by Sarah Arnette

Created on: November 14, 2009

Dreams. Most people dream. Those who do not dream while sleeping often dream while awake. Even animals dream. Need proof of that, watch a dog or cat sleep and run while sleeping or wag their tales. But what is a dream? Is a dream the collection of images that one sees while sleeping or day dreaming? Or is a dream a goal that one seeks to achieve. Both of these ideas of dreams are accurate, and both are incredibly important to the human and animal individuals.

When most people hear the word dream, they think of the collection of images that one sees while sleeping. These dreams occur in the REM portion of sleeping. This is when the brain becomes very active while sleeping, the eyes flick back and forth, hence, REM or rapid eye motion titles. These images can be memories, thoughts, plans for futures, or simple fantasy. These images can be influenced by events that occur right before sleep, what one eats or by one's own thoughts before sleeping. Controlling these images while sleeping can be much more difficult.

These dreams can spur the creation of many great projects or pieces. These dreams have influenced some of the greatest pieces ever, in both the visual and the auditory fields. Imagining a world without these dreams would be a world without creativity and without life. Dreams are so important to life that even animals dream. Not just the animals without care or concern like the pampered pooch, but even the wild animals dream.

What about the waking dreams? The day dreams and the dreams for the future are also very important. The day dream gives an individual the ability to take a break from a stressful reality. Day dreaming gives the body a chance to take a break, the brain a chance to relax. The dreams of the future help to set goals and help a body stay motivated.

The day dream helps to relax the body and mind of an individual. This helps to make an individual more productive, in a sense. While most people view day dreaming as a waste of time, this process can be more productive in the end because it helps with the creative process. This then can make the individuals more creative in their methods of handing situations or issues.

Dreams and goals can be very important as well. A dog often dreams of getting that bone and work to achieve that task even before the human realizes it. A person often dreams of success and riches. These dreams help to motivate people to work hard, study hard, and take risks to achieve these dreams. Without these dreams, ambition would not exist and people would simply coast along and greatness would never be achieved.

Dreams are more important than people really give them credit. Without dreams, life was we know it would not exist. Without dreams, nothing would exist as we know it. There would be no high technology, no ambition, and no creativity. Nothing. Dreaming, keep doing it.

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