Dream Frequency and Intensity

Freud, of course, posited that dreams were the expression of the subconscious, bringing our fears and hidden desires to the surface so that we could safely and sanely explore them. On the opposite end of the spectrum, some psychologists and neuroscientists insist that dreams mean absolutely nothing—that they are merely the random firing of neurons in the brain during R.E.M. And as is so often usual with such polar arguments, the truth probably lay somewhere in the middle.

I am not sure what dreams mean—I suspect they are tied to our fears and desires, but I also know that many of mine are utterly random, composed of people who I have not seen or thought of for years—and sometimes people I have never met! It seems somewhat of a worn-out question, anyway.

What I am interested in is the frequency of dreams. Yes, I know that we all dream several times per night, but why is it that we so often have such amnesia regarding them? Though by "we," I mean not me so much. I remember 1-2 dreams every night, and they are very vivid and rarely good dreams (though when they are, they are such frustratingly unattainable visions that I wake up feeling more shaken than I do from nightmares). It has not always been this way; I began remembering my dreams nearly every night about 3 years ago, when I broke up with my first boyfriend (which proved to be somewhat of a traumatic event). I thought it was just a phase, but it has yet to go away, though I have learned to adjust. But that's a whole 'nother story.

Tell me about your dreams. Frequency? Re-occuring characters or themes? Happy? Sad? Sexual? Also, I've noticed that I remember my dreams much more frequently when I am napping, even if the naps are several hours long. My dreams also seem to be a lot more bizarre during naps.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by Temari

I find it really frustrating trying to get over a guy and stop thinking about him, when in my dreams we're usually together. Its always been that way after I've been broken up with, though.

I'm really kind of relieved that someone else has that problem. Unfortunately, mine is now going on 3 years and the guy's getting married. I would really, REALLY like to stop thinking about him, but I dream about him at least a couple of times a week (usually more), and I often wake up feeling completely immersed in those same emotions that were present in the dream. Sometimes I'm sort of confused which life I'm living and which I'm dreaming.

Edit: Okay, off to dreamland! Wish me luck!

There's nowhere I can't reach.

How is keeping a journal supposed to help? I keep one off and on.

Is it suppose to decrease the number of dreams remembered or something? Or somehow help you be more able to take control in your dreams?

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Just the other night, I dreamed that I missed a big exam. Then I woke up and realized that I've already graduated.

How ya doing, buddy?

Oh, wow. That sleep paralysis stuff sounds positively FRIGHTENING. I've only ever had that a couple of times. I have this intense fear of being trapped, though, so *shudder*.

Care to share your lucid childhood dreams?

I remember this one where I was bouncing on a pogo stick that was actually a giant pencil, and this guy was standing looking at my sideways very menacingly. I knew he was about to come after me, so I started jumping furiously on my pogo stick. Unfortunately, it would only jump in one place.

Additional Spam:
So, I thought this was interesting. Today I dreamed that cats were taking over the world... And we were all like "OH SHIT THEY OUTNUMBER US WHY DIDN'T WE SEE IT COMING?" And we could see them walking around outside the house with guns. Then we started locking them up in various rooms so that they couldn't roam free, and we put some poisonous stuff in their food and blah blah.

Um, watch out for cats.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by Ozma

I love dreaming. Too bad I dream too much and remember too much too. Nearly everyday do I remember my dreams, which is more like several dreams being 'sticked' one after another. But usually I forget about it after the next five minutes. I only remember the most shocking or puzzling ones. The problem is, I remember about three dreams a week since I was still 6.

My dreams are rarely lucid. Usually it is very complicated, relating to what kind of feelings I'm feeling before going to bed. Most of them includes the destruction of the world, and also about death of anyone, either someone close, a complete stranger, or even myself. I often dream about fantasy places or extraordinary events which resembles Alice In Wonderland. Rest of them are usually nightmares and strange meaningless dreams.

I hate remembering to much. It makes me confused between the real world and dream, especially when what's happening resembles my dreams. But dreams give me a lot of inspirations. I write and draw a lot based on my dreams, especially about the fantasy lands.

Your dream schedule sounds much like mine, actually. I get very confused as to what's real and what's from a dream, especially since my sleeping schedule is so whacked up that my waking and sleeping hours are ever-changing.

How ya doing, buddy?

Yikes. Theme dreams are the strangest.

My latest "nightmare theme" has consisted of gators. It doesn't make any sense. I mean, I've seen them before--I live in Florida, after all, and our school mascot was "the Gators"--but I've never been afraid of them or had close encounters or anything like that.

I used to have a lot of driving off of bridge dreams. I was never afraid of bridges, either, but having those constant dreams about them made me a little paranoid. It's like the dreams almost incited a phobia.

FELIPE NO