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From: lotto@wjh12.UUCP (Jerry Lotto)
Newsgroups: sci.misc
Subject: Dreams as a reaction
Message-ID: <43@wjh12.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 3-Dec-86 13:57:28 EST
Article-I.D.: wjh12.43
Posted: Wed Dec  3 13:57:28 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 3-Dec-86 22:11:20 EST
Reply-To: lotto@wjh12.UUCP (Jerry Lotto)
Distribution: net
Organization: Harvard Univ. Chem. Dept.
Lines: 17


I seem to remember that the time scale for a dream is much faster than
reality. Perhaps the ENTIRE dream can be a reaction to a particular
external stimulus? Furthermore, I believe that you are not able to
move during a dream (assuming that the duration is a fraction of a
second or so. I am shakey on the detail here, will experts please
comment?). If they occur fast enough, dreams would be a logical
mechanism for helping you to awaken to emergency stimuli. They could
provide a (rote) understanding of what actions might be needed, while
protecting you from "kneejerk" reaction that might be harmful to you.

The speculations above are based on a somewhat hazy recollection of a
report that REM (rapid eye movement) periods actually contain many
dreams, only a fraction of which are remembered.

The facts may well be wrong here and I welcome discussion from those
who have a better understanding of this area than I.