Dreams

Have you ever dreamt that you are walking along the side of a road, or along a cliff, and suddenly you trip? And before you know it you are falling for what seems like forever, but you suddenly wake up before ever hitting the ground? Well, this is considered to be a “Falling Dream”. Ironically, falling dreams usually occur when you are drifting off to sleep. However, they interpret a different meaning. “Falling” can mean that you feel you are losing your grip, or you are self-conscious, or simply have fears that need to be faced. Patricia Garfield, the author of the book Creative Dreaming, states, “There’s some problem that is making you feel helpless – like you have no support.” So next time you wake up startled from a “falling dream”, ask yourself, “What upcoming events do I fear I will fail?” In my speech today, I am going to explain the fascination behind dreams. I plan to explain the reasoning as to why we dream, then talk about the interpretations of dreams and nightmares.

TRANSITION: First, let’s take a look at the scientific view behind dreams.

The National Sleep Foundation reported that eighty percent of teenagers get too little sleep. Teens normally require about nine to nine and a half hours of sleep, but they average to only seven hours a night. During sleep is typically said to be a person’s best thinking hours. Why is this? Believe it or not, dreams are a sign that your brain is working even when you are asleep. During Rapid Eye Movement, or REM, is when we dream most vividly. According to some researchers, dreams have no meaning whatsoever, but others say dreams are symbols of troublesome issues in our waking lives. Natalie Angier, a Columnist for the New York Times, describes how the brain works when we are asleep. For instance she states, “The primary visual cortex is the part of the brain that receives signals from the visuals of the outside world, which is dormant. Then you have your secondary visual cortex, which