A fresh, revelatory foray into the new science of dreams—how they work, what they’re for, and how we can reap the benefits of our own nocturnal life
While on a research trip in Peru, science journalist Alice Robb became hooked on lucid dreaming—the uncanny phenomenon in which a sleeping person can realize that they’re dreaming and even control the dreamed experience. Finding these forays both puzzling and exhilarating, Robb dug deeper into the science of dreams at an extremely opportune moment: just as researchers began to understand why dreams exist. They aren’t just random events; they have clear purposes. They help us learn and even overcome psychic trauma.
Robb draws on fresh and forgotten research, as well as her experience and that of other dream experts, to show why dreams are vital to our emotional and physical health. She explains how we can remember our dreams better—and why we should. She traces the intricate links between dreaming and creativity, and even offers advice on how we can relish the intense adventure of lucid dreaming for ourselves.
Why We Dream is a clear-eyed, cutting-edge examination of the meaning and purpose of our nightly visions and a guide to changing our dream lives—and making our waking lives richer, healthier, and happier.
ISBN-13: 9780358108498
Media Type: Paperback
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Publication Date: 11-12-2019
Pages: 288
Product Dimensions: 5.31(w) x 8.00(h) x 0.68(d)
Alice Robb has written for Vanity Fair, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, and The New Republic, among other publications. Her first book, Why We Dream was recommended by The New Yorker, The New York Times, Today, Vogue, TIME and The Guardian, and has been translated into seventeen languages.
Table of Contents
Introduction 1
Chapter 1 How We Forgot About Dreams 11
Chapter 2 The Vanguard 41
Chapter 3 Dreams Enter the Lab 60
Chapter 4 The Renaissance of Sleep Research 71
Chapter 5 Problem-Solving 81
Chapter 6 Preparation for Life 102
Chapter 7 Nightmares 129
Chapter 8 Diagnosis 146
Chapter 9 Dream Groups 166
Chapter 10 Control 186
Epilogue: My Night Life 211
Acknowledgments 216
Notes 218
Index 256
