Simple and complete answers to 12 questions that we have all asked ourselves many times

Whether you remember the dreams or not, you probably dream four to six times a night, mostly during the rapid eye movement (REM) stage of sleep. During REM sleep, your brainwaves are nearly as active as they are when you’re awake. Dreams have no logic. Though they contain snippets of our daytime experiences, they’re random and nonsensical. They often have a surrealistic quality, especially when it comes to space and time. Though many types of dreams are easily forgettable, it can be difficult to shake vivid dreams, such as those in which we fall. Does dreaming have a purpose? Though there are many plausible theories as to why we dream, there’s a lot we can’t say for certain. Dreams may help us form memories, work through problems, or help us practice various scenarios. Perhaps dreams serve multiple functions.

July 12, 2022 | 8:09 pm