Dreams have long fascinated humanity, often serving as a window into our subconscious. In this exploration of dreams, particularly nightmares, we uncover their complexities and potential therapeutic benefits. The following narrative delves into the world of dreaming, guided by insights from experts in the field.
Yves shares his experiences with lucid dreaming, moments when he recognizes he’s in a dream and often tries to take flight to affirm his dream state. Yet, as he debates with himself about the feasibility of flying while awake, he sometimes rewinds the dream to revisit parts he enjoys.
By Emily Cataneo, a writer and journalist from New England whose work has been featured in Slate, NPR, the Baffler, and Atlas Obscura, among other publications. Originally published at Undark
Picture yourself in a dream where you find yourself confined in a room with five frantic tigers. No matter how hard you try, escape seems impossible. The tigers scream and thrash around, and you’re consumed by fear.
Now, envision this dream from one of the tiger’s viewpoints. You realize these creatures are panicking solely because they want to escape. Upon opening the door to freedom, they lie down peacefully. Suddenly, the dream transforms from chaotic terror to serene calm.
BOOK REVIEW — “Nightmare Obscura: A Dream Engineer’s Guide Through the Sleeping Mind,” by Michelle Carr (Henry Holt and Co., 272 pages).
If Sigmund Freud had encountered this dream, he surely would have had much to say. However, due to psychoanalysis’s waning influence over the past century, many medical professionals dismiss the significance of dreams concerning physical and mental health. Dream scientist Michelle Carr aims to change this perception. As the director of the Dream Engineering Laboratory in the Center for Advanced Research in Sleep Medicine in Montreal, she has dedicated two decades to researching why we dream, the nature of bad dreams, and how the study of dreams can enhance our well-being.
In “Nightmare Obscura: A Dream Engineer’s Guide Through the Sleeping Mind,” Carr passionately defends the importance of understanding dreams—especially for those dealing with trauma and suicidal thoughts. She challenges the previous belief that dreams are simply “random electrophysiological noise.” Instead, she proposes that our dreamscapes play a crucial role in shaping our identities.
In the first half of her book, Carr lays the groundwork for understanding the nature and purpose of dreams. During the one-third of our lives spent sleeping, our minds embark on “extraordinary” journeys, creating dream narratives by synthesizing memories, experiences, and expectations. Notably, many of us experience recurrent dreams throughout our lives.
In this section, Carr introduces several thought-provoking concepts about dreaming. She believes dreams are influenced not only by brain activity but also by our physical experiences. For example, dreams about losing teeth may relate to real-life tooth grinding. Furthermore, she suggests that daydreams and nighttime dreams are not distinct but share similar neural processes, leading her to theorize that “dreaming is an amplified form of mind wandering, both stemming from the same neurological sources.”
However, Carr’s intention extends beyond educating us on these scientific insights. She advocates for the significance of dreams regarding health and human experience. Dreams serve several vital functions. For instance, a study revealed that individuals who dreamt about navigating a virtual maze after practicing were significantly better at completing the maze than those who only practiced while awake. This suggests that dreams can enhance our real-world performance.
Certain sleep stages serve as a “system reset,” according to Carr. During this time, dreams help the brain process daily experiences, integrating them into our personal narrative, highlighting lessons learned, and mitigating the strong emotions tied to distressing experiences. Carr posits that this processing requires emotional engagement, stating, “dreaming serves a purpose similar to that of feeling in waking life.”
If dreaming helps us integrate and reset, why do some individuals continuously confront their greatest fears and pain through recurring nightmares? Researchers surmise that, for these individuals, the brain attempts to work through trauma but often struggles due to the intensity of the emotions involved. This has crucial implications for mental health, as Carr cites studies indicating that nightmares are stronger predictors of suicide risk than anxiety, depression, or insomnia.
Frustrated with the medical community’s disregard for dreams’ potential, Carr comments, “the fact that this aspect of a person’s life is rarely considered in diagnosing or treating mental health issues underscores the gap in medical practice.”
On a brighter note, researchers like Carr, recognizing the importance of dreams, are devising innovative treatments for nightmares and their underlying issues. Some of these methods can be practiced at home: Carr teaches patients, including those who dream of tigers, to confront their nightmares while awake, creatively reconstructing them until they can enter their subconscious.
Carr also explores more complex techniques, such as lucid dreaming, where patients learn to take control of their dreams. She recalls her initial study on lucid dreaming, where a participant responded to sounds while sleeping, signaling awareness of her dream state.
Other methods, like dream engineering, verge on science fiction. Dream engineers utilize stimuli like sounds, pressurized air, or specific scents to influence dreaming states. Carr likens this to elements of film production, where lighting, music, and timing shape a narrative’s meaning.
For instance, researchers might introduce a pleasant aroma while encouraging a patient to recall a happy memory, aiming to forge a connection in the dreamer’s mind. Conversely, through “targeted forgetting,” they might use unpleasant smells on sleepers to reduce cravings, as demonstrated in a study that reported reduced smoking urges afterward.
While “Nightmare Obscura” could benefit from personal stories to complement its themes, it remains a valuable read due to its enlightening insights into dreaming and the promising future of dream engineering. Carr’s propositions suggest that controlling nightmares can be an effective strategy for treating PTSD. Early research indicates potential benefits for individuals with borderline personality disorder as well, although more evidence is needed for other conditions like bipolar disorder or schizophrenia.
Carr powerfully argues for the inclusion of dream analysis in mental health discussions, emphasizing dreams as critical indicators of overall well-being. She urges the medical community to align with sleep researchers’ long-held beliefs: dreams are vital to our mental and physical health throughout life.
This book is not only a compelling read for anyone interested in the nature of dreams but also an essential guide for those suffering from nightmares, offering hope for relief through Carr’s insightful methods.
