[Author’s Name]
[Institution’s Name]
Essay on Dreams
Although some people think that dreams are total nonsense, however studying the content of one's dreams could reveal hidden anxieties.
Dreams call our attention to concerns we may not have picked up on. Dreaming helps you consolidate the memories of the previous day.
There are many opinions on the specific functions of dreams. Some psychologists and sleep specialists say that dreams are meaningless, while others argue that they have symbolic messages. Most suggest that dreams are a combination of the short-term and long-term memory and provide a way for the mind to restore itself during sleep.
About 75 percent of dreaming occurs during REM - or "rapid eye movement" sleeps. Bursts of eye motions and muscular twitches often happen during this stage. The first episode of REM sleep begins about 90 minutes after falling asleep. About 25 percent of sleep is considered REM sleep, which the body experiences at intervals of about 90 minutes at increasing length.
Each episode contains beta waves, which are present when the brain is both awake and asleep. They are the result of heightened mental activity. Therefore, the most vivid dreams of the night take place during REM sleep. The heart usually beats faster and breathing usually becomes rapid during this stage of sleep. Voluntary muscles also are motionless.
The remaining 25 percent of dreaming occurs during the four other distinct phases of the sleep cycle, which happen prior to the culminating episode of REM sleep. The body experiences the sleep cycle about four or five times a night during sleep. The first stage is light and lasts about 10 minutes, in which the brain has alpha waves. These are created when people are relaxed with their eyes closed. In every progression of the sleep cycle, brain waves become larger and slower, and sleep is deeper......................
