Why do we remember only a fraction of our dreams?

Abstract

The cognitive and psychological landscape of dreaming has always been an area which significantly attracts human attention. Given this interest, mankind, has always strived to devise various ingenious ways and methods of remembering and recalling dreams. This paper makes an attempt at emphasizing the significance of dreams and why individuals remember only a fraction of their dreams. The paper will also discuss at length the history of dreams. Various methods of successfully retaining dreams are also an essential component of this research paper.

Table of Contents

Abstract2

Introduction4

Discussion5

Overview of Dreaming5

Historical Accounts of Dreams5

Problems Associated With Investigating Dreams6

The Dilemma of Recalling Dreams7

Conclusion8

Why do we remember only a fraction of our dreams?

Introduction

The continuous revolution in the scientific and research paradigm, encompassing over the latter half of the 20th century has resulted in significant developments in the field of dreaming.

The foundations of dream research were laid in the 1950s, and since then mankind has experienced the dawn of an era of unlimited knowledge; revealing significant answers to intriguing solutions such as what actually happens to the human brain during sleep, why do humans experience dreams, and how does the sleeping mind conceives information which is collected during the hours when an individual is conscious or mentally aware of his or her surroundings.

Various renowned researchers and authors have written prolifically on the dimensions of dreaming. One of the award-winning authors, Andrea Rock has addressed various inquiries pertaining to the field of dreaming and has taken the exploration related to the scientific knowledge of dreaming to a completely new level in her investigations. Some of the pertinent questions addressed by Rock, resort to answering questions such as why humans experience intense emotions during or after dreams, can humans possibly control the process of dreaming while being unconscious, are there any universally acclaimed interpretations of dreams and can the process of dreaming be regarded as filtering daily cognitive debris and the contribution of dreams towards the formation of long-term memory blocks.

This research paper will also attempt to answer the most essential question of the 21st century - Why do individuals only remember a fraction of the dreams.

Discussion

Overview of Dreaming

According to G. William Domhoff, dreaming is referred to as a mental process of involuntarily conceiving images, sensations, emotions, and ideas during certain specific stages of sleep. Despite the monumental achievements in scientific and technological landscape, the world of dreams is principally left uninfluenced by human reach. The process of dreaming is primarily an autonomous state and has largely remained an area of interest for individuals belonging to scientific, philosophical and religious fields (The Quantitative Study of Dreams, 2012).

It is imperative to note that the process of dreaming is particularly associated with a certain stage of sleep - Rapid Eye Movement (REM). The REM stage of sleep is characterized by high brain activity, often denoted by heightened movement of eyes during the sleep.

Dream researchers agree on the variable duration of dreams - stretching from a miniature period of seconds to multiple ...