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.”Evidencefrombrainimagingsupportsthisview.ThebrainisasactiveduringREM(rapideyemovement)sleep-whenmostvividdreamsoccur-asitiswhenfullyawake,saysDr,EricNofzingerattheUniversityofPittsburgh.Butnotallpartsofthebrainareequallyinvolved,thelimbicsystem(the“emotionalbrain”)isespeciallyactive,whiletheprefrontalcortex(thecenterofintellectandreasoning)isrelativelyquiet.“Wewakeupfromdreamshappyofdepressed,andthosefeelingscanstaywithusallday”saysStanfordsleepresearcherDr,WilliamDement.ThelinkbetweendreamsandemotionsshowsupamongthepatientsinCartwright’sclinic.Mostpeopleseemtohavemorebaddreamsearlyinthenight,progressingtowardhappieronesbeforeawakening,suggestingthattheyareworkingthroughnegativefeelingsgeneratedduringtheday.Becauseourconsciousmindisoccupiedwithdailylifewedon’talwaysthinkabouttheemotionalsignificanceoftheday’sevents-until,itappears,webegintodream.Andthisprocessneednotbelefttotheunconscious.Cartwrightbelievesonecanexerciseconsciouscontroloverrecurringbaddreams.Assoonasyouawaken,identifywhatisupsettingaboutthedream.Visualizehowyouwouldlikeittoendinstead,thenexttimeisoccurs,trytowakeupjustenoughtocontrolitscourse.Withmuchpracticepeoplecanlearnto,literally,doitintheirsleep.Attheendoftheday,there'sprobablylittlereasontopayattentiontoourdreamsatallunlesstheykeepusfromsleepingor“wewakeupinapanic,”CartwrightsaysTerrorism,economicuncertaintiesandgeneralfeelingsofinsecurityhaveincreasedpeople'sanxiety.Thosesufferingfrompersistentnightmaresshouldseekhelpfromatherapist.Fortherestofus;thebrainhasitswaysofworkingthroughbadfeelings.Sleep-orratherdream-onitandyou'llfeelbetterinthemorning.31.Researchershavecometobelievethatdreams[A].canbemodifiedintheircourses.[B].aresusceptibletoemotionalchanges.[C].reflectourinnermostdesiresandfears.[D].arearandomoutcomeofneuralrepairs.32.Byreferringtothelimbicsystem,theauthorintendstoshow[A].itsfunctioninourdreams.[B].themechanismofREMsleep.[C].therelationofdreamstoemotions.[D].itsdifferencefromtheprefrontalcortex.33.Thenegativefeelingsgeneratedduringthedaytendto[A].aggravateinourunconsciousmind.[B].developintohappydreams.[C].persisttillthetimewefallasleep.[D].showupindreamsearlyatnight.34.Cartwrightseemstosuggestthat[A].wakingupintimeisessentialtotheriddingofbaddreams.[B].visualizingbaddreamshelpsbringthemundercontrol.[C].dreamsshouldbelefttotheirnaturalprogression.[D].dreamingmaynotentirelybelongtotheunconscious.35.WhatadvicemightCartwrightgivetothosewhosometimeshavebaddreams?[A].leadyourlifeasusual.[B].Seekprofessionalhelp.[C].Exerciseconsciouscontrol.[D].Avoidanxietyinthed...
