2005Text3Ofallthecomponentsofagoodnight'ssleep,dreamsseemtobeleastwithinourcontrol
Indreams,awindowopensintoaworldwherelogicissuspendedanddeadpeoplespeak
Acenturyago,Freudformulatedhisrevolutionarytheorythatdreamswerethedisguisedshadowsofourunconsciousdesiresandfears,bythelate1970s
neurologistshadswitchedtothinkingofthemasjust“mentalnoise”therandombyproductsoftheneural-repairworkthatgoesonduringsleep
Nowresearcherssuspectthatdreamsarepartofthemind'semotionalthermostat,regulatingmoodswhilethebrainis“off-line”Andoneleadingauthoritysaysthattheseintenselypowerfulmentaleventscanbenotonlyharnessedbutactuallybroughtunderconsciouscontrol,tohelpussleepandfeelbetter,“It'syourdream”saysRosalindCartwright,chairofpsychologyatChicago'sMedicalCenter
“Ifyoudon'tlikeit,changeit