Why do we dream when we sleep? Scientists are baffled, but here are some theories

Scientists and philosophers have spent centuries trying to determine exactly what purpose dreams serve. And for a long time, we’ve kind of moved between calling the science of dreams mainstream and fringe research. However, creative studies and new technology could finally give us an edge in understanding why we dream, and four theories could be at the forefront of that new understanding.

Some researchers believe that they are meant to be shared socially and that they “evolved in humans to enhance our emotional intelligence and empathy,” according to a post on The Conversation . In fact, a research paper published in 2019 shows that when dreams are shared, the empathy between the sharer and the listeners actually increases.

In that study, the researchers argue that the reasons why we dream likely stem from some ancestral survival skill that helps early humans form more significant connections with others. Of course, this isn’t the only theory out there. Another theory suggests that they prepare us for the cognitive actions that we undergo each day after waking up.

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A woman sleeping comfortably in her bed. Image source: Jacob Lund/Adobe

Some also believe that our ability to dream could be tied to our memory, as well. In fact, research seemed to show that some participants who were able to recall more of their dreams might have been worse at ignoring distracting stimuli. Additionally, those who couldn’t recall dreams seemed to be better at ignoring distractions.

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This is, of course, not wholly proven, and more research is needed to verify those findings. However, theories continue to abound about exactly what they could mean and the exact reasons why we dream when we sleep. Until scientists can figure out exactly why humans have them, we’re going to continue to have a lot of questions about dreaming.

Do they actually affect our memory? I suppose more research may shed light on that particular question. And if it doesn’t, well, we’ve spent centuries unsure why exactly humans dream. I’m sure we’ll survive a few more just fine.

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