being and dream deprivation, through a lack of sleep, creates symptoms that are very similar to insanity.

Whatever viewpoint you hold to and whtever answer to what causes dreams you believe is best, there is a lesser understood kind of dream that is of special importance and worth a mention - recall that earlier I said I would come back to the point that not all dreams are involuntary. I am, of course, talking about lucid dreams.

There are people who have the skill necessary to control their dreams. Once this happens it is a fairly simple task to control the dream and mould it into anything you want. This is a fantastical experience and is just like real life. You can transform anyone, experience anything and go wherever you want and much research shows that anyone can be taught to do it! The have the ability to induce Lucid Dreams.

What causes dreams? I trust I I have been able and helped answer the question why do people dream and you now have a better comprehension of the dream state.

So if you've become a lucid dreamer, a Freudian dreamer or a fortune-telling dream weaver I hope you have a pleasing sleep tonight and peaceful dreams!

I'm hopeful I have answered the question what causes dreams but if you still want more answers in relation to the question why do people dream be sure to investigate some additional dream guides.

What causes dreams Websites:

The Illustrated Guide to Dreams - What causes dreams? Dream Symbols and Their Meanings.

Query of yourself yourself what causes dreams?

About the Author

Michael is a university graduate with over 23 years expereience in personal development and hypnosis

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