This Is Why You Dream
What Your Sleeping Brain Reveals About Your Waking Life
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4.2 • 5 Ratings
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
AN AMAZON EDITORS' BEST BOOKS OF 2024 PICK
"Completely transformed my way of thinking about dreams." –Jay Shetty
Dreaming is one of the most underappreciated functions of the human brain, yet our very survival as a species depends on it. In This Is Why You Dream, dual-trained neuroscientist and neurosurgeon Dr. Rahul Jandial explores the landscape of our subconscious, tracing the latest cutting-edge dream research and brain science to show why humans have retained the ability to dream across millennia, and how we can now harness its wondrous powers to improve our sleeping and waking lives.
There's so much dreaming does for us. It fortifies our ability to regulate emotions. It stores memories, amplifies creativity, and promotes learning. It helps us process trauma and prepare for future upheaval. Dreams can even forecast future mental and physical ailments, such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.
Dreams can also be put to use. Dr. Jandial walks you through how to use lucid dreaming to practice skills that translate into real-life improvements, how to rewrite nightmares, and what your dreams reveal about your deepest desires. Ultimately, This Is Why You Dream opens the door to one of our oldest and most vital functions, and unlocks its potential to radically transform our lives.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this ho-hum study, neurosurgeon Jandial (Life Lessons from a Brain Surgeon) surveys the science of dreams. When preparing to dream, Jandial writes, the brain first paralyzes the body by releasing neurotransmitters that "effectively switch off motor neurons," then the "Executive Network" (which is "responsible for logic, order, and reality testing") turns off, and finally the "Imagination Network" (which is involved in introspection) activates. Discussing evolutionary theories for why humans dream, Jandial notes that some scientists believe dreams keep the brain active so it can more quickly awaken in case of an emergency, while others suggest that dreams allow humans to "rehearse" responses to negative events so they're more prepared to face them in real life. Elsewhere, Jandial covers nightmares, lucid dreaming, and erotic dreams, the frequency of which depends on "how much of our waking life we spend daydreaming about erotic fantasies." There's some stimulating trivia sprinkled throughout (he notes studies from across the world that have repeatedly found falling, "being attacked or pursued," and being in school are the most common dream themes), but Jandial has an unfortunate tendency to make claims without providing evidence, as when he asserts that "dreams follow rules" ("It's extremely rare for objects to turn into people in our dreams," for instance) without mentioning any supporting research. It's a mixed bag. (Jun.)
