5 Theories That Explain Why People Dream

There is a science, oneirology, that studies dreams. This discipline combines elements of neurology, psychology, or even literature, but does not answer one of the most important questions: why do people dream.

There is no clear answer yet, but here are some of the most important hypotheses that try to provide a starting point for finding it.

#1 - Hidden desires - Sigmund Freud

One of the first scientists to start studying dreams was the father of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud. After analyzing the dreams of hundreds of patients, Freud developed a theory that is still used today: dreams represent the suppressed desires or hidden inclinations of people.

According to Freud, while dreaming, people see what they want to achieve, literally or figuratively.

For example, if someone dreams that his mother has died, this does not mean that subconsciously, that person wants to kill his mother, but, according to the psychoanalyst, there is a conflict between mother and son, and the problem has a simple solution, but the mother he doesn't know about her.

Therefore, the death of the mother in a dream is an indirect symbol of resolving this conflict.

By studying dreams, the founder of psychoanalysis helped his patients bring to light the most hidden fears and desires that these people were not even aware of that were hidden deep in their subconscious.

#2 - A side effect of the electrical activity of the brain - Alan Hobson

Freud's theory suggests rethinking a person's personal experiences in his dreams. But psychiatrist Alan Hobson, the author of another popular theory that explains the appearance of dreams, argues that they have no subconscious meaning.

Hobson believes that dreams are the accidental result of electrical impulses that take place in areas of the brain responsible for emotions, perceptions, and memories.

Hobson called his theory the "synthetic-operational model", according to which the brain simply tries to interpret random signals, which results in the generation of dynamic images, full or not of color.

The "synthetic-operational model" may also explain why some people tend to create fictional literature, which is nothing more than "moving dreams," resulting from the interpretation of signals received from the outside by the brain's limbic system.

#3 - Sending short-term memories to long-term storage - Zhang Jie

Dreams may be the result of random nerve impulses, but what if these impulses are not accidental at all? The idea was suggested by psychiatrist Zhang Jie, who called it the "Constant Activation Theory." Zhang Jie believed that the brain constantly processes many memories, whether a person is asleep or awake.

When short-term memories are transferred to the "repository" of long-term memories, dreams are created in the compartments of long-term memory.

#4 - Get rid of useless things

According to the "Reverse Learning Theory", dreams help people get rid of some of the associations and relationships that have formed in the brain throughout the day.

We could say that dreams serve as the meaning of "garbage", clearing the mind is unwanted and useless memories. Thus there is no risk of overloading with a large amount of information, which inevitably enters our brain every day.

#5 - Systematization of information processed during a day

This hypothesis is in total contradiction with the "Reverse Learning Theory". According to her, dreams are part of the process of organizing and storing information.

Several studies support the idea that people remember their information better even before they fall asleep. Those who support this theory believe that dreams help us to understand and organize the information we process during the day.

Another fact that supports this idea has been discovered by recent studies is the following: if a person falls asleep soon after something bad has happened, immediately after waking up he remembers in detail as if it had happened. just a few minutes ago.

Therefore, if there is a possibility of trauma, it is best not to allow the victim to sleep as much as possible, the absence of dreams will help him erase the unpleasant experience from memory.