Common Dream MisconceptionsPart 1

Common misconceptions about sleep and dreams

 

Amazingly, as we approach the 21st century, there is still very little known about the inner universe of sleep and dreams. In fact, numerous common misconceptions still exist, many of which are perpetuated by so-called professionals.

A classic example occurs when individuals approach their doctor complaining of disturbed sleep - waking throughout the night. Often, probably for the sake of expediency, doctors tend to take people at their word which, on the surface, appears to be a reasonable course of action. But is it?

It may come as a surprise to some diagnosed insomniacs to discover that constant monitoring of their sleep sometimes reveal that they have slept the night away. Yet, despite evidence to the contrary of a polygraph and witnesses, they are still prepared to swear that they woke up on more than one occasion during the night.

Often, it transpires that these individuals have experienced very convincing dreams of having woken, perhaps glanced at the clock, turned over, then gone back to sleep. However, a spouse or partner who is awake, will often testify that their mate was fast asleep when they claimed to have noted the time and turned over. In other words, these people are literally dreaming of insomnia.

Some people will dream quite realistically that they have been toiling away at their job of work, and awaken feeling exhausted. Others might be convinced that the alarm clock has gone off, only to discover that, when the alarm is actuated in real life, their original belief was a misconception.

Many people experience false awakenings, which is a phenomenon closely related to 'lucid' dreaming - a perfect replica of their bedroom will appear before their (dreaming) eyes. Under these circumstances individuals will attain full consciousness, but still be in REM sleep - in other words, a remarkably convincing illusion. A polygraph, however, will prove that people who are prone to these conditions often experience uninterrupted sleep.

Being in possession of these facts raises a disturbing question. How many people in society are taking regular medication for insomnia, unnecessarily? True insomnia can be very disturbing and will be dealt with in another issue.

Even today, another misconception, put forward surprisingly by some psychologists is that lucid dreams do not exist. These so called professionals demonstrate their ignorance about sleep and dreams by linking this phenomenon with sleep paralysis, and for no better reason than that they have never experienced it for themselves. This 'If I can't see it, then it doesn't exist' attitude is narrow minded and stifling to the nth degree.

Admittedly, the concept of becoming fully conscious within a dream, with

complete self-identity restored, and the ability to control the dream, is truly amazing. Even more so when a lucid dreamer becomes unable to distinguish this material reality from the realm of the dream, and asks the question, 'Is this reality and is the material world just another dream state?'

However, there is no excuse for psychologists not keeping abreast with published research material - after all, that is part of their job! Further to the point, it is hard to believe that more than twenty years after the lucid dream was scientifically proved - beyond all doubt - to be a real phenomenon, these negative assertions of denial still exist.

At seven minutes past eight, on the morning of Saturday the 12th of April 1975, after an all-night vigil by a polygraph, at Hull University, Dr Hearne established the world's first structured communication from a lucid dreamer to the outside world. The monitoring equipment proved unequivocally that this individual was in REM sleep, yet, via a series of prearranged eye movements he was signalling Dr Hearne. In effect, he was saying, 'I know that I am being monitored by Dr Hearne in a sleep laboratory. I am also aware that I am in REM dreaming sleep. It is now time to signal Dr Hearne to let him know that although I am in the realm of dreams, I am fully aware that he is in the material world, and I can prove it.'

This staggering discovery opened up a whole new field of science to be studied, that of the inner universe. Therefore it beggars belief that, nowadays, so few professional psychologists are still unable to break free of their scepticism in order to carry out research into this most mind-boggling dream state. It is estimated that within the realm of the lucid dream, there might lie the answers to many of humanity's most poignant questions.

Another misconception is that we need to dream to maintain sanity, and this myth is still perpetuated nowadays. For instance, a recent episode of the famous 'Star Trek - The Next Generation' series showed the crew of the ill-fated Star Ship Enterprise losing their minds after having been deprived of REM sleep.

This erroneous theory was first proffered around the end of the 1950s, and was based on cruel, spurious laboratory experiments on animals. Some of these tests involved cats which were floated on planks of wood in water. Every time they nodded off, their heads would make contact with the water, thus jarring them awake and depriving them of all sleep, and not just REM sleep - as was suggested....