A Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine neuropsychologist said dreams occur when the cortical parts of our brain (the areas responsible for higher-order functions like language) are active during sleep, while the lower portions prevent messages from getting to our body that would otherwise cause movement ...

Why do we dream what we dream?

One widely held theory about the purpose of dreams is that they help you store important memories and things you've learned, get rid of unimportant memories, and sort through complicated thoughts and feelings. Research shows that sleep helps store memories.

What is the science behind dreams?

The scientific study of dreams is called oneirology. ... Framing the dream experience varies across cultures as well as through time. Dreaming and sleep are intertwined. Dreams occur mainly in the rapid-eye movement (REM) stage of sleep—when brain activity is high and resembles that of being awake.