What Causes Dreams and Nightmares
After spending a night dreaming I am minded to wonder what causes dreams and nightmares.
An unusual night for me, normally I sleep like a baby whose drunk too much claret, it seemed like I spent it dreaming one long interconnected dream.
Sadly, it wasn’t the one about Pamela Anderson and Carmen Elektra again 
If anyone knows anything about this I would be interested to hear, dreams that is not Pammie !
What actually brought about these dreams ?
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They ran the whole gamut as well, falling from a building, being chased, meeting people I once knew in strange situations etc etc
How can I wake up then go back to sleep only to continue with the dream ?
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This happened several times, I’d wake, look at the clock, think “sod that” and go back to sleep each time returning to the dream
How long do dreams last ?
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I think I once read they only last a very short period of time despite what we might think.
This seemed not as I awoke then returned
Can you influence nightmares etc ?
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Much can be traced in dreams to what has happened during the day or what is on your mind. If this is so then can you force the agenda yourself with your thoughts ?
Do you dream I colour or black and white ?
I’ve heard this question so many times yet I have absolutely no idea. Why do others have a definitive answer to this and I do not ?
I do find all this fascinating and wish I could remember all of the details, another point - some people recite theirs verbatim, no doubt I could interpret it and it would tell me much about myself or rather my state of mind !
Probably best not to go into my state of mind - that way madness lies !
Any insights or similar experiences, observations or opinions gratefully received !
Jordan said,
July 18, 2007 @ 1:33 pm
Hi
Dreams are a part of the sub conscious that is unsettled and is causing you anxiety in your waking life. Things that have affected you and you may not have realised it.
Jordan
PS. Your new photo is very unsettling, you look malnourished, not a good look at all!!
Rod said,
July 18, 2007 @ 2:03 pm
Jordan,
just wish I could remember it all then figure it out, as you say it all comes form somewhere.
Sorry to hear you think I’m malnourished, all charitable food hampers gratefully accepted
Best
Rod
Witches of Eastwick said,
July 18, 2007 @ 6:33 pm
Rod,
‘Twould be easy to say it’s the weather …. are you waking up in a hot sweat with the white shirt clad Mr Darcy haunting your dreams? If so the answer my friend, is definitely menopausal. We suspect it all started with the wearing of womens jeans which then led to a sort of state of mind transference, so get ready for all the other stuff that goes with femininity … we’re a complicated bunch! Perhaps your subconscious is fed up with being shallow and wants to try ‘deep’ for a change. Now would be a good time to take up painting while the mood lasts, never look a gift horse in the mouth (what ever that means
)
However we thought you didn’t look your normal chirpy self yesterday, Witches always know these things. Are you ailing? Are you drinking enough? Too many situps? Losing teeth in dreams is meant to represent feeling out of control, what about falling from buildings and being chased? We shall follow this story with interest so keep us informed.
WoE
A Retired Bookdealer said,
July 19, 2007 @ 11:52 am
Dreams - Dream & Dreaming
You have to look at the human body as a machine run by a very powerful computer i.e. the brain.
When we go to sleep at night the body shuts its self down, providing we are of course in good health and relaxed.
For instance if you are ill, in pain or have something on your mind, problems with this process may - will occur.
It is also important to remember when we are asleep the brain and the body are still working together, healing for example.
When we want to go to sleep, the brain will start to shut things down, in a natural order as it as done day after day, year after year,
as an example of this lets look at the bladder, if this was not shut down by the brain when we sleep, visiting the bathroom in the morning would not be an option. Ok so the body is all under control and we are on our way to a peaceful nights sleep, until the brain has to start shutting itself down, or shall we say switching on to standby, the brain is of course still monitoring all that is going on in the body.
Now the one thing none of us think about when we want to sleep, or try not to, but the brain does, is our problems, feelings, emotions, etc, which during the day the brain helps us to sort out and cope with, well most of the time.
Now when there is a problem, shall we say out of the normal, such as unwanted feelings, problems in a relationship, money, work, worries, etc, the brain has to work a little harder, as such when we go to bed at night these problems may go with us, on our mind.
Remember these problems however minor will cause the brain to work harder.
Now back to the sleeping process, once the brain has the body under control, it starts to shut down certain parts of itself, which during the day, control our thoughts, emotions, feelings etc, as it starts to shut down, it soon realises that the problem you are trying to sleep on is still there, but its natural process of shutting down will go on in the same order it as always done, as one part of the brain shuts down it passes this problem onto another part of the brain, until it overloads itself, its now on overload, it has put too much pressure one part of the brain, or passed the problem on to part of the brain not able to fully cope with what it is being asked to, as such the problem we are trying to sleep on may or will be escalated by the brain into a much larger problem, its lost control, this has been called by many experts in the field, a war within the brain, it wants to shut down, put you into a deep relaxing sleep, it has already put certain parts of itself on standby, it is unable to cope with the resources it has left. As it battles within itself to regain control of these subconscious thoughts and feelings, dreams may come, the minor problem we went to sleep on has been escalated into a larger problem by the brain, in a sense it is out of control, good and evil, love and hate will battle against each other, hence the graphic or disturbing images, which may be seen my some in the form of a very bad dream or a nightmare, the brain is unable to cope at this brief point, but will battle on within itself to regain control. Once awake the brain will quickly regain control, the problem you were trying to go to sleep on may still be there, but all being well, not as bad as seen in the dream.
In the case of waking and going back to sleep during a dream, this is thought to be the brain, sorting things out. Not a full-on dream, hence some are able to take control of a dream, that’s when you can invite the likes of Pammy and a million dollar yacht into the dream.
Witches of Eastwick said,
July 19, 2007 @ 3:23 pm
ARB,
We’re amazed!
Anyway … isn’t it all something to do with our tree dwelling ancestors and the fear of falling. Being chased meaning general insecurities? Apparently only the stable tribal members survived and they became more able to sleep on branches. Looking at how many unstable people we know now, there must have been some who got lucky!
Perhaps the only thing on Rod’s mind is having to look after his smallholding. The sudden impact of responsibility could be the cause of his uncharacteristic dreams. Either that or the onslaught of sale fever in his local boutiques …. let’s hope he doesn’t go for the halter-neck, they do nothing for him
WoE
Rod said,
July 19, 2007 @ 4:17 pm
ARB
a magnum opus of a comment - excellent, informative and interesting.
Many thanks
WoE
the responsibility of the smallholder is indeed greater than I imagined.
2am this morning saw me checking for slugs with a torch !
I had another weird dream last night, stranger still this blog appeared in it as after what happened I thought awesome I can blog that - but even that thought was part of the dream - if that makes any sense ?
RC
Witches of Eastwick said,
July 19, 2007 @ 7:43 pm
Rod,
Don’t know which is the more worrying, you up at 2am mollusc hunting or the dream within a dream. The fact that you’ve had more than one vision *(Colin Firth) must be telling …. keep a notepad by the bed.
WoE
* this is a subliminal interjection to test out a theory …
Rod said,
July 20, 2007 @ 8:21 am
WoE
Once again a night of dreaming. All very strange ones again !
No Darcy ones thank goodness - so your subliminal theory is out the window, pretty much like my fridge which was stolen in one of the dreams leaving me with an endless Gordian Knot of a puzzle trying to figure out why !
I woke up which cured it
Rod -
A Retired Bookdealer said,
July 20, 2007 @ 12:26 pm
Tree dwelling ancestors and the fear of falling
Woe,
I hope all is well,
I once got stuck in a tree as a child, would that have done any long term damage ?.
A Retired Bookdealer said,
July 20, 2007 @ 12:31 pm
What Causes Dreams and Nightmares
Answer - Do Not Eat Cheese Before You Go To Bed,
Old Wives Tale, or is it ?.
Femme Fatale said,
July 20, 2007 @ 6:02 pm
ARB,
I have spent many a Friday night tucking into a Kebab with Cheesy Chips and slept well into the following afternoon
Or maybe it was the Champers I had beforehand, Who knows?
FF
xx
Witches of Eastwick said,
July 20, 2007 @ 6:16 pm
ARB,
Keep a watchful eye on your offspring incase this ’stuck in tree’ gene has been passed to them. In my case being directly related to the ancient ground dwelling Neanderthals, tree climbing would have been extremely precarious! So while Rod’s ancestors were being chased up trees by a pack of hungry wolves, our lot would have adopted the glare …. doing just enough to see off predators while at the same time popping the cauldron on for a brew
proving that some things never change.
WoE
Rod said,
July 20, 2007 @ 6:33 pm
FF
Friday night tucking into a Kebab with Cheesy Chips
I didn’t get into size 10s by eating cheesy chips
WoE
So while Rod’s ancestors were being chased up trees by a pack of hungry wolves
My ancestors would have been chasing the wolves !
Being from an Irish clan that were the only undefeated warriors in Ireland (all noted for being over 6 ft tall )
I’ll stop now lest I mention being constructed from the ultimate gene pool !
Slainte
Rod
A Retired Bookdealer said,
July 24, 2007 @ 6:10 pm
Dreams and What They Mean - Part 1
A - The letter ” A ” which must be seen clearly in a dream is a warning to the dreamer to be more energetic and active.
Ace - Aces of Cards To dream of - about the aces in a pack of playing cards is always as a sign of success.
Actor An unreliable friendship or doubt in ones own mind is announced when you dream of a meeting with an actor and have a conversation with him.
To dream that you are an actor is a warning of your incompetence to handle the deal or enterprise you are pursuing.
Note - Dreams constitute the one natural phenomenon from which No human being can escape.
A Retired Bookdealer said,
July 24, 2007 @ 11:19 pm
Dreams - Part 2
Afraid To be afraid while dreaming without reason is an indication of a lack of will power and concentration.
Agony Experiencing agony is warning of some possible financial - monetary loss.
AgreementYou are assuming - taking on obligations which will be very difficult to meet, especially if you are signing an agreement - document.
When you are signing something with someone else, it is inferred that a person who is assuming some obligation toward you does not intend to keep it.
AdversaryTo have an adversary when you do not have any in your real life, i.e. awake, is a warning that jealousy is inspiring somebody-someone to wrong you.
Many are of the Opinion that Dreaming is a Form of Mental Telepathy