Thread: Why don't we realize that we are dreaming when miracles seems normal :)

Its difficult to realize we are dreaming when all of these things happen because in a dream nearly all of your brain is active, except the logic center. Because there is no logic to control our dreams many crazy unrealistic things can happen. Without logic anything makes sense.

What sugar said. The logic center of your brain shuts off therefore you don't think logical.

There's also a statistic that 90% of all behavior is habit. Since we are usually even less aware in dreams, maybe that's an explanation too.

well said sugarglider11

The logic center shutting down makes sense. Could it also be that we see so many bizarre things in movies that when we see bizarre things in our dreams, we don't question them?

I wonder if lucid dreaming was more common in societies 1000 years ago when there wasn't so much imagery available.

If the logic center is shut down, how do we know to do reality checks?

Originally Posted by Kroy

If the logic center is shut down, how do we know to do reality checks?

There are two reasons that I can think of for that, one is that It's a habit, I doubt. The other is that the logic center only shuts down almost completely.

Ok, like sugar glider said, the logic part of your brain just shuts down when you are dreaming.

But just remember habits are nothing to do with logic. So if a reality check is one of your habits, you end up doing that in your dream, just like you would do any other one of your habits in a dream.

Don't know about this alleged "logic center" theory. But what I do know that it is unbelievably annoying how we accept the most outlandish events conceivable and don't realise we're dreaming. I mean, you would think it would be the very first explanation we would consider!

Thanks. but why the logic center shuts down in dreams?.
I doubt. because when someone get lucid, the logic center awake again in the dream?

Maybe your mind just understands the senses linked to the outside world are deactivated so decides logic is not required. But it's not actually disabled, just dormant until you become lucid and decide you need it.

I think that the logic centers are also only partially functioning in a lucid as well, because, logically, one would not be able to fly in a lucid if the logic centers were up and running all the way. Logic would say "Oi, you can't fly so why are you trying." I think that my logic centers have been a little too awake in lucids before, and have prevented me from doing things that I would have done in other lucids...curse my logical brain

Originally Posted by Zenman

The logic center shutting down makes sense. Could it also be that we see so many bizarre things in movies that when we see bizarre things in our dreams, we don't question them?

I wonder if lucid dreaming was more common in societies 1000 years ago when there wasn't so much imagery available.

I would really like to know this too. I'm thinking that most of your dreams might actually be using the same part of the brain that you use when watching a movie; you understand what's going on, you even feel involved in it, but you never actually place your own body or yourself in the story or what is happening. I see a lot of weird stuff, as we all do (especially internet users ), so I wouldn't be surprised if this is making it harder!


One thing I have noticed is that I can play games for hours on end and only dream about faint concepts from them, but if I play Warcraft 3, sure as hell isn't real, I will dream about it. This hasn't led to me being lucid, but I'm working on it . Regardless, I'm not sure why this is happening, but perhaps it is because I have played the game for years on end? Is it the colourful graphics? The multiplayer part of it? I really don't know, but it would be a fascinating study.

Originally Posted by marwanin

Thanks. but why the logic center shuts down in dreams?.
I doubt. because when someone get lucid, the logic center awake again in the dream?

It is all to do with being concious or not. When you are concious you have logic, hence lucid dreaming.

When you are not concious (normal dreams) you have no logic.

period

I think this is why naturals are present. Because for some reason their logic center does no shut down. But i do know that spontaneous LD's are caused by the logic center not shutting down, maybe because of sleep deprivation or something? I dont know. Im not an expert at this.

Originally Posted by Ethereal

I would really like to know this too. I'm thinking that most of your dreams might actually be using the same part of the brain that you use when watching a movie; you understand what's going on, you even feel involved in it, but you never actually place your own body or yourself in the story or what is happening. I see a lot of weird stuff, as we all do (especially internet users ), so I wouldn't be surprised if this is making it harder!

Actually, you use more of your brain while you are sleeping than you do while watching television. The brain actually is really just keeping you alive while you're in front of the TV...

Originally Posted by Kordan

Actually, you use more of your brain while you are sleeping than you do while watching television. The brain actually is really just keeping you alive while you're in front of the TV...

Yea, your subconscious is like the biggest part of your mind. I think

Kind of ironic that people are using logic to state that the 'logic centre' of the brain is turned off when no one knows that for sure anyway. The logic centre isn't a defined place, it's mixed in with the rest of the brain, senses, emotions, everything, sure there is an area which deals with most of it, but it by no means is 'turned off'. What is dormant is the concious mind (mind not brain (more is known about one than the other)) and what we perceive as reality, what seems real to one person is different to another, but in dreams that doesn't matter because the 'realisation' is dormant.

Anyway at the risk of rambling, think about these things don't bluntly say 'this is how it is and this is what you will believe' have an open mind until it's closed with proper scientific facts and data (again your choice).

Personally I believe that dreams hold such cathartic value that our emotions drown out the 'logic' or 'reality' of it, even if it's the most abstract of dreams it will tend to be an emotional experience anyway, even if it makes no sense, and these feelings lead us on in the dream and continue it without questioning it. Of course it's possible to break through this, just as it is possible to suppress or rid emotions in waking life.

Anyhow just a thought

P.S
And an interesting link I found: http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/b...ding_sleep.htm

Wait.

if our Logic center shuts off, why we know our names, what to say and what to do and what don't. why we remember our friends, family.. and why we talk and think logically .. etc?

it's about how aware on real life and how you live it.
if you live real life being manipulated by your emotions, thinkings.... then you will do the same in dreams.
if you are not aware in real life, then you will not aware on dreams, doesn't care how bizarre it is...

hey i found the link to the video i was thinking of: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RRnGbn9QZo its a discovery channel series called The Human Body: Pushing the Limits, pretty cool. anyway, if our logic center shuts off when we sleep why isn't there a way or medicine to turn it on? like use some chemical or electricity or something to wake it up?

Originally Posted by marwanin

Wait.

if our Logic center shuts off, why we know our names, what to say and what to do and what don't. why we remember our friends, family.. and why we talk and think logically .. etc?

Knowing names isn't logic.

And We don't actually think logically at all. It may sometimes seem like it if you have for example something memorised in you head which makes you do something like maths, that's just an example, it works the same sort of way for talking to someone. But I can't be bothered explaining that one.

I'm very interested! I would love to find out more.
me too, I need more detailed info

haha yeh i know what u mean !!! my dream last night was for some reason me getting shot at ... and he shot me like 4times in the arm and i was just walking towards him like yee i can take this !! but im pretty sure had it been real i would have ran away very fast like your saying i just dont know how i didnt realise..yet ill dream im in the bathroom and for sum reason become lucid ...random