Question: Why do we dream, and also how?

Keith Siew answered on 28 Jun 2013:

It’s a bit of a mystery… I know we’re very unlikely to be the only animals that dream as dogs and other primates have been shown to have REM (rapid eye movement) sleep which is indicative of dreaming.

There is inhibition of the motor cortex signals while we sleep so even though we’re running in our sleep our legs don’t move (unless you’re a sleep walker in which case the inhibition has stopped).

As to why we dream there are lots of different ideas out there… like processing experiences from the day’s events… organising memories… etc… though I’d say its part of the rest and repair process the brain needs…

But there is definitely something going on and not totally random because it turns out its true…. you make a better decision later if you “sleep on it”… that’s been tested and proven!