Interesting theory about dreaming...

I just read an interesting theory about why we dream. I read that we sleep so we can record and archive our memories from the day. If we do that, then maybe we are just thinking about the memories of which we are storing for later use. OFF-TOPIC: If anyone could explain exactly why we need sleep in detail, please post. Don't just say "we sleep because we need energy". I'd like some proof. Also, if we sleep because we need energy, then why do we eat and drink? Whats the longer anyone has stayed up continuously before? Anyone into cars, PM ME! :D

once a guy stood awake like 300 hours
it was an experiment on sleep, and it enlightened alot about sleep neednesness (sp!)
after like 200 hours, he was starting yto hallucinate, like if he had too much info in his brain, so maybe sleep is indeed a way of downloading info from your conscious to your subconscious, as if there was a storage limit in the conscious
a weird thing, after like 250 hours the guy suffered symptoms of people who eat LSD, a very similar neural pattern

I once stayed awake for about 40 hours. It was not fun. Actually, now that I think about it, it felt a lot like non-lucid dreaming, but gaining lucidity every now and then (for about two seconds each time).

Sleeping also gives a nice way to distinguish one day from the next. For example, if I pull an all-nighter, then talk to someone, they'll be talking about things that happened "yesterday" but to me it feels like that was "today". So I support the memory theory.

Another theory I've heard (although I might be making it up) is that dreaming allows us to do crazy things, so we don't go crazy while awake. Or something.

Yeah, eating and drinking are like our body fueling up, and sleeping is like our minds defragmenting (you know, like you defragment a hard-drive).

Even when I've tried to stay up longer, I can't seem to go beyond twenty hours straight, max...I always like, lie down or something and then wham! Suddenly, it's seven hours later.

I once slept for a whole day, actually. It was kind of scary, 'cuz I woke up like, at 2am the next day and was all confused. But then, I had pulled an all-nighter and then some the day before, so...I guess it kind of balanced out.

Well, delta sleep's purpose is rejuvenation of body (including the brain, and neurochemical 'pools')
This includes your brain, chemicals (eg. neurotransmitter pools) and energy levels

Dreaming on the other hand is a different thing, and does seem to be a memory-organising thing. Constant repetition engrains the subject in your mind.
And thats exactly what dreaming does - it blends together a story of all the things that you have on your mind

Lucid dreaming involves having a small part in that process - but before anyone asks... no, its not bad for you
At least not in 'normal' doses and varieties of LDing

If you manage to lucid dream, with 100% realistic detail, preventing *any* subconscious input into the 'story', and do this over a sustained period of time.... *THEN* you might cause problems ;)