I think good dreams are a bit like good experiences with certain types of drugs. Maybe they work in similar ways ... connecting up brain areas in novel ways, so that emotions and sensory appreciation seem novel.

I always ment to look for more research on this topic. I go for years at a time without dreaming, I don't know why. I feel it makes me very bitter, and drives me torward anti-social behavior. I feel that "dreaming deficiencies" could be the cuase of various issues in humans.

But what bothers me personally about my lack if dreaming is exactly the topic youre talking about; I enjoy dreaming, and build up hope for it to happen on some rare occasion of night, it almost always doesn't. I won't leave my response as a useless repeat of the question however, I intend to do a bit of research on this topic and provide my findings in the near future.

I'm with you on that. Makes me think that our attraction to this experience of pursuing novel ideas is where curiosity comes from; If desire is the pursuit of sensory pleasures, then curiosity is the pursuit of "cognitive pleasure." So then, is the goal of the cognitive aspect of consciousness to get lost in novel ideas? I can only see two aspects of consciousness: sensory and cognitive...that would mean our life is made of sensory stimulation and cognitive observance. Is that where the human experience ends, or is there more to us?

Maybe it's so because there seems to always be an element of risk associated with dreaming. I know for myself that a large majority of my dreams are very adventurous and exciting and in some cases an overwhelming desire to succeed or push further. I think the ability to take a certain amount of risk in normal life has been added in some way, we are by nature risk takers in every day life, if there's no risk in what we do there's no advancement there's no progression and no knowledge gained, we just stand idle and feel inert, that's not very exciting and within the dream we have an added bonus to add or subtract the intensity of that risk, I think? Thoughts

What is satisfying about a good dream? Why do we like getting lost in a story?
...What Is it about these experiences that makes us want them? — Crane

We like narratives. We like stories that unfold and have surprises. Dreams sometimes are organized narratives, of a sort, which is pleasant, provided the story is pleasant.

this gets me thinking...so do you like dreaming because it creates opportunity to take risk and experience something new through action in the world...or do you also like dreaming just for its own sake, without giving thought to acting on it?

My working thought is that we want the experience of "losing ourselves" — Crane

I'm not sure this is true as there is big appeal and popularity in lucid dreaming and wanting your completed free-willing waking-self to be within it rather than fragments of yourself, which is all about uniting the reflective part of the mind with the automatic parts.

For me it is that metaphysical aspect of it. The mind is still sort of unknown and spooky.

Dreams are indirect proof of idealism. That's what's fascinating about them.

I do enjoy the opportunity, I think because it is the beginning of the unknown and a collection of random events, possibly wanting me to solve. I sort of think that maybe my life style and the activities I've done have determined the type of dreams I do have, As a child I was haunted by one particular dream continually for many years, it was very odd and I have tried over the years ( and still do to this day ) to analyze its content sometimes I died sometimes I lived very odd indeed. But like a say I think that most of my dreams are an extension of my life activities. Thoughts ?

Mm, so I've skimmed through the thread looking for the keywords "nightmare" and "bad dream"; not spotting them, I think I can provide this as a contribution to the question:

Why do we enjoy dreaming?

To answer that, we should ask: do we prefer having nightmares and or bad dreams over not dreaming? Do we prefer having any dreams over no dreams at all?

Dreams bring us into a different place where the mind can play with ideas outside of any constraints.

As Heraclitus said, in a snippet, in sleep, the souls play with other souls.

do we prefer having nightmares and or bad dreams over not dreaming? — XanderTheGrey

In the sense that bad dreams can be interpreted as pointers to improving your mindset or whatever, yes I think so.

I can only see two aspects of consciousness: sensory and cognitive.. — Crane

And emotional surely?

that's a good point, I didn't think of emotions. what are your thoughts on what the emotional experience provides? And how does it relate to sense and cognitive experience?

Well ... I think that perhaps the emotions are considerably reduced in dreams in order for us to afterwards take in the lessons on offer. How else could you turn up at the office naked?

Ha! Though I can think of many times when I dreamed and can remember having visceral emotional responses, particularly fear. Perhaps it's not that emotions are reduced, but that you simply wish you could work naked!

:) But is the fear really related to the explicit dream material or is it a fear of the repressed being made explicit?
But yes, I guess fear is part and parcel of dreaming. Not sure about other emotions... or what even counts as an emotion. Erotic pleasure and super confidence can appear in dreams, if one is lucky...

FWIW on reflection I would say that emotions are sometimes reduced in dreaming.

The last dream I remember was one I occasionally get - about being back at school (as a rather mature student) in order to improve on a couple of grades, but not really looking like I will be able to scrape a pass even. But I always win this one out as I gradually realise the pointlessness of it, and that in reality I am not letting anyone down and all that rubbish by walking away. I wake up to the pleasant sensation of feeling in control of my life.

Is there an aspect(s) of the conscious experience that we are not automatically aware of, or that our culture suppresses? — Crane

Really good visual dreams show us what we are capable of enjoying, but few people seem interested in seeking these experiences out in waking life, I would say.

When I am aware that I am dreaming, which is rare, I do not enjoy it.

It is far more likely that you are not aware that you are dreaming and can not recall the dream.

I'm glad you shared that dream, It's interesting to hear how that dream affected you afterward. Also, i understand what you meant when you said "emotions are considerably reduced in dreams in order for us to afterwards take in the lessons on offer."

I agree that emotions can be reduced in dreams. It seems like they can be, on the one end, non existent, which can enable you to dream of taking risks and exploring possibilities without emotions like fear or insecurity hindering the possibilities. On the other hand, I've had dreams where an emotion (even a sensation, like falling or the sound of a gunshot) was so strong that the dream felt like reality. Perhaps this can be considered one of the unique functions of the human mind -- that it can be selective about how it explores the universe.

Take, for example, Someone who is afraid of speaking in public. Every time they step up in front of a group of people they freeze up. By dreaming over and over if standing up in front of people without fear, exuding confidence, authority and excitement, perhaps one day when they stand in front of people they will fall into being confident, authoritative, and excited.

The mind holds the key to enlightening and forging new possibilities. Thoughts?

Yes ofcourse, good of you to mention.

Oooh so we are sharing dream stories now?

It'd been years since I stopped recalling or having dreams. However the most recurrent dream I've had in life involved me waking up to an ~10-13ft kangaroo standing directly next to the right side of my bed, and staring down at my face.

I usually felt nervous, and could sense that it had a very precarious temper, was focused on me with a bit of rage, and could break snap into hostility at any second.

Awlays this dream was incredibly vivid, I could feel this thing breathing, see the moisture in its nose, and the veins on its legs and stomach.

I some of the years I slept on a mattress on the floor, then it seemed that in the dream this kangaroo would lift its leg and stomp my on my head. Easily killing me, it never happened and after atleast 20 recurrences it stopped.

LOL

Some folk do not remember dreams...

The last dream I remember was one I occasionally get - about being back at school (as a rather mature student) in order to improve on a couple of grades, but not really looking like I will be able to scrape a pass even. But I always win this one out as I gradually realise the pointlessness of it, and that in reality I am not letting anyone down and all that rubbish by walking away. I wake up to the pleasant sensation of feeling in control of my life. — Jake Tarragon

I generally like dreams and I remember them much better than I used to.

I was going to write about a dream experience similar to yours. From others I've talked to, it is pretty common. I've been out of school for 29 years and I still have the dream about school sometimes - it's time for finals and I haven't been to class since the first week. It's more common for me now to have dreams that are similar but not in school situations. The dream will depict a struggle to accomplish a simple task, e.g. call the police to report an accident. Something always comes up to keep me from doing it, I can't get my phone to dial, I keep forgetting what I'm supposed to do, I get distracted. Then I remember how important it is to do what I'm trying to do and really apply myself, only to be distracted or sidetracked again. All these dreams end the way yours did - I wake up anxious for a second and then realize I was dreaming, followed by a very pleasant feeling of relief. It always makes me laugh.

I often have dreams that involve doing normal activities like working, driving, going to the gym but usually something strange that would never happen in real life happens.
Those kind of dreams are amusing because they are like a caricature of reality.