Ishita Roy

What Dreams Reveal About One's Well Being

What dreams reveal about one's well being

For as long as we know about humanity, people have been captivated by their dreams. Some of them are strange, some are immersive, transporting us to a virtual world filled with emotions, interactions, and sometimes inexplicable scenarios. Antonio Zadra, a sleep and dream researcher at the University of Montreal describes this very phenomenon as "a weird and wondrous experience," where our minds create a different reality while we sleep.

However, beyond this new world, our dreams actually tell a lot about us, our health, mental and emotional. Research continues to uncover how and why we dream and what these dream may mean. 

<h4>The Dreamworld of Calkins and Freud</h4>

This is no astrology, but dreams do mean a lot. There are studies that date as back as 1800s, when psychologist Mary Calkins conducted one of the earliest sleep studies. The study was conducted by waking participants throughout the night and documenting their dream patterns. The study also noted that most dreams reflected recent life experiences rather than distant memories. Calkins findings also supported the idea that dreams are also linked to waking life. 

However, in 1900, we get Sigmund Freud, who shifted the focus to dream interpretation. In his work The Interpretation of Dreams, he proposed that dreams reflect repressed desires, including hidden anxieties and childhood conflicts. He also believed that dreaming about the death of a living family member also stemmed from subconscious childhood resentment. 

In 1953, researchers developed the rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, which found that people when awakened during REM had the most vivid dreams. Studies too showed that dreaming occurs in various stages and even in those with brain injuries or on medication that suppress REM sleep. 

In the present scenario, the major area of interest is the default mode network, which is a set of brain regions which leads to mind wandering. Scientists also believe that dreaming is an intensified form of mind-wandering which helps us process daily experiences. There is one theory that suggest that dreams are in fact stimulation tool that prepares us for potential threats. However, not all dreams are of immediate danger. Zarda also argues that dreams actually help us integrate our waking experiences into a broader understanding of ourselves and the world. “When you wake up, things have been integrated … in bizarre, unrelated ways,” he explains. “And that helps you adapt to what lies ahead.”

Another theory is by a Cognitive scientist Sara Mednick from the University of California, Irvine, who describes dream as a "safe space" to process intense emotions. Her research also found that when people dream about a distressing event, they retain the memory but feel less emotionally charged about it over time. 

A study also found those who were divorced dreamt of their ex partners experienced less depressive symptoms a year later. This is what led to many suggesting that dreams may serve as "overnight therapy" to help people process their emotions and grief. 

<h4><span rel="noindex">Dreams And Mental Health</span></h4>

Apart from working as a therapy, dream also says a lot about a person's <span>mental health</span>. Studies show that individuals experiencing high levels of stress or anxiety tend to have more negative dream content, including hostile interactions and repeated failures. As well-being improves, dream patterns often shift toward more positive themes.

For those with mood disorders, such as depression or PTSD, dreams may become excessively intense. Cognitive scientist Jing Zhang, from Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, notes that people with PTSD often experience recurring nightmares, which can indicate a worse prognosis if left untreated. However, this can also serve as a signal that professional help—such as therapy or medication—is needed.

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For as long as we know about humanity, people have been captivated by their dreams. Some of them are strange, some are immersive, transporting us to a virtual world filled with emotions, interactions, and sometimes inexplicable scenarios. Antonio Zadra, a sleep and dream researcher at the University of Montreal describes this very phenomenon as "a weird and wondrous experience," where our minds create a different reality while we sleep.However, beyond this new world, our dreams actually tell a lot about us, our health, mental and emotional. Research continues to uncover how and why we dream and what these dream may mean. The Dreamworld of Calkins and FreudThis is no astrology, but dreams do mean a lot. There are studies that date as back as 1800s, when psychologist Mary Calkins conducted one of the earliest sleep studies. The study was conducted by waking participants throughout the night and documenting their dream patterns. The study also noted that most dreams reflected recent life experiences rather than distant memories. Calkins findings also supported the idea that dreams are also linked to waking life. However, in 1900, we get Sigmund Freud, who shifted the focus to dream interpretation. In his work The Interpretation of Dreams, he proposed that dreams reflect repressed desires, including hidden anxieties and childhood conflicts. He also believed that dreaming about the death of a living family member also stemmed from subconscious childhood resentment. Theories Of MindIn 1953, researchers developed the rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, which found that people when awakened during REM had the most vivid dreams. Studies too showed that dreaming occurs in various stages and even in those with brain injuries or on medication that suppress REM sleep. In the present scenario, the major area of interest is the default mode network, which is a set of brain regions which leads to mind wandering. Scientists also believe that dreaming is an intensified form of mind-wandering which helps us process daily experiences. There is one theory that suggest that dreams are in fact stimulation tool that prepares us for potential threats. However, not all dreams are of immediate danger. Zarda also argues that dreams actually help us integrate our waking experiences into a broader understanding of ourselves and the world. “When you wake up, things have been integrated … in bizarre, unrelated ways,” he explains. “And that helps you adapt to what lies ahead.”Another theory is by a Cognitive scientist Sara Mednick from the University of California, Irvine, who describes dream as a "safe space" to process intense emotions. Her research also found that when people dream about a distressing event, they retain the memory but feel less emotionally charged about it over time. A study also found those who were divorced dreamt of their ex partners experienced less depressive symptoms a year later. This is what led to many suggesting that dreams may serve as "overnight therapy" to help people process their emotions and grief. Dreams And Mental HealthApart from working as a therapy, dream also says a lot about a person's mental health. Studies show that individuals experiencing high levels of stress or anxiety tend to have more negative dream content, including hostile interactions and repeated failures. As well-being improves, dream patterns often shift toward more positive themes.For those with mood disorders, such as depression or PTSD, dreams may become excessively intense. Cognitive scientist Jing Zhang, from Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, notes that people with PTSD often experience recurring nightmares, which can indicate a worse prognosis if left untreated. However, this can also serve as a signal that professional help—such as therapy or medication—is needed.