The mystery of dreaming in neuroscience.

 Dreaming is a universal human experience. For ages humans have experienced and tried to explain what dreams are and how we dream. Many philosophers had different theories and thoughts when it comes to dreams. For example, Freud believed dreams were an expression of the hidden thoughts in a person's subconscious, Jung believed that they were direct expressions of a person's thoughts and would help an individual keep their psyche balanced and predict future events and Lakoff suggested that dreams were a metaphorical glimpse into the daily challenges in a person's life.

However, putting aside the thoughts of the above mentioned philosophers, science also has an explanation for dreams and dreaming is within the field of neuroscience. Dreams are defined as mental, emotional or sensory experiences that happen during sleep. Most dreams happen during REM sleep (rapid eye movement sleep). During REM sleep the brain is extremely active and the eyes move rapidly behind a person's closed eyes. 

Explaining what a dream is, is much easier than explaining why we dream. Debate amongst scientists exists on different theories explaining why we dream. Here are some of the most popular theories which explain why we dream:

1. Dreaming is a way to build memory - Many studies have shown that dreaming is associated with building memory function and strengthening it along with strengthening recall of information. 
2. Dreaming helps process emotion - Some scientists and researchers believe that periods of dreaming are the brains way of clearing up emotional blockages and an easy method for the brain to manage emotions.
3. Dreams are used to replay past moments - Scientists have also theorized that dreams are ways to recall and replay past moments tying into the theory of dreaming being a way to improve memory and recall.
4. Incidental brain function - Some scientists believe that dreaming has no purpose for the work of the brain and that it is just an incidental function of the brain during times of rest.

In short, dreaming is one of the most fascinating experiences in all of humanity. Each dream is individual for each person and it can tell an interesting or engaging story. Scientists and philosophers have been fascinated with the mysterious story behind dreaming. The above mentioned theories offer a small insight into what the scientific world thinks of dreaming and how it gives an explanation for one of the most interesting human experiences.

Sources:

1. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/dreams#:~:text=Dreams%20are%20images%2C%20thoughts%2C%20or,to%20sound%2C%20taste%2C%20and%20smell
2. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/dreams-and-dreaming
3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27313406/
4. https://www.forbes.com/sites/lindsaykohler/2024/03/06/how-dreaming-impacts-your-day-job/
5. https://news.uci.edu/2024/05/13/dreaming-is-linked-to-improved-memory-consolidation-and-emotion-regulation/