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Why do we dream?

EPISODE · Dec 2, 2025 · 22 MIN

Why do we dream?

from What's That Rash? · host Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Whether or not we remember our dreams, we all have them. But the answer to why we dream is complicated.There's a lot going on in our brains during sleep, especially during the rapid eye movement (REM) phase when most dreams go down.Norman and Tegan talk through the purpose of dreams, how time warps as we snooze and whether there are any downsides to these nightly hallucinations.References:Dreams: Why They Happen & What They Mean – Sleep Foundation Time for actions in lucid dreams: effects of task modality, length, and complexity High Dream Recall Frequency is Associated with Increased Creativity and Default Mode Network ConnectivityfMRI Evidence for Default Mode Network Deactivation Associated with Rapid Eye Movements in Sleep The relationships between insomnia, nightmares, and dreams: A systematic reviewNightmares affect the experience of sleep quality but not sleep architecture: an ambulatory polysomnographic study Gender differences in dreaming: Are they stable over time?Isotretinoin use and reports of sustained dreaming | British Journal of Dermatology | Oxford AcademicDreaming under antidepressants: A systematic review on evidence in depressive patients and healthy volunteersNightmare and Abnormal Dreams: Rare Side Effects of Metformin?If you enjoyed this episode, check these out!What's the deal with night terrors?How risky is sharing a toothbrush?Should you go organic if you're worried about pesticides?

What this episode covers

Whether or not we remember our dreams, we all have them. But the answer to why we dream is complicated. There's a lot going on in our brains during sleep, especially during the rapid eye movement (REM) phase when most dreams go down. Norman and Tegan talk through the purpose of dreams, how time warps as we snooze and whether there are any downsides to these nightly hallucinations. References: Dreams: Why They Happen & What They Mean – Sleep Foundation Time for actions in lucid dreams: effects of task modality, length, and complexity High Dream Recall Frequency is Associated with Increased Creativity and Default Mode Network Connectivity fMRI Evidence for Default Mode Network Deactivation Associated with Rapid Eye Movements in Sleep The relationships between insomnia, nightmares, and dreams: A systematic review Nightmares affect the experience of sleep quality but not sleep architecture: an ambulatory polysomnographic study Gender differences in dreaming: Are they stable over time? Isotretinoin use and reports of sustained dreaming | British Journal of Dermatology | Oxford Academic Dreaming under antidepressants: A systematic review on evidence in depressive patients and healthy volunteers Nightmare and Abnormal Dreams: Rare Side Effects of Metformin? If you enjoyed this episode, check these out! What's the deal with night terrors? How risky is sharing a toothbrush? Should you go organic if you're worried about pesticides?

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This episode is 22 minutes long.

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This episode was published on December 2, 2025.

What is this episode about?

Whether or not we remember our dreams, we all have them. But the answer to why we dream is complicated.There's a lot going on in our brains during sleep, especially during the rapid eye movement (REM) phase when most dreams go down.Norman and Tegan...

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