Sometimes, dreams that we have while we sleep can seem like a random collection of ideas. But do they actually have an underlying meaning?
Entire books have been written about dream interpretation. Figuring out what a dream means can be more art than science. Making sense of something that at times might appear nonsensical takes some effort.
Of course, there are times when it is not that difficult. Some dreams are straightforward. If you have a dream about, say, needing to go to the bathroom, you will probably wake up to find you need to go to the bathroom.
But other dreams are less clear. Fantastical, impossible things often happen. Laws of physics are routinely violated. Time does not always flow linearly. Things that shouldn’t be frequently are. What to make of them?
A problem that arises is that no one knows why we dream in the first place. One popular theory is that dreams are the way our brain processes the events that happen to us during the day. Our short-term memories are transitioned, perhaps, into long-term ones. Or maybe we just relive the mental pathways that have recently been created. Watching a scary movie will give you nightmares, for example.
There is also a perception that eating rich, heavy foods will lead to extreme flights of nighttime fancy, particularly if we eat close to bedtime. It may or may not be true, but enough people do both things — eat big meals and subsequently have crazy dreams — that they seem connected.
So which is it? A way for our brains to make sense of the events of the day? A response to physical stimuli? Our subconscious trying to communicate ideas we aren’t ready to think about? A random assortment of ideas and thoughts?
Do dreams have meaning?
Related questions: Why do we sleep? Dreams: Color or black and white? Do you have trouble sleeping?