Lost in a Dream: Why it Feels so Real

Have you ever woken up from a dream confused and needed to pause and recall where you are and where you’ve been? Some dreams make you feel like that. They are surprisingly lifelike and make you wonder what really happened the night before. You might’ve thought that you participated in a local bank robbery, but really, all that happened was that you snored. Everyone has dreams. We have them every night. You might not remember, since everyone has three to six dreams every time we sleep, making most forgotten when you wake up. People have all sorts of strange dreams, like flying, falling, or talking to people whom you don’t even know. So the question is: why do they feel so real?

The reason dreams feel so real is that our brains work overtime while we take our break. When we sleep, we have different sleep stages. Our sleep cycle has four stages, and we start having really vivid, lifelike dreams in the fourth stage, which is called Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep. During this stage, the brain is highly active, triggering the same neural networks for emotions, senses, and memory. The brain first processes emotions, creating a “simulated” experience that mimics waking life. The amygdala (a part of the brain that detects and processes intense emotions) is highly active, which is why emotions in dreams feel seemingly stronger than in real life. The prefrontal cortex (another part of the brain that helps you think about consequences before you act, set goals, and prioritize tasks) is taking a nap as well, reducing critical thinking and disbelief, while the visual cortex (which identifies shapes) creates vivid, movie-like imagery. The hippocampus (which consolidates memories into the long-term memory system) also integrates memories, making dreams feel personal. Together, these systems create fully immersive experiences until the dreamer wakes up.

Though some lifelike dreams are weird, creepy, or scary, they help our brains process emotions, remember important events, and even solve problems. So remember, the weird dream you had last night about licking your toes while your dad tap dances to “Singin’ in the Rain” isn’t real. It’s just your brain creating immersive experiences while you sleep, and entertaining you while you’re resting.