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A.Kyan's picture

Dreams and Behavior

At the end of Thursday’s class, we left off on the idea of patterns in neuron activity during dream states.  I don’t know much about the neurobiological workings of the brain when asleep, but I do know the quality of my dreams have a huge impact on how my day goes.  When I have distraught dreams of confusing sequences and stressful scenarios, I awake feeling mentally exhausted.  Such dreams occur when I’m feeling overwhelmed or worried.  Luckily, I more often have really fun, vivid dreams that always seem very real.  The other night my boyfriend, Tommy, awoke me in the middle of the night because I was muttering and trying to wrestle something.  I was disappointed that he awoke me because I had just scooped up my mother in one hand to safety and was wrestling a rifle out of something evil with my other hand.  I wanted to finish the job!  Tommy says to me, “You’re a freakin’ superhero in your dreams!”  And, my response was, “Well, aren’t you, too?”  I love to sleep.  In my dreams I can easily have no limitations like flying through the air, visiting magical lands and experiencing new things never imagined before.  When I awake from such dreams I feel invigorated, relaxed, and ready to start the day.  I wonder how brain activity during dream states affects our overall behavior.

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