In his article "Waking Up to Our Dreams“, author Robert Moss writes that recent sleep dream research suggests that "our dreams are not strange results of meaningless biological processes. Rather, they are produced by the part of the brain tied to motivation, goals and desires.“ (Parade Magazine, 29 Oct 07) In refuting the notion that sleep dreams are random and insignificant firings of the sleeping brain’s neurons, he accords even greater significance to sleep dreams. "Dreams may even be related to survival itself. … our dreams can warn us of challenges ahead and give us a chance to rehearse efficient responses – including getting out of the way.“
Moss presents examples of how sleep dreams serve these functions. First off, he states that dreams can present information about the health of our bodies. They "can alert us to dangers that are internal. They may tell us what is going on inside our bodies and what we need to do to stay healthy.“
Next, "studies suggest that [dreams] play a critical role in learning and memory. 'Dreams allow us to play and experiment with new conditions or find novel solutions,‘ says Richard C. Wilkerson, operations director of the International Association for the Study of Dreams. 'They allow us to explore unusual areas of life and practice new behaviors.‘ "
Moss then explains that „in dreams you may gain new insights about personal relationships or develop exciting new ideas.“ An aspect of this is that "one fertile source of creativity is the ability to make new and unexpected connections – something we do all the time when we dream. In dreams, 'connections are made more easily than in waking, more broadly and loosely,' says Dr. Ernest Hartmann, a professor of psychiatry at Trufts University. But he adds, 'the connections are not random. They are guided by the emotional concerns of the dreamer.‘"
Further, David Kahn of the Harvard Medical School is quoted: "The waking mind is thinking inside the box; the dreaming mind is thinking outside the box.“ Moss explains that: "This may by why solutions to nagging problems often come to us in dreams.“
Finally, "dreams can help us deal with emotional hurdles. Marlene Cantor at the May Institute in Massachusetts has discovered recurring themes in the dreams of middle-aged women. Canto recalls. 'Telling their dreams brought them a tremendous sense of relief, of coming out of silence and solitude.‘“
Moss concludes emphatically. "Whether we share our dreams or reflect on them privately, we’d all do well to wake up to their power. Amid the stress and clutter of everyday life, our dreams can help us discover what’s most important.“