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Interpretations Between Sleeping and Dreaming |
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Nevertheless, certain physical actions tend coincide with the brain activity of REM sleep. The sleeper experiences an increase in the heart rate and pulse, and "the eyes dart back and forth between closed lids, breathing becomes irregular, and there are frequent small muscle twitches" (Palca, 1989, p. 352). Most physiologists agree that the phenomenon of REM results from the movement of neurons within the brainstem. Robert McCarley and J. Allan Hobson of Harvard University have pointed out that a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine is involved in producing REM. These researchers have noted that: "The acetylcholine neurons send rapid bursts of electrical signals to the cortex, the seat of higher thought and vision. The cortex takes this information and weaves it into a coherent story . . . interpreting the signals by referring to pre-existing memories" (Begley, 1989, p. 44). These factors may also help to explain the unique nature of dreams. As such, dreams relate to everyday life because they are based in part on memories. At the same time, dreams have a bizarre quality because "the cortex receives signals from the brainstem and not the outside world" (Begley, p. 44). Although physiologists have conducted numerous studies on sleep and dreams, they have yet to reach any final conclusions regarding why people sleep and dream. Some researchers believe that sleep gives the body a chance to rest and rep |
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Psychologists also differ in their attempts to explain why people need to sleep and dream. Some researchers in the field of psychology claim that sleep and dreams serve to "facilitate learning or brain development or reinforce individual behavior patterns" (Long, 1987, p. 796). The followers of Sigmund Freud believe that dreams help maintain mental health by allowing people to "express forbidden wishes in disguised form" (Guinness, 1987, p. 59). Others feel that "dreaming is the brain's way of making sense of the day's events and discarding useless information" (Guinness, p. 59). Many psychologists agree with the perspective of Carl Jung that symbols and metaphors play an large role in the interpretation of dream images. J. Allan Hobson of Harvard University has stated that this is because the brain works on the basis of associations. According to Hobson, "high-level associations are metaphors, which pack lots of material into an economical unit" (Begley, 1989, p. 44). Jung noted that psychological symbols in dreams are often based on archetypes. These are the common symbols which all humans share, such as crosses, monsters, and mythological figures. According to Jung, these archetypes are stored in the subconscious mind and may be called forth during dreams, when the conscious mind is asleep. In this regard, it has been noted that common dream images such as flying, falling and being naked in public "seem to capture universal human aspirations or fears" (Begley, p. 42).air itself. Recent studies have shown that certain cells known as cytokines are influential in causing sleep as well as in helping the body to fight disease (Palca, 1989, p. 352). This supports the idea that sleep serves as a way for the body to recuperate from the stresses that it experiences each day. Another theory states that "by lowering the body's thermostat, sleep conserves energy" (Long, 1987, p. 796). Still other physiologists have simply claimed that "there is still precio |
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