Do Dreams Really Affect Memory? How Far Has Science Come in Unraveling the Mysteries of Dreams?
For a long time, we have oscillated between viewing dream research as mainstream science and considering it fringe science. However, recent studies, combined with modern technology, have finally shed light on why we dream while we sleep.
Some researchers suggest that the purpose of dreams is to communicate with those around us to enhance emotional intelligence and empathy, qualities unique to humans.
Scientists and philosophers have spent centuries exploring the purpose of dreams (Photo credit: Getty).
A study published in 2019 revealed that when we recount our dreams, the empathy between the storyteller and the listener significantly increases.
In that study, scientists argued that the reason we dream stems from certain survival skills of our ancestors, which helped early humans form critical connections with those around them. Of course, this is just one of the current theories about the causes of dreaming.
Another hypothesis posits that dreams prepare us for the cognitive actions we experience daily upon waking.
Some people believe that dreaming is an activity related to memory. In fact, research also indicates that individuals who can recall more of their dreams tend to be those who struggle to ignore distracting factors. In other words, they are more prone to being distracted by their surroundings.
Additionally, those who cannot remember their dreams tend to be better at filtering out distractions.
Of course, this observation has not been fully validated and requires further research for accuracy. Nevertheless, many theories exist regarding the precise significance of dreams and why we dream during sleep.
