Explain Like I'm Five

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Why do we vividly remember our dreams ~5 minutes after waking up then promptly forget every detail? (lemmy.world)

submitted 10 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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It’s weird how I’ll see a dream and really ponder over it right after waking only for it to be completely out of my memory shortly after.

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 10 months ago

I've heard it said that the brain doesn't distinguish between a real event and an imagined one. Now before you poise your digits with acerbic comebacks, allow yourself a second to think that over.

When you dream, it's a form of reality for your brain. It believes what is unfolding is actually happening, your pulse may quicken, your heart rate can increase, you can even have a kind of discharge from your male parts if it is realistic enough.

Of course all sweeping generalizations have exceptions and I'm not saying I don't see how the brain makes clear distinctions between dreams and waking states. What I'm saying is, BOTH dreaming and waking experiences are all parts of what we call "reality." The dream state is real enough to make our body react according to what is going on our heads.

Just something to think about. The above statement was read to me by a piano teacher who was endeavoring to show me how imagination can make something reality, how thinking about the mood of a piece could make me a better piano player by utiliziing internal imagery.