Dreams

There are 2 sleep patterns: Non-REM and REM. Dreams have a physiological function/purpose and not a physiological one like what Freud posited.

Learned a lot after watching the NOVA episode on dreaming.

Scientists managed to turn off the paralysis mode in the brain during REM sleep and studied cats stalked prey and played with mice. So cats dream catty dreams. :P

Human subjects when awakened during REM sleep experienced negative emotional patterns (when asked to do word association activities) with regard to self-regard due to high levels of activity in the amygdala during REM sleep.

REM sleep was the period of sleep when the brain tested out limits and made free and loose connections between events and concepts. So REM sleep is often tied in with creativity.

Non-REM sleep provided the brain with memory replays of activities during the day for processing and refining memories and learning thereafter. And when studied subjects dream about activities during the day, they got better at these activities.

As we grow up, our nightmares take on more modern and tangible concerns/events. Whereas in children, nightmares concern threats that are more primal.