Why dreams are important even during the day

US researchers explain why we have daydreams

16/01/2012

Also daydreams obviously have a deeper meaning. They promote creativity and forward thinking, according to Professor Jonathan Schooler of the Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of California, Santa Barbara.

The psychology professor explained „World Online“, Daydreams, unlike previously thought, are not signs of mental deficits, but can be seen as an expression of creativity and promote forward thinking. However, the situation is decisive. If the dreamers need their full concentration to accomplish a task, the daydreams can, according to the experts, also be a hindrance.

Daydreams do not express a lack of intellectual discipline
Until now, daydreams in which those affected wander their thoughts aimlessly, often as an expression of lack of mental discipline and were suspected to favor the development of neurotic symptoms. Already Sigmund Freud warned that „Daydreams the next precursors of hysterical symptoms“ be reported „World Online“. Professor Jonathan Schooler, has been talking with „world“ but now referred to the meaning of daydreams. According to the expert, the brain uses daydreaming capacity to think thoughts that engage us inwardly. We are breaking out of reality, so to speak. Thoughts jump back and forth between internal and external issues, competing for our attention, Schooler explained. In the process, the things that we deal with at the moment, such as retrieving and answering emails, face the goals we want to achieve in the long term. For this purpose, plans must be forged that tie up some of the mind. Thus, if the brain is under-utilized in coping with the current tasks, then spare capacity is used to think through the goals and possible approaches. Also, daydreaming can serve the mind as a break and a great opportunity for recovery, Schooler emphasized.

Daydreams can also have disadvantages
However, Schooler did not want to go so far as to call daydreams generally efficient, since the execution of the current activity may well suffer from the distraction of thoughts. But it makes sense that, for example, when walking with the dog or under the shower, the brain uses the free capacity to daydream. Overall, daydreams remain one according to the expert „ambiguous matter“, because they could bring along with the benefits of significant impairment. For example, daydreams are „the main reason for comprehension difficulties in reading“, explained Professor Schooler in the latest interview. Also, people would often daydream in situations that actually require their full attention. For example, daydreams can overtake many people during critical exams, with even the test result predictable based on the number of daydream episodes. For example, the psychologist also gives lectures at NASA to discuss the influence of daydreams on the success of a mission and to emphasize the importance of full aviation mindfulness. Because of course, be „a dreaming pilot a big danger.“

Meaning of daydreams for evolution?
The US scientist claims to have a particular interest in research in a special form of daydreaming, in which the affected persons themselves realize that they are just with the thoughts not in the thing. This is referred to by the experts as meta-awareness, said Professor Schooler. According to the psychologist, daydreams are to be understood as all thoughts, „who do not deal with the immediate environment, the present.“ The underlying processes in the brain told Schooler about the so-called „Default Network“ - a network of brain areas that becomes active when people are not doing any activity. This has amazed neuroscientists years ago, because „why should the brain be active when it has nothing to do?“, emphasized the psychology professor. The explanation of the US researcher: „It is likely that man has learned in the course of evolution, this Default Network make sense to use.“ So we have the opportunity to think about our future in a way that no other species, which seems to be one of the important functions of daydreaming, said Prof. Schooler.

Daydreaming promotes creativity
In addition, according to the US psychologist, previous studies have shown that people with attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who have been shown to be particularly daydreaming, „find exceptionally creative solutions to specific tasks.“ The subjects would have been given the task of finding as many ways of using a brick as possible in an attempt. In between, the study participants were asked a simple task that stimulated daydreaming, „they came up with more solutions than a peer group that thought without interruption“, explained Professor Schooler. However, to make good use of daydreaming, those affected should ideally be aware of their daydreams, the US psychologist said. For activities that require full concentration, Schooler advises to avoid daydreaming as much as possible. It could help to ask yourself again and again, „whether you are just watching what you do“, explained Schooler. However, the daydreams should also be given enough time. According to the US researcher, it is important to examine, „which opportunities are available for a daydream.“ Whether walking or knitting - the main thing the sufferers use these possibilities, „just to give you new thoughts“, so the conclusion of Jonathan Schooler.

Daydreaming ability decreases with age
The US researcher added that it is also striking how little older people day-dream in comparison to children and adolescents. This is special „Interesting because daydreaming is often seen as a mental deficiency - and they generally increase in old age“, stressed Professor Schooler. Apparently, this classification of daydreams as a mental deficiency past the reality. Rather, it should be noted in the elderly that they „generally have less cognitive capacity to waste on daydreaming“, explained the psychologist. Therefore, old people often find daydreaming harder than boys, which may also be accompanied by impairments in foresight and creativity, said the expert from the Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences at the University of California.

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Picture: Genter