What Dreams Are Made Of: Understanding Why We Dream

Do they predict the future or simply rehash the past? By figuring out why we dream, researchers are hoping to nail down what the nightly cavalcade of images and events means. 

Ever since Sigmund Freud published his controversial theories about the meaning of dreams in 1900, we have been fascinated with the jumble of experiences we seem to live through while we slumber. Freud was convinced that dreams represent some unfulfilled desires or hoped-for wishes, while later investigators saw a more pragmatic quality to them, as reflection of waking life. None of these theories, however, have had the benefit of much in the way of solid, objective data.

At least, until now. Two new developments in research — brain imaging and big data — may offer some stronger answers. More detailed and timely snapshots of the brain at work, combined with the information researchers amassed about dreams from experiments in sleep labs, is gradually peeling away the mystery of dreams, and revealing their meaning.

From a strictly biological standpoint, scientists have learned much about the physiological process of dreaming, which occurs primarily in REM sleep. “During dreaming,” says Patrick McNamara, a neurologist at Boston University School of Medicine and the graduate school of Northcentral University in Prescott Valley, Ariz., “the limbic part of the brain—the emotional part—gets highly activated while the dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex, the executive part of the brain, is under-activated. So the kind of cognitions we experience during dreams are highly emotional, visually vivid, but often illogical, disconnected and sometimes bizarre.” That suggests that our dreams may have some role in emotional stability.

That does not necessarily mean, most dream researchers believe, that dreams are random expressions of emotion or devoid of some intellectual meaning. While some scientists maintain that dream patterns are strictly the result of how different neurons in the brain are firing, Deirdre Barrett, a psychologist and dream researcher at Harvard Medical School, believes they represent something more.  “I think it’s a fallacy that knowing brain action negates a subjective, psychological meaning any more than it does for waking thought. I think dreams are thinking in a different biochemical state.”

Defining that state, not to mention understanding the rules under which that universe operates, however, is a challenge. It may represent a complex interplay between emotional and cognitive information, says McNamara, so that dreams serve to help our brains process emotional memories and integrate them into our long-term memories. And because traumatic events are associated with higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol, they can cause nightmares. Researchers believe that excessive amounts of cortisol can impair the interaction between the hippocampus and the amygdala, the two main brain systems that integrate memory. “The memories don’t get integrated,” he says, “but just sit around. In post traumatic stress disorder, they get re-experienced over and over.”

In fact, from sleep studies in which people were exposed to images, learning tasks or other experiences immediately before they dozed off and then examined when they awakened, many scientists believe that dreams can help us rehearse for challenges or threats we anticipate—emotionally, cognitively and even physiologically. In our dreams we may try out different scenarios to deal with what’s coming up. Although much of the evidence for this is anecdotal, McNamara says, someone practicing piano or playing video games in waking life may start to do the same while dreaming. People solving a puzzle or studying a foreign language, he adds, can have breakthroughs with dreams that go beyond the perceptions that simply taking a break from the problem can produce. 

And now, Barrett says, brain imaging holds the promise of being able to help scientists “see” what until now could only be reported by subjective, possibly inaccurately recalled, dream accounts. For example, in research with rats trained to run through mazes to get rewards, investigators were able to record neuron activity in sleeping rats and determined that the rats were running the same mazes in their dreams.

In other experiments with humans, scientists monitored volunteers who slept inside an fMRI scanner while hooked up to EEG electrodes that measured brain wave activity. When the EEG indicated they were dreaming, the participants were awakened and asked what images they had seen in their dreams. The investigators were later able to match certain patterns of brain activity to certain images for each person.  “There’s a crude correspondence between the brain scan and the image. “From the scan, you can guess it’s an animal with four legs,” says Barrett. Despite the primitive state of this dream decoding, the ability to actually glean content from a dream is getting closer.

Mining big data bases of reported dreams holds another kind of promise. Until now, researchers have been working on relatively small samples of dream accounts, usually fewer than 200 per study. But new dream websites and smartphone apps like DreamBoard and Dreamscloud are encouraging thousands of people to report their dreams into larger repositories so researchers can finally answer their most urgent questions.  McNamara, for example, is excited to study dreams from different countries to see whether there are cultural differences in what people’s brains do when they aren’t awake.

The data bases also provide an opportunity to investigate the intriguing but under-studied realm of sex dreams. Until recently, says McNamara, they represented only 10% of reported dreams, likely because people are not eager to share this type of content with researchers in white lab coats. But self-reporting via the apps and websites, despite its potential biases, may provide more information on these types of dreams. “This is a wide open area crying for investigation,” he says.

McNamara is also eager to study individuals’ dreams over time to observe differences and changes in emotional tone, colors, words and other significant patterns and connect these to events in their lives. That would bring him closer to answering whether dreams are, in fact, prophetic — it might be possible, for example, that certain kinds of dreams precede getting the flu, or that other other dreams are more associated with happier events.

Such investigations could also reveal more about less welcome dreams, such as nightmares, and potentially lead to ways to control or avoid them. Barrett plans to mine the new database to study how often nightmares occur, and how they relate to an individual’s trauma or a family history of anxiety disorder. One of her first projects will involve the dream data from DreamBoard.com, which has accumulated 165,000 dreams over the last two years. Because Dreamboard has coded the dreams by the gender, colors, emotions (joy, anxiety, anger) and the number and categories of people in a dream, Barrett says she can identify basic patterns.

We already know, she says, that women dream equally about men and women while men’s dreams are two-thirds populated by men. Research so far also shows that men’s dreams may show slightly more anger and physical aggression while women’s display a bit more sadness and verbal hostility. Interpreting what these differences mean, however, will require deeper studies.

What’s been discovered so far, however, suggests that such studies could reveal an enormous amount about what role dreams play in our lives, and how important they are for biological, psychological or social reasons. With this research, McNamara believes, scientists can find out if what shrinks have been saying for years is true — that reflecting on our dreams is useful and can give us insight into ourselves. Psychologists say so, and many people think so. But this research, he says, gives us the potential to know.

The I CARE Foundation’s International Travel Child Consent Form Supported By Hague Conference Secretary General As Efforts Increase To Prevent International Child Abduction

As the I CARE Foundation increases their global initiative to prevent world-wide international parental child abduction and trafficking of children, The Hague Conference On Private International Law Secretary General, Mr. Christophe Bernasconi, who oversees The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction has voiced strong support for the utilization of the I CARE Foundation’s International Travel Child Consent Form.  Considered a landmark global parental child abduction prevention tool that may be used by both Hague Convention and non-Hague Convention signatory nations, the travel document focuses on preventing the epidemic problem of wrongful retention (abduction) of children abroad who travel during the Christmas Holiday or Summer Vacation period with a parent.

During the Christmas Holiday Season, international parental child abduction around the world surges as carefully planned abduction schemes are implemented. For the vast majority of targeted parents and children, the planned act of international kidnapping is often undetected until the child is wrongfully detained in a foreign country. Sadly, many of these schemes also focus on causing grave malice to unsuspecting targeted left-behind parents, who are often blind-sided by the actions that unfold. In order to protect against international child abduction schemes revolving around the wrongful detention of a child, the I CARE Foundation has created a groundbreaking international travel consent form steep in Hague Convention language intended to help prevent abduction or assist in the immediate return of a child if abduction occurs. Amongst a growing number of worldwide stakeholders who support use of the form is Hague Conference on Private International Law Secretary General Mr. Christophe Bernasconi, who previously stated, “I have had the possibility to look at the travel form and must say that I am impressed: this is the most comprehensive document of its kind that I have seen so far and there is little doubt in my mind that this is a most valuable and important effort to prevent child abduction.”

Secretary General Bernasconi recently issued the following statement as concern for abduction during Christmas is on the minds of all abduction prevention stakeholders: “While the winter holiday season is often one which presents many opportunities for festive family celebrations, it is also a period in which sadly more parental child abductions occur. As a result, it is more important than ever to take steps to prevent the wrongful removal of children so that abductions which are covered by the Hague Convention of 25 October 1980 on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction do not occur in the first place.

“Prevention can be achieved in several ways. For example, when one parent intends to travel with his or her child without the other parent, the other parent’s consent to the travel should first be obtained. One of the ways a parent can demonstrate that they have the approval of the other non-travelling parent is by having him or her sign a clear, comprehensive travel consent form which includes a statement that the non-travelling parent agrees to the travel but also that the child is to return to his/her place of habitual residence on or before a specific date. A model travel consent form for this purpose has recently been developed by the I CARE Foundation and is, I understand, already widely used by parents in various jurisdictions. Use of the I CARE Foundation's comprehensive Hague-centric travel form that addresses key aspects of the  Hague Child Abduction Convention pertaining to a  child's international travel are central to protecting against a child's wrongful retention abroad.  The I CARE Foundation's International Travel Child Consent form and similar comprehensive models deserve further encouragement so as to prevent child abduction and perhaps even limit instances of child trafficking in general.”

Carolina Marín Pedreño, a partner at the prestigious London-based law firm of Dawson Cornwell and a fellow of the International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers known for her global work protecting children added, "As an international family practitioner I have seen how the introduction of the I Care Foundation's Travel Consent Form has reduced the anxiety of parents when agreeing to their children travelling abroad for contact with the other parent, but most importantly has prevented wrongful removals or retentions of those children in a country where they are not habitually resident. The Form is a significant safeguard for parents involved in cross borders relationships. The support of the Secretary General of The Hague Conference brings the hope that this tool will become a common instrument to be used by Child Abduction practitioners globally, to prevent child abductions and to continue to protect children reducing the number of these dramatic cases. I urge all parents and law practitioners to utilize this important tool when children intend to travel abroad.”

Peter Thomas Senese, the Founding Director of the I CARE Foundation and creator of the International Travel Child Consent Form added, "It is deeply rewarding to know that, the 'International Travel Child Consent Form' is having a significant impact on preventing international child abductions around the world. The doctrine has been embraced and utilized by a large number of families around the world. Impressively, children who have traveled using the form have come home. The I CARE Foundation believes that as courts around the world continue to uphold the sanctity of this landmark global child abduction prevention instrument unique in it being one of the first true Hague-centric private sector global abduction prevention tools, we will see a radical decline in international parental child abductions associated with the wrongful retention of children abroad. With our eyes set on protecting the lives of children around the world, I urge all parents who have children traveling abroad – with or without them – to use the I CARE Foundation’s travel form.”

Silvia A. Sejas Pardo, Silvia A. Sejas Pardo, a highly respected Argentinean and Spanish international lawyer based in Spain added, "This travel consent is an effective tool that establishes unquestionable determination of what courts are responsible for a minor’s welfare. Often in the case of international abduction a taking parent will attempt to seek to change jurisdiction of a child’s welfare which is safeguarded by the Hague Convention. However, in cases of abduction the taking parent will attempt to use certain provisions and delicate case law related to the treaty that would enable them to remain abroad with their child. The I CARE Foundation’s travel form protects against this while also providing a cost-effective and quick extrajudicial resolution of disputes in a minor’s mobility. Unquestionably, all children who travel internationally should do so under this document.”

Mexico's Carlos Alvarado is a partner at the International Law Group and considered one of the most knowledgeable international family law attorneys in Mexico. Mr. Alvarado was responsible for codifying and translating the I CARE Foundation's travel consent form into Spanish. Mr. Alvarado added, "As a law practitioner deeply familiar with Hague Convention law and the great challenges parents and lawyers have protecting children targeted for international abduction, it is critical that new and creative abduction prevention tools are utilized to protect children. The I CARE Foundation's International Travel Child Consent Form is an important tool that can and should be used to prevent children from being wrongfully detained in a foreign country. We intend to widely implement this new tool to protect children in Mexico and whenever possible, assist parents who have had a child abducted to Mexico who have utilized this agreement. This is a tool all attorneys should use."

To learn more about the 'International Travel Child Consent Form' please visit the I CARE Foundation: http://www.stopchildabduction.org/Child_Travel_Consent_Form.html

Senate Advances LGBT Anti-Discrimination Bill

Seventeen years after failing by one vote to win passage in the Senate, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) passed in the upper chamber Monday with 61 in favor, one vote over the minimum threshold to move the bill to a full floor vote. ENDA now moves to a floor vote in the Senate, where it is expected to pass. In the House, where the climate is much less favorable toward the bill, advocates are exploring all options to advance a federal ban on workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. If ENDA fails there, supporters might even push for an Executive Order to advance the cause.

By Monday morning, ENDA had the support of the entire Democratic caucus, plus four Senate Republicans (Lisa Murkowski, Mark Kirk, Susan Collins and Orrin Hatch). Nevada Republican Senator Dean Heller’s announcement that he would support ENDA pushed the bill to the 60 votes needed to overcome procedural hurdles in the Senate. In the final tally, Ohio Senator Rob Portman became the sixth Republican to support the measure, pushing the total yeas to 61.

“We’re not going to take anything for granted, but things are looking good in the Senate this week,” said Winnie Stachelberg, executive vice president of the Center for American Progress. “If the Employment Non-Discrimination Act were to come up in the House, there’s a path to passage,” she said.

Emphasis on “path” over “passage.”

As long as John Boehner holds the Speaker’s gavel, ENDA faces a much harder road in the House. After Heller’s announcement of support Monday, Boehner spokesman Michael Steel reiterated the Speaker’s long-standing opposition to ENDA.

“The Speaker believes this legislation will increase frivolous litigation and cost American jobs, especially small-business jobs,” he told TIME.

ENDA advocates fired back. At a time when “this week alone we may see two additional states, Illinois and Hawaii, join the marriage column, it seems so relatively Fred Flintstone for John Boehner to be saying that gays are not deserving of workplace protections,” Fred Sainz, vice president at Human Rights Campaign, told TIME.

Nonetheless, in Boehner’s House, it’s unlikely ENDA will even reach the floor. The Speaker has shown himself fond of the so-called Hastert Rule, under which legislation is not allowed to come up for a vote in the full House unless such a vote has the support of “a majority of the majority.” With only five House Republicans openly in support of ENDA, it’s difficult to see how it even makes it to the floor.

Facing that reality, Sainz said, advocates are weighing other options.

“While the Speaker is definitely all powerful in terms of bringing things to the floor, there’s also a defense authorization bill where this could also go over to the House,” he said.

If ENDA fails in the House, the President, who took to the Huffington Post on Sunday to urge passage of the bill, could sign an Executive Order banning LGBT discrimination among federal contractors. Such a move could lend momentum that might push it over the threshold in another attempt down the road.