Why Do We Dream?

Dreaming is a fascinating experience rooted in our brain’s processes, but why do we dream? It comes in various emotional shades and can mimic reality in different ways. However, the purpose of dreams remains a mystery. A study, conducted by the universities of Geneva and Toronto along with the Geneva University Hospitals, explored the dreams of two hunter-gatherer communities in Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo, comparing them to those of people in Europe and North America. The results highlight the profound influence of culture on our dreams.

Understanding Why We Dream

Dreaming is a common, hallucinatory occurrence in humans. It mainly happens during the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) phase of sleep but can occur at other times as well. What’s the purpose of dreams? Do they help regulate our emotions or prepare us for real-life situations? Recent theories propose that functional dreams simulate threatening or social situations, potentially helping us adapt in the real world.

Dreams in Different Environments

To test these ideas, researchers compared the dreams of the BaYaka in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Hadza in Tanzania, two communities living in ways similar to our hunter-gatherer ancestors, with those of various groups in Europe and North America. The dreams of the indigenous groups were collected in the field, while data from Western groups came from past studies.

Why A Dream Differs

The study revealed that the dreams of the BaYaka and Hadza were dynamic. They often began with danger but ended with a resolution to cope with the threat. This was different from Western groups’ dreams, which had less of a cathartic emotional resolution. In clinical populations with issues like nightmares or social anxiety, dreams were intense but lacked an emotional resolution. This suggested a deficiency in the adaptive function of dreams in these cases.

Why A Dream Is Important

Among the indigenous groups, dreams frequently involved social support when facing threats. These dreams often depicted community members helping in challenging situations. These societies place strong emphasis on social bonds due to their more egalitarian, communal lifestyle. Their emotional tools for dealing with life’s challenges seem to be rooted in these social relationships.

How Culture Impacts Our Dreams

The study highlights the connection between the function of dreams and the societal norms and values of each group studied. However, it’s crucial to note that this study doesn’t establish direct cause-and-effect relationships between dreams and daily life. Dreams in Western individuals may also serve important emotional functions, as indicated by previous research.

In conclusion, this study shows a strong link between our socio-cultural environment and the function of our dreams. Different societies appear to process emotional content and threats in their dreams in unique ways, reflecting their distinct cultural values and norms.