Dreams and our brain

Electrical activity emanating from the brain is displayed in the form of brainwaves. There are four categories of these brainwaves, ranging from the most activity to the least activity. When the brain is active, it generates beta waves. These beta waves are of relatively low amplitude, and are the fastest of the four different brainwaves. The frequency of beta waves ranges from 15 to 40 cycles a second. Beta waves are characteristics of a strongly engaged mind. A person in active conversation would be in beta. A person making a speech, or a teacher, would be in beta when they are engaged in their work.

The next brainwave category in order of frequency is alpha. Where beta represented arousal, alpha represents non-arousal. Alpha brainwaves are slower, and higher in amplitude. Their frequency ranges from 9 to 14 cycles per second. A person who has completed a task and sits down to rest is often in an alpha state. A person who takes time out to reflect or meditate is usually in an alpha state. In fact any rest including going to bed will reduce the waves to alpha waves.

The next state, theta brainwaves, are typically of even greater amplitude and slower frequency. This frequency range is normally between 5 and 8 cycles a second. A person who has taken time off from a task and begins to daydream is often in a theta brainwave state.

This can also occur in the shower or bath or even while shaving or brushing your hair. It is a state where tasks become so automatic that you can mentally disengage from them. The ideas that can take place during the theta state is often free flow and occurs without censorship or guilt. It is typically a very positive mental state, this is also the stage you encounter for a moment when you awake in the morning or start to drift off to sleep.

Also deeper meditation can induce this state.

The final brainwave state is delta. Here the brainwaves are of the greatest amplitude and slowest frequency. They typically centre around a range of 1.5 to 4 cycles per second. They never go down to zero because that would mean that you were brain dead. But, deep dreamless sleep would take you down to the lowest frequency. Typically, 2 to 3 cycles a second.

When we go to bed and read for a few minutes before attempting sleep, we are likely to be in low beta. When we put the book down, turn off the lights and close our eyes, our brainwaves will descend from beta, to alpha, to theta, this stage you are likely to get what seems like random images flash through your mind or sounds that may even wake you back to a higher level of brain wave and finally, when we fall asleep, to delta, a level with no boundaries, where we can encounter outside contact (contact from our loved one in the spirit world) or even travel on the astral level, but that’s another story.

It is a well known fact that humans dream in 90 minute cycles. When the delta brainwave frequencies increase into the frequency of theta brainwaves, active dreaming takes place and often becomes more experiential to the person. Typically, when this occurs there is rapid eye movement, which is characteristic of active dreaming. This is called REM, and is a well known phenomenon.

When an individual awakes from a deep sleep in preparation for getting up, their brainwave frequencies will increase through the different specific stages of brainwave activity. That is, they will increase from delta to theta and then to alpha and finally, when the alarm goes off, into beta. If that individual hits the snooze alarm button they will drop in frequency to a non-aroused state, or even into theta, or sometimes fall back to sleep in delta. During this awakening cycle it is possible for individuals to stay in the theta state for an extended period of say, five to 15 minutes--which would allow them to have a free flow of ideas and even pick up on a dream where they left off.

These brain waves or vibational levels can be controlled, intentionally and un-intentionally, many psychics and mediums do this and some are not really sure how although many have found with practice and control, they can induce a state of waking theta levels, this can be felt sometimes as a light headed feeling, ( A bit like just waking up).

All in all our dreams can tell us many things and answer many questions we may have, our loved one’s have been known to contact us via our dreams.

Pay attention to your dreams, if you struggle to remember them after you rise, keep a dream diary, or a small note pad by your bed and take notes.

I have always said the best person to interpret dreams are the dreamers themselves, but any question welcomed here or on our main website forums.

Good luck and sweet dreams.